Peer Kho Cave Temple Jammu

The Shrine of the Peer Kho Temple is one of the old temples of ‘the City of Temples’. A large number of devotees throng it on Puranmashi, Amavasya and Ekadashi. The important festivals held here are Shivratri, Purnima amd Shravan Puranmashi or Raksha Bandhan. The lingam is located inside a small but peaceful cave embellished with white marble rectangular platform. The black stone lingam is decorated with a copper snake or Naga and a Silver sheet covers the Jallari or Yoni, topped by a copper vessel hanging to pour water continuously on the lingam. The lower part of the body of the lingam and other features are similar to the shrine of Purmandal temple complex and probably belong to the same period of early Dogra regime. The Peer Kho Temple and Peer Mitha are two old temples located in the city of temples. During the reign of Raja Ajaib Dev, for the Saint Siddha Ghareeb Nath entitled Peer, the temple was built in 15th century A.D according to the unconfirmed historical records. The two caves are twenty to thirty feet below the ground level. The Peer Kho cave temple has a lot of reverence among the local people of the old city. ( Historical Temples of Kashmir )


The shrine of Lord Shiva also known as Jamvant cave belongs to an old historic spot. It is located amidst igneous rocks topped by the sedimentary deposit of the River and acacia jungle in Northeast of Jammu city on the side of circular road above the terrace of Tawi River.


The pink, high arched gateway with a white marble stair with a railing leads to the temple complex and into a long verandah, with marble and mosaic flooring, which opens to another entrance on the opposite side from the Pacca Danga via Jullaka Mohalla. The courtyard is flanked by three shikhara on the left side with two of them modern and one ancient. The low round ribbed Gumband or dome is merged with the modern structure with stone finial and an inverted lotus. This serves as the entrance to the cave shrines further cut into the boulder conglomerate deposit of the River Tawi, which were formed due to the successive flooding, and receding of water for centuries. The round domed entrance leading to the caves is embellished with beautiful later Mughal or Dogra style paintings on the ceiling and with floral motifs in the centre of the dome. The pillared arched niches on the periphery of wall and ceiling painted with Dogra style painting is similar to the motifs of Ram Nagar Palace complex in Udhampur District of Jammu province. The colour scheme & the style of paintings prove that the paintings belong to the mid 19th century of Jammu school of painting with emphasis on the indigo colour.


The other rectangular shikharas on either side with brass finials are of recent origin. There is a Devi temple built on the right side of it in the corner of courtyard. It has a white marble miniature temple shrine embellished with beautiful image of a goddess in a glass casing. On right side, there is a series of rooms which serve as the residential quarters for the staff of the temple. The present Mahant of the temple is Peer Rattan Nath who holds the Gadhi or the ownership of the temple.   ( Buddha Amarnath in Jammu )


The round domed entrance leads to a small opening to a low-level passage and bifurcates into the Amar Nath Guffa cave on the right side. The low ceiling channel further leads to Siva shrine or the Amar Nath Cave Siva Temple known as Jamvant Cave after one of the heroes of the famous Indian Epic of the Ramayana. There is another small opening on the left side which goes further downwards to the Nav Durga shrine. It a long grilled temple decorated with life size idols of Lord Rama, Sita, Lord Vishnu and other gods and goddesses. The narrow means of access further extends in a winding manner to a large covered courtyard and further down extends into another small opening to the Nau Devi’s Guffa or Nine Devi’s Cave shrine. The long platform with statues of nine Goddesses in attractive red robes is a wonderful view to behold in a cave shrine. These Nav Devis namely are Shri Mata Shella Puri Devi, Shri Mata Bhadrachani Devi, Shri Mata Chandra Ghanta Devi, Shri Mata Sakandanatha Devi, Shri Mata Kushamandra Devi , Shri Mata Katyani Devi ,Shri Mata Kalarathri Devi, Shri Mata Maha Devi, Shri Mata Siddi Devi.


There is separate passage for entry and exit of the Cave which is excavated into an igneous rock which is twenty feets below the level of the temple. The peaceful, calm and serene place is suitable for spiritual attainment.

The temple courtyard has a Tulsi plant pedestal in the premises, which also indicates fine reflection of the Dogra style of architecture found in Ram Nagar palace at Ram Nagar and at Zorawar Singh Residence cum Palace Complex of Vijaypur in Reasi.


