NARANAG TEMPLE: KASHMIR'S PIR PANJAL, A MYSTIC'S PARADISE

The Wangath river banks are home to a little village that is tucked away in the Pir Panjal mountain range's foothills. It is surrounded by lovely meadows, lakes, and peaks that hug you with their beauty. A historic Hindu pilgrimage site in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal district is the lesser-known village of Naranag.

One of the most significant archaeological sites in the country is located at the Naranag temple, at the foot of the mighty Buteshar (Bhuteshwar) mountains. According to Kalhana's historical narrative of Rajatarangini, Ashoka constructed Srinagar City in the 3rd century BC.

It's noteworthy to observe that the Wangath temples were constructed and expanded around at the same time as the Bumazuv temple in Mattan and the Shankaracharya Temple in Srinagar. Around the spring site in Naranag, King Jaluka constructed the Shiva temples of Bhuteshwara, Jyestarudra, and Muthas. In 61 BC, Shiva Bhutesha was worshipped at the shrine by King Jayendra. Between 713 and 735 AD, King Lalitaditya Muktipada of the Naga Karakota Dynasty donated a substantial sum to the shrine following a successful season. Last but not least, King Avantivarman took on the task of constructing a stone pedestal with a silver conduit for the bathing of sacred idols at the shrine between 855 and 883 AD.

According to history, the temple was constructed as a dedication to the ancient Nagas. The Hindu Kashmiri Kayasthas of the Naga cult known as the Naga Karakotas were famed for their worship of serpents.

His book claims that King Sangramraja of Kashmir (1003–28 AD), acting during King Uccala's reign, looted this shrine (1101-1111 AD). Later, a rebel Hayavadana also pillaged it. This information was made public by Sir Auriel Stein, a well-known western archaeologist, who translated Rajtarangani from Sanskrit to English.

Meenakshi Lekhi, the Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, paid a visit to the temple site in June to assess the situation. There is a plan in place for the complex's repair efforts. Naranag stands for the sacred architecture and cultural heritage of Kashmir.