Kashmir is the land of the Rishi Kashyap and preserved lot of Hindu Temples In Kashmir; it is the land that has produced are own treasure of knowledge, namely Kashmir Shaivism. Here, Acharya Abhinav Gupta used to reside. It was back then replete with Kashmir temples, and more than the temples, the devotees who prayed and lived near the divine.

It’s struggled through rough times, and so have the temples. And their followers scattered, they lay abandoned. Now that peace is finally returning to the valley, tourists are back, and one hopes the Kashmiris, too, will return.

Pilgrims did not evacuate the valley; they kept visiting it through various yantras — such as the Amarnath Yatra. It’s what I’ve always considered the anchor that tethered Kashmir to India like nothing else.

Must See Temples In Kashmir & Around Srinagar

I travelled to Srinagar in June 2024 and took this opportunity to see temples around and near Srinagar as much as possible. So this is what I shot in about 2-3 days and you can observe them too. They are not terribly removed so you can quickly hit these in addition to your other sightseeing.

Shankaracharya Temple on Gopadri Hill in Srinagar

Perched on the Suleiman hill, better known as Shankaracharya Hill and by the side of the sapphire coloured Nagin Lake, is situated the famous Shankaracharya temple of Srinagar. Jyeshta Eshwara Temple is the original name of the temple. It is an abode of Shiva known as Jyeshtheshwara. The hill used to be known as the Gopadri Hill.

According to 12th-century writer Kalhana, the temple existed since the 4th century BCE.  According to tradition, Adi Shankaracharya visited the hill and the temple.

Shankaracharya Visit

Legend has it that this hill was where Shankaracharya ji first met the Devi. He was tired and sat down beneath a tree. A Kashmiri woman walked by, and he asked her if she could get water and some food. So she then dared him to do something without Shakti. This is when Shankaracharya knew that even though Shiva is Shakti less, so is he.

Then he composed the amazing poem Saundarya Lahari praising the Devi, among other Stotras. He came back from the valley to establish his four ashramas in four corners of the country. The first in the series was Sharada Peetha at Sringeri on the banks of the Tunga in Karnataka. Remember that the Sharada Devi is referred to as Kashmirpurvasini or resident of Kashmir.

Jyeshtha Devi Temple at base of Gopadri Hill

This old temple located near the raj bhawan & army cant is completely made with wood. A small temple, approached on all the sides by the water, but seen from the mandapa not really connecting it with the garbhagriha.

Lakshmi Mata is younger sister of Jyeshtha Devi and known as  “Alakshmi” .There is a Shiva temple, which is worshiped every day. There is another tiny Shiva shrine that you encounter after climbing a few steps. A temple of Sharika Devi has been rebuilt here, and you can witness the Shila being adorned with coins.

The campus is beautiful. There’s peace in walking around. You come across some Primitive stone murtis, many of which are still worshiped … A board around the temple proves that this temple is where it is visited and worshiped very often.

Sharika Devi Temple on Hari Parbat in Srinagar

Sharika Devi is known as the deity of the Srinagar city. In fact, the town is named for her. Its temple is in the heart of the old city atop Hariparbat.

The temple is above the city of Srinagar. I remember it because of the giant rock with the Sri Chakra chiseled into it. This boulder, along with Sri Chakra, is worshipped here.

Ancient Ganesh Temple

It lies at the foot of the Hari Parbat. This is the temple from where the Hariparbat Parikrama proceeded. The Ganesha comprises a massive boulder. Ganapati is its natural shape.

It is tough to find this temple, and you may need to get some local help.

Pandrethan Temple at Badami Bagh in Srinagar

As you know, the legendary Bhakti Poet Laldeh was born in Pandrethan Village. Today, it is part of the military cantonment, and that is probably why it is so a well-kept well-worshipped temple. Without Indian army permission you can’t enter the temple premises.

Some accounts refer to it as Vishnu Meruvardhana temple. Still, the iconography of it as a Lakulish form of Shiva on the Lalaat or forehead of the temple unequivocally proves it is a Shiva temple.

The temple is in typical Kashmiri style architecture. An islet temple, a small square, is 18 feet in length with water on all bodies. It is the colonizer’s innovation to dig the land for water for irrigation; here in the valley of Kashmir, every drop of water oozes out of the earth as if it is naturally made in an organic factory. You have to cross a wooden bridge to get into the stone temple.

The Shiva Lingam is newly installed. But the room is old, and you can really pick up on the calm energy.

Thanks to the Indian Army, which made it possible for me to carry out the Abhishek at this ancient temple. But more grateful to them for maintaining the temple so well and practicing it. I had the Abhishek done by a Pandit Ji from UP.

Martand Sun Temple near Anantnag

The name Kashmir is derived from Rishi Kashyap, who resided there in ancient times. Maybe he still lives here today. His son from Aditi is Aditya or Sun. So, in a sense, Sun is from Kashmir.

Once you have visited the Martand Sun temple from Srinagar, an obligatory side trip is to the Sun Temple at Mattan as well. It is an temple complex set near a large tank which is still in use. It is situated 5kms from the old temple.

Avantiswami Temple at Awantipora

It is very close to Srinagar Anantnag Road and en route to Martand Sun Temple.

The remains of the old Vishnu temple are surrounded by and uncovered by ASI. King Avantiverman for Vishnu built this temple in the 19th CE.. You get a sense of the scale of the temple as you descend the steps to the temple ruins.

The carvings are more accessible, retaining better condition than those at the Martand Temple. You can observe Avantiverman with his two wives and figure Kamdev on some of the panels. Navagraha panels can also be seen. The ceilings, in contrast, seem to be intricately sculpted as well.

The corridor, which runs around the outside of the temple, contained smaller temples. You can find different designs of pillars that have survived invasions, Sun, and snow.

This temple is locally known as Pandava Lari and is said to have been constructed by Pandavas during their exile. It is believed that only something so divine as the Pandavas can build up a temple like this.