The unique feature of the temple is the Ghoraknath eternal Dhunni or continuous smoke-emitting shrine in the centre of the temple. There is small Samadhi of Shri Peer Shiv Nath as his memorial just opposite the main entrance from Peer Kho Mohalla Side. On the right side of the main entrance, there is a small shrine of Shani Devata. The white metal standing image of Lord Shani is placed on a square platform worshipped by the local people in large numbers on every Saturday. The temple located on the riverbank provides fresh air and beautiful scenery to the visitors. There are many handicrafts and handlooms shops with a variety of crafted souvenirs for the visitors who happen to visit the temple daily on the dead end road of the Peer Kho Mohalla. The whole temple has been built on a high-elevated artificial platform to prevent the flooding of the water of the Tawi River in the rainy season. ( Machail Yatra )


The temple requires more area for parking. The white marble staircase requires to made unslippery by roughing the marble steps otherwise it is dangerous to use in the rainy season. The proper signage at the Circular Road needs improvement for easy access to the temple. The temple also requires some benches for the devotees to take some rest after visiting the temple. The viewing points on the Western side of the temple need to refurished with proper sheds and benches so that visitors take rest and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the River and beyond.

Mata Kheer Bhawani Ragnya in Tullmulla Kashmir

The temple of Kheer Bhawani is situated in the village Maheshaspora, Tullmulla, which is 25 Km north of Srinagar city in Ganderbal district. This temple is highly revered by the Kashmiri Pandit community of the State .The temple is dedicated to Hindu Goddess Ragnya Devi. An annual festival is held here on the Jesht Astami (May-June) when Hindus visit the temple in large numbers to offer prayer to seek the blessing of the deity. Devotees also throng on every Shulka Paksh Ashtami round the year and perform hawan to please the mother Goddess. The historic temple of Kheer Bhawani was built by the then the Dogra ruler of Jammu and Kashmir. Maharaja Pratap Singh. Later it was renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1912.

The temple complex is surrounded by streams and Chinar trees in the complex. The temple proper has a hexagonal spring where in idol of Goddess Ragnya is decorated and housed in a small marble-pillared temple canopy. The main spring of goddess Kheer Bhawanijee is an irregular heptagonal shape with apex called pad or feet to the east and the opposite side called shirr or head. The water of the spring changes its colour from time to time. According to a local legend, Lord Ravana of Great Indian epic, the Ramayana worshipped mother Ragnya, who showered her blessings on his kingdom. The Goddess thus resided in Lanka, the capital of the Lord Ravana. Later due to Ravana’s misdeeds, the Goddess cursed him and ordered Lord Hanuman to take her to Satisar (Kashmir) a place cut off from the world by snow-clad mountains.  (Shrine of Mata Ragnya at Lokitpur )

It is being said that Lord Hanuman obeyed and carried the Godess on her shoulders and enterd this great valley and on Goddesses direction selected this place and Goddess entered into this spring which becomes the abode of Godess Ragnya\Sharika. The temple is fondly called Kheer Bhawani because of the countless devotees who over the centuries offered milk, sugar, rice pudding or Kheer to the scared spring. This is an incarnation of Goddess Durga Mata the local name of the Goddess is Ragnya or Raginia.

The small temple made of white marble-pillared canopy is located in the middle of a natural spring or Kund, the walls of which are hexagonal in shape. A tiny footbridge over the spring leads to the temple. There are many clear water streams around the temple and many Chinar trees in and around complex provide shade to the devotees.

The atmosphere at the Kheer Bhawani temple gets spiritually surcharged during mela. Every body remains busy in either taking bath or preparing to do puja in the temple etc. The hexagonal temple kund or tank remains full of coloured flowers. So much so, a thick layer of petals keep floating on the water of the sacred tank. The temple pujaries or temple priests are busy in attending their clients to fulfill the obligations to complete the ritual with full devotion and attention.  ( Chandi Mata or Machail Wali Mata )

The devotees make offerings of flowers, lamps and of course kheer (traditional condensed milk) and pray for the well being of their family. Round the year thousands of devotees offer kheer at the feet of the goddess- it is believed that if your future holds something ominous, the goddess, knowing that would immediately turn the white kheer black making you careful and aware of your impending doom.

Before goint for prayers, devotees take a dip in the holy waters of a nearby stream. This creates a sort of spiritual aura around them.The large numbers of Kashmiri Pandit families stay for a day or two and get busy in preparation of food by spreading the bed spreads on the floor under the huge Chinar trees. Without fear and awe in the temple, every body in the family do his or her share of work.   ( Mata Bhuvaneshwari )

Keeping in view the huge inflow of Yatris, some residential quarters were constructed in the vicinity to accommodate them, particularly during inclement weather.To serve the devotees, some voluntary organisations arrange langers for yatris. Even army and paramilitary forces come forward to serve food and prasad. This mela usually lasts for three days. After which devotees rush to their homes-blessed and blissed. The mela provides an apportunity to local businessmen to do some business. They sell milk, flowers and earthen lamps to the pilgrims.

