Author: Venus.u
Publication: Ntdin.tv
Date: February 1, 2018
URL:   http://mb.ntdin.tv/en/article/english/two-distant-temples-jammu-odisha-built-similar-principles-indicate-indias-civilization-wisdom

An ancient temple complex in a remote Jammu village speaks the same architectural language of an aeons old temple 2,000 miles away in Odisha. This similarity between the two regions transcended thousands of miles in an age where trains or planes weren’t even conceived. A peek into history reveals what connected the two.

Ancient temples of Krimchi built in 9th to 10th century A.D. are located 10 km away from Udhmapur, a town nestled in the Himalayas in Jammu. The temples were constructed in Indo-Aryan style and according to noted historian, Prof. Anita Billawaria, are significant for being located on an ancient trade route from Jammu to Kashmir.

“They are believed to be built by Raja Kichak, a contemporary of Pandavas of Mahabharata. The temples are built in old Nagara style which means it consists of five essential parts i.e. Garbagrihaor Mandoverwhere the idol of the Deity is kept. Antrala where the door of Garabgriha opens. Mahamandapa or Goormandapa before Antrala where pillars are provided. Ardhmandapa before Mahamandapa and smaller in size,” Prof. Anita told NTD

What’s even more interesting is the fact that Nagara architecture is further classified into three types: Odisha school, Khajuraho school and Solanki school.

The temples in Jammu are based on the Odisha school which is considerably far away in location when compared to Khajuraho or Gujarat and Rajasthan where Solanki architecture nestles.

“These group of temples resemble Baij Nath, Lingraj, Parshurameshwar temple of Bhubaneshwar, Bharmour Shiva temples and Chamba temple,” explained Prof. Anita who has been instrumental in setting up the Centre for History and Culture of Jammu and Ladakh region at the University of Jammu.

Parashurameshvara Temple, Bhubaneshwar, mid-7th century

En-route for invaders travelling towards Delhi

The current Jammu region is landlocked between Pakistan in the west and Himachal Pradesh and Punjab in the South. Most of the Muslim invaders from west passed through the region to reach Indian mainland. The rulers of Jammu always followed a policy of appeasement with the invaders and largely remained peaceful.

According to Prof. Anita, the invaders didn’t enter Delhi from the Punjab side as that would involve crossing wide and turbulent waters of the many Himalayan fed rivers. The invaders instead approached Delhi from the mountain routes where the rivers narrowed down to gullies and gorges.

“The Muslim invaders entered current India from Lahore (currently in Pakistan) to Jammu town to Poonch to Mansar to Basoli to Nurpur to Kangra to Nahan and from Nahan to Delhi,” Prof. Anita explained. Pooch, Mansar and Basoli are in the mountainous regions of Jammu whereas Nurpur, Kangra and Nahan are in today’s Himachal Pradesh.

If Krimchi was on an ancient route between Jammu and Kashmir, it would have most likely faced the wrath of invaders but surprisingly it didn’t.

An expert on temple architecture, Dr. Sushil Pani in an interview with NTD India said that the similarities could be because of the artisans who have travelled from one region to another.

“The nearby temples of Babore in Manwal had to face the wrath of the invaders and they get a mention even in Taimur Nama. But Kirimchi largely remained unaffected,” Anita explained.

Abhimanyu Dev Singh Billawaria, another researcher on Jammu’s history is of the view that Krimchi temples would have probably remained a very rich spot for art, culture and economy at that time.

“These mountain regions were not isolated from the world. Since this was an important place in the ancient trade route between Jammu and Kashmir, probably traders halted their caravans here. Being a place of religious sanity it was probably a safe haven from bandits and looters,” Abhimanyu said.

According to Dr. Sushil, the invaders from central Asia invaded many temples in Odisha and other south Indian shrines. These invaders had no other way but to use these Himalayan routes to enter into the mainland India. “This proves the fact that the two regions had connecting routes. These would have become defunct in the last few centuries,” he said.

“It was an offshoot of the silk trade route. Goods and people from the region that wanted to enter the global trade route would have probably from Krimchi entered Billawar and from Billawar to Rajouri and from Rajouri they would have entered the historical Mughal route that led people to Central Asia,” said Abhimanyu. Billawar and Rajouri are currently bustling towns in the region.

India has always attracted seekers, invaders and traders from around the world. The region was connected with the world through routes that crisscrossed its inhospitable northern mountainous routes. Along these routes travelled knowledge, technology, warfare, spirituality and an array of civilisational growth. While the region is currently suffering from conflict and violence, it has its own unique value in contributing to humanity’s culture.