Kashmir’s history, as per its illustrious historian son, Pt Kalhan, can be traced well into the Mahabharata times. Kalhan, in his epic Rajtarangini has mentioned that King Gonanda I ruled Kashmir (3238-3188 BCE?); he was related to King Jarasandha of Magadh. His son, Damodara was killed in battle with Balaram, brother of Sri Krishna! It was Sri Krishna Himself who anointed the widowed Queen Yashovati as ruler of Kashmir with himself as her protector! Yashovati, thus became the first woman to rule Kashmir! Kalhan mentions that King Ramdev of Pandava dynasty was a great king whose kingdom extended as far as the Bay of Bengal; Ramdev is said to have built a magnificent temple dedicated to the Sun God (Martand) in 3007 BC. Amongst the Kshatriya(warrior) clans of India, one branch (Surya Vanshi) considers itself as direct descendants of the Sun God. Over centuries, several subsequent kings and monarchs are said to have repaired and renovated the temple complex, particularly since Kashmir is quite prone to earthquakes. It was ultimately Emperor Lalitaditya Muktapida, Kashmir’s own Napoleon of the Karokota dynasty, who is said to have rebuilt the Martand Temple as his tribute to the Sun God during his reign (724-761 CE).

Martand temple was built atop a plateau near Mattan town, in Anantnag Distt of Kashmir, about 60 km from Srinagar. Sir Walter R Lawrence (1857-1940), a British Civil Servant and historian, in his ‘The Valley of Kashmir’ (1895), has mentioned that the ‘Martand Temple(ruins) occupy the finest position in Kashmir. This noble ruin is the most striking in size and situation of all the existing remains of Kashmir grandeur”. Sir Alexander Cunningham (1814-1893), an engineer turned historian cum archaeologist who visited Kashmir (1836-40) has mentioned that the erection of this Sun temple was suggested by the magnificent sunny prospect which its position commands. “It overlooks the finest view in Kashmir and perhaps in the world. Beneath it lays the paradise of the east, with its sacred streams, orchards, and green fields, surrounded by vast snowy mountains, seem to smile upon the beautiful valley below”.

From the ruins and related archaeological findings, it can be said that Martand Temple was an excellent specimen of Kashmiri architecture, which had blended the styles of Gandhara, the Gupta era and even the Chinese schools of architecture. Lime mortar was used with huge blocks of grey limestones. As lime mortar was used on a wider scale in North India only after the rise of Delhi Sultans in 13th century, the use of the material in this grand temple suggests that Lalitaditya employed immigrant Byzantine (modern day Turkey) architects. This Sun Temple is believed to be the result of the cross-currents flowing from Roman, Byzantine, Sasanian (Iranian), and late Gupta periods.

Martand Temple complex consisted of a courtyard with the principal shrine in the middle and a colonnaded peristyle. The grandeur of the temple can be judged from the facts, as under;

• The main temple is 63 feet in length, 36 feet in width. It is in the centre of the courtyard. The temple was raised on a plateau and was visible from all sides around Martand.
• The courtyard is 220 feet long by 142 feet broad and contains eighty-four fluted columns facing the courtyard. The whole structure is built on grey stones carved beautifully in those days by the stone masons. Each stone is a big boulder and carved in such a way to give shape of squares and circles.
• The peristyle is externally plain, except on the West side, which originally had a row of columns similar to that of the Avantipura temples. It gives an indication that engineering art adopted at Avantipura temple is like the one available at Martand.
• The temple is divided into Ardhamandapa (the outer portion) measuring 18 feet 10 inches square, Autarala (the middle portion) measuring 18 feet by 4 ½ feet and Garbhagriha (the inner portion) measuring 18 feet and 5 inches by 13 feet 10 inches. It is believed that an idol of Sun-God was installed in Garbhagriha. It was a perfect engineering marvel giving an indication that three gates were to be crossed to reach the main temple. Thus, the Hindu mythology of Aehlok, Parlok and Pataallok are to be seen over here.
• The entrance, or gateway, stands in the middle of the Western side of the quadrangle and is the same width as the temple itself. The walls of the gateway are profusely decorated and indicate a welcome sign for the pilgrims who believe in the heavenly powers of Lord Martand.

• The outer periphery of the temple is 270 feet by 180 feet and has three main gates. This indicates that builders of the temple wanted to show that Lord Martand has two eyes and the sixth sense to watch the world.

