Kamal Guha at 12:22, 14 November 2023

2023-11-14T12:22:34Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Avanti Swami Temple
| image = Avantipura_ruins.JPG

| alt =
| caption = Ruins of the temple
| map_type = India Jammu and Kashmir#India
| map_caption =
| coordinates = {{Coord|33.9232602|N|75.012846|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]
| district = [[Pulwama district|Pulwama]]
| location = [[Awantipora]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = [[Vishnu]] <br> [[Shiva]]
| architecture =
| temple_quantity = 2
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator = [[Avanti Varman (Utpala dynasty)|Avanti Varman]]
| website =
}}

'''Avantiswami Temple''' was a [[Hindu]] temple located in [[Awantipora]] in the [[India]]n [[States and territories of India|state]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu & Kashmir]]. There were two temples, one each for [[Shiva]] and [[Vishnu]]. The temples were built by king [[Avantivarman (Utpala dynasty)|Avantivarman]] of the [[Utpala dynasty]] in the 9th century A.D. on the banks of [[river Jhelum]]. The temples were destroyed by [[earthquake]]s and the site is maintained by [[Archeological Survey of India]].<ref name="Avanti">{{Cite web|url=http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_tktd_jk_avantipur.asp|title=Avantiswami Temple, Avantipur|work=[[Archeological Survey of India]]|access-date=20 April 2016}}</ref><ref name="Reign">{{cite book|title=Ancient Indian History and Civilization|first=Sailendra Nath|last=Sen|publisher=New Age International|year=1999|page=295|isbn=978-8122-411-98-0}}</ref><ref name="Suyya">{{cite book|title=Kashur The Kashmiri Speaking People: Analytical Perspective|first=Mohini Qasba|last=Raina|publisher=Partridge Publishing Singapore|year=2013|isbn=978-1482-899-47-4|page=9}}</ref><ref name="Culture">{{cite book|title=Cultural heritage of Jammu and Kashmir|page=88|first=K|last=Warikoo|publisher=Pentagon Press|year=2009|isbn=978-8182-743-76-2}}</ref>

==History==
This aesthetic temple was built by King Awantivarman in the year 853-855 CE. Originally known as Viswasara, the ancient town which was then a capital as well, was founded by King Avantivarman. King Avantivarman was also the founder of the Utpala Dynasty in the 9th century CE. He had built many grand Hindu temples in this region during his reign, only some of which exist today due to vandalism by Islamic invaders. During the reign of King Avantivarman, the region prospered. It gives a glimpse of the impressive stone temple architecture of Kashmir in that era. The temples of Kashmir do look very different from many ancient temples in Kashmir and elsewhere in India.

Kashmir was a centre of the Shaiva religion and philosophy and a seat of Sanskrit learning and literature before Islamic invasions. By the 14th century Kashmir came under Islamic rule. Most of its early temples were deserted or sacked in the early 15th century. Avantipur was established by Avantivarman (ruled 855–83), the founder of Kashmir's Utpala dynasty. Two temples here are attributed to him, the Avantiswami Temple dedicated to Vishnu and the Avantishwara Temple dedicated to Shiva. The Avantiswami is smaller in size but similar in plan to the earlier [[Martand Sun Temple|sun temple]] at Martand.<ref name="Lost in the rubble">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/travel/lost-in-the-rubble/article4908539.ece|title=Lost in the rubble|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=12 July 2013}}</ref><ref name="Kashmir. General view of ruins of Temple of Avantiswami at Avantipore. Probable date A.D. 852 to 854">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/photocoll/k/019pho0000981s1u00023000.html|title=Kashmir. General view of ruins of Temple of Avantiswami at Avantipore. Probable date A.D. 852 to 854|work=British Library|access-date=26 March 2009}}</ref>

<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px" perrow="4">
File:Avantipura 1.jpg|Platform and pillars
File:Avantipura 3.jpg|Reliefs, Avantiswami Temple
File:Avantiswami Temple detail (6133723727).jpg|Temple detail
</gallery>

==References==
{{commons category|Avantiswami Temple, Avantipur}}
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:9th-century Hindu temples]]
[[Category:Utpala dynasty]]

{{Hindu temples in Jammu and Kashmir}}

Avantiswami Temple - Revision history

Kamal Guha at 12:22, 14 November 2023