Ramkund Mandir in Poonch

Ramkund is the symbol of our ancient culture, art and tradition. This is the oldest temple in Poonch region. As per the archaeological report, this beautiful temple was built by Raja Lalitaditya (i.e. between 724 AD and 761 AD) because the style, architecture and the age of the temple is the same as of those temples built by Raja Lalitaditya in Kashmir. This temple, having a very attractive look and history, is embedded in the past. It, however, remained out of sight due to locational disadvantages. Now this old shrine is regaining its erstwhile status.

Ramkund temple is located in a sleepy village Narol of Mendhar tehsil, 62 kilometers from Poonch township. This important religious place is located in a deep gorge at the foothill of Shah Star Range of mountains. At present there are three sacred ponds apart from the ancient temple. They are known as Ram Kund, Lachman Kund and Sitakund. Ram Kund is bigger in size (25' x 25') than Lachman and Sita Kund. A spring water emerges exactly on the northern side of Ramkund. The water of this spring pours into Ramkund which overflows to Lachman Kund and at last Sita Kund. The latter is the smallest in size. These kunds have been designed in such a way that the water of spring after filling all the kunds flows in nallah. On the eastern side of Ramkund, there is an historical temple of 8th century. Stone structure stair case begins from the eastern side of Ramkund upto the entrance of the temple. At present, there is an idol of Hanuman which was installed in the temple in the recent past. On the northern side, a small structure houses the residence of Pujari and a cowshed. A 'Kutiya' has also been constructed near the temple for ‘Sadhus’ and pilgrims. The western side of this holy place is surrounded by banana trees and a small garden of plums which gives this place, look of an 'Ashram.'A big religious congregation is held on 14th of 'Chaitra (March) every year and is known as 'Mela Chetar Chodas'. Devotees from all parts of Poonch and Rajouri district participate in it. People after taking a dip in the holy water or kunds offer prayers in the temple and take part in 'Bhajan Kirtan' organized by the 'Mandlies' (Groups). The religious programme continues for one full day.  ( Buddha Amarnath in Poonch )

As per Raj Taringni of Kalhana, there is a very interesting story behind the construction of this temple. Kalhana narrates that Raja Lalitaditya who was a great warrior and had converted Poonch town into Chawani (cantonment) of his forces, named this places as Purn-Utsva (with the passage of time, this name became Poonch from Purn-Utsva) Kalhana writes that once Raja Lalitaditya left for hunting in the jungle, he reached this place in the evening. At this very solitary place, he saw in the nearby a girl singing a devotional song while a beautiful girl was dancing in this uninhabited place. When the song was over, both the girls bowed their heads at this place and left. The next day also, the same ritual was repeated by the same girls. Then Raja Lalitaditya accested these girls and enquired from them why they were dancing and singing their devotional song at a lonely place in the jungle. The girls replied that they were Devdasis and doing so on the direction of their mothers and grand mothers. "This is our traditional job but we do not know the reason of our dancing at this place." Raja thought that this may be some 'sacred place.' Next day, he ordered for excavation of that particular place where the Devdasis were offering prayer in the evening. After some excavation, two old temples came to surface whose doors were shut. When Raja opened the door, he saw that two idols of Keshav were installed there. One the back of these idols, it was engraved that these idols were installed by Ramchander Ji during his visit to Kashmir. Raja Lalitaditya transported these idols to Kashmir along with him and he installed the idol of Ram Chander Ji in the temple of Vishnu Parihas in Parbaarspur, while the second idol was taken by the queen and she installed it in Chakrshveri temple.

It appears that while removing the original idols from Ramkund temple, Raja Lalitaditya got renovated or reconstructed the original excavated monument with some additions and converted this place into an important religious shrine. No doubt that Raja Lalitaditya had built Poonch city but at present, there is no such building existing on the ground belonging to Lalitaditya's time except Ramkund temple Mendhar. This is the only temple in this region which refers to the construction made by Lalitaditya.

Mr Stein who translated Raj Taringani of Kalhana visited the place where Lalita Ditya excavated and discovered the old temple of Ram Chander Ji's time. Stein visited Poonch in 1892 AD and identified a number of places like Loharkote (Loran), Attalika (Atoli), Saramber (Chamber Kanari), Sawvernik