The temple had a colonnaded courtyard, with its primary shrine in its centre and surrounded by 84 smaller shrines, stretching to be 220 feet long and 142 feet broad total and incorporating a smaller temple that was previously built.  The temple turns out to be the largest example of the peristyle in Kashmir, and is complex due to its various chambers that are proportional in size and aligned with the overall perimeter of the temple. In accordance with principles of Hindu/ Indian style of temple architecture, the primary entrance to the temple is situated in the western side of the quadrangle and is the same width as the temple itself, creating grandeur. The entrance is highly reflective of the temple due to its elaborate decoration and allusion to the deities worshiped inside. The primary shrine is located in a centralised structure (the temple proper) that is thought to have had a pyramidal top - a common feature of the temples in Kashmir. Various wall carvings in the antechamber of the temple proper depict other gods, such as Vishnu, and river goddesses, such as Ganga and Yamuna, in addition to the sun-god Surya.

Walter Lawrence writes. “There are in all eighty-four columns- a singularly appropriate number in a temple of the sun. The number eighty-four is accounted sacred by the Hindus in consequence of its being the multiple of the number of the number of days in the week with the number of signs in the Zodiac (Rashis)”.

With the advent of Islamic rule in Kashmir (1339 CE), started the systematic campaign to Islamise Kashmir. The new rulers thought that the best way to terrorize the Hindu populace was to attack their temples and annihilate the priestly class. Sultan Shamas-u-Din, (1339-1342), the founder of Shahmir dynasty was greatly influenced by Islamic missionaries, preachers, sayyids and Sufis from Persia, Afghanistan, and Central Asia, some of whom had entered Kashmir to escape the wrath of Timur. Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani (Shah Hamadan) entered Kashmir with 700 sayyids; and, his son, Mir Muhammad Hamadani, with 300 more. These two Islamic preachers played a vital role in Islamization of Kashmir through organized tyranny and destruction of hundreds of temples, including Martand.

Sultan Shihab-ud-Din (AD 1354-1373) was the one who started destruction and desecration of temples as a state policy to terrorize Kashmiri Pandits. Many temples in Srinagar and the magnificent temple of Vijeyeshwar at Bijbihara fell victim to the mad zeal of this despot. As per historians, mass conversions, mostly from the non- Brahminical castes, took place during this time, mostly to gain royal favours or, to escape punishments. Kashmiri Brahmins looked down upon these neo-converts as betrayers of the faith. And, ironically, it was some of these neo-converts who caused maximum damage to the faith of their ancestors. The worst offender that comes to mind is one Suha Bhatt, who, after embracing Islam, took the name of Saif-ud-Din. He was appointed Prime Minister by Sultan Sikandar Shahmiri (1389-1413) and along with Mir Muhammad Hamadani, son of Shah Hamadan, he egged on Sikandar to start a vile campaign of death and destruction of Brahmins as well as Temples of Kashmir. The iconoclastic Sikandar’s zeal to destroy the magnificent heritage of Kashmir has been documented by historian Jonaraja (1389-1459) in his Dvitiya Rajtarangini. Another historian, Hasan b Ali, who compiled Tarikhi-i-Kashmir during Mogul King Jahangir’s era (1605-1627 AD) has commented,” This country possessed from the times of Hindu rajas many temples which were like the wonders of the world. Their workmanship was so fine and delicate that one found himself bewildered at their sight. Sikandar, goaded by feelings of bigotry, destroyed them, and levelled them with the earth and with the material built many mosques and khanqahs. Jonaraja notes in his Dvitiya Rajtarangini that, “The Sultan forgot his kingly duties and took delight, day and night, in breaking images … He broke images of Martanda, Vishaya, Ishana, Chakrabrit and Tripureshvara …… There was no city, no town, no village, no wood where Turushka left the temples of the gods unbroken”.

Destruction of the grand edifice of Martand Temple presented itself as a great challenge for Sultan Sikandar Butshikan. For one year he tried to demolish it, but failed. At last, in sheer frustration, he dug out stones from its base and having stored enough wood in their place, set fire to it. The gold gilt paintings on its walls were destroyed and the walls surrounding its premises were demolished. Its ruins even now strike wonder in minds. Historian Hassan b Ali further adds, “Sikandar meted out greatest oppression to the Hindus. It was notified in the Valley that if a Hindu does not become a Muslim, he must leave the country or be killed. As a result, some of the Hindus fled away, some accepted Islam and many Brahmans consented to be killed and gave their lives. It is said that Sikandar collected, by these methods, six maunds( 225 kg appx) of sacred thread( Janeu) form Hindu converts and burnt them. Mir Muhammad Hamadani, who was a witness of all this vicious brutality, barbarism, and vandalism, at last advised him to desist from the slaughter of Brahmans and told him to impose jazia (religious tax) instead of death upon them. All the Hindu books of learning were collected and thrown into Dal Lake and were buried beneath stones and earth.”

Ruins of Martand, today, stand mute witnesses to the religious bigotry that befell Kashmir in the 14th century – its impact resulted in seven exoduses of Hindus from Kashmir. Had the Temple not been destroyed, it would have shone today, prouder than the Pyramids of Egypt. Alas, that was not to be and today we mourn the wanton destruction of a magnificent work of craftsmanship by a tyrant.