The Architectural Survey of India (ASI) has recognized 56 monuments of National Importance in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the official site of Directorate of Archives, Archaeology and Museums, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, the department is looking after 48 state-protected monuments or sites of archaeological and historical importance. Conservation work has been undertaken at many of the protected monuments and archaeological sites with the aim to preserve the rich history and cultural heritage of Jammu and Kashmir. Here is a list of some famous archaeological sites and the top 10 ancient monuments in Kashmir.
List of Archaeological Sites in Jammu and Kashmir
Akhund Mullah Shah Masjid: Dara Shikoh built this mosque in 1649. It is a mosque inside a mosque and located in Srinagar.
Ancient Temple, Ladhoo: It is an archaeological monument in a small village called Ladhoo. It is square-shaped from the outside and circular from the inside and located in the middle of a pond. It is said to have been built in the 8th century AD.
Bumzuva Cave and Temple: This refers to a group of manmade caves in Kashmir. The caves are carved out of limestone cliffs and one of them houses a Shiva temple, which probably dates back to the 12th century AD.
Burzahom Archaeological Site: It is a prehistoric settlement in the Burzahom village in Srinagar and has been enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Excavations at the site have revealed four different cultural phases between 3000 BC and 1000 BC. Two phases represent the Neolithic era, the third phase revealed the Megalithic era, and excavation in the fourth phase revealed the post-megalithic era.
Gufkral: Guf means cave and kral means potter, which effectively means that this is a cave where potters stayed. It is said that this site had been occupied from the Aceramic Neolithis era to the Megalithic era. It is among the oldest caves in Kashmir and is believed to have been habituated between 2000 and 3000 BCE.
Krimchi Temples: They are seven ancient temples situated in the Krimchi village in Udhampur. In Kashmir, this group of temples is called Pandava Temples. The main temple is dedicated to Lords Shiva, Ganesha, Vishnu, and Goddess Parvati. According to the Archaeological Survey of India, these temples were built in stages, between the 8th and 9th century AD.
Bhagavati Temple, Manwal: Manwal is a small town nestled in the Shivalik Mountains. The town is well-known for the ancient Devi Bhagavati Temple, which is believed to have been built in the 10th or 11th century CE. Kala Dera and Dera are the other temples in the town of Manwal, and the Archaeological Survey of India is working for the preservation and restoration of these historic sites.
Martand Sun Temple: It is a Hindu temple located in Anantnag and was built by the third Maharaja of Kashmir, Lalitaditya Muktapida in the 8th century CE. This temple is dedicated to lord Surya and has been declared as a site of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Purmandal: It is a village located on the Devika River in Samba district and is a pilgrimage site for Hindus. This temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvati and there are other temples in the vicinity that are dedicated to lord Shiva, a mansion built around 1830, and murals dating back to the time between 1813 and 1898.
Semthan: This village in Jammu and Kashmir has an archaeological site of Chakradhar, where excavations have revealed cultures from the Neolithic to the Indo-Greek and Kuthan eras. In the olden times, Semthan was a Greek settlement.
Silk Road sites in India: These sites were important for trade on the Silk Road and are distributed across many states in India, one of them being Jammu and Kashmir. They have been enlisted on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Remains of an ancient monastery and stupa have been found at these archaeological sites in Kashmir.
Wangath Temple Complex: It is among the ‘centrally protected monuments’ declared by the Archaeological Survey of India. It is a group of monuments in Wangath village built in three groups using grey granite. The present structure is said to have been constructed by Lalitaditya Muktapida.
Top 10 Ancient Monuments in Kashmir
Shankaracharya Temple: Located on the Shankaracharya Hill on the Zabarwan range in Srinagar, it is a temple dedicated to lord Shiva. The shrine dates back to around 200 BCE and the present structure was probably built in the 9th century AD.
Jamia Masjid: This mosque in Srinagar is among its most famous tourist attractions and regarded as one of the most important mosques in Kashmir.
Hazratbal Shrine: It is a Muslim shrine in Hazratbal, located on the northern bank of the Dal Lake in Srinagar. It is also called Dargah Sharif and it is believed that the hair of the Islamic prophet Muhammad is preserved here.
Hari Parbat: It is a hill that overlooks Srinagar and houses a Hindu temple, mosques, and a gurdwara. During the Indo-Pak war of 1947-48, this fort was captured by India. In 2021, the Indian government hoisted a 100-feet tall Indian National flag on this fort.
Pari Mahal: It was built in the mid-1600s as the library and residence of Mughal prince Dara Shikoh. Later, it was used as an observatory. It translates as the Palace of Fairies and is a 7-terraced garden representing Islamic architecture and is located on the Zabarwan range.
Nishat Bagh: Asif Khan, elder brother of Nur Jahan, built this garden in 1633. It is located on the banks of Dal Lake and is the second-largest Mughal garden in the Kashmir Valley. It is a terraced garden and has 12 terraces.
Shalimar Bagh: The history of this Mughal Garden in Srinagar can be traced to the 2nd century. Formerly, it was the site of residence of Parvarsena II, the ruler of Kashmir from 79 AD to 139 AD. In 1619, Emperor Jehangir, during his reign, built the Shalimar garden for his queen Nur Jahan. Today, this garden is a public park and known as the Crown of Srinagar.
Khanqah of Shah Hamadan: It is a famous Sufi shrine in Srinagar, located on the banks of River Jhelum. Built in 1395, it is the first mosque in Srinagar and one of the oldest Islamic shrines in Kashmir.
Chhatti Padshahi Gurudwara: It is located outside the southern gate of Hari Parbat and is an important religious centre for the Sikhs
Poonch Fort: This fort has buildings and courtyards and the architecture is a combination of Mughal, Sikh and Dogra styles. It is one of the most attractive forts in Jammu and Kashmir.
These monuments and archaeological sites are a treasure trove of the culture and history of Jammu and Kashmir. They are also important for the travel industry of J&K since they are visited by tourists across the globe. However, some irresponsible or careless tourists are littering these places and destroying remnants and artifacts preserved here. So, restoration measures are in progress at many of these sites but it is also the duty of every tourist to ensure that the cultural wealth and beauty of these historically important places is maintained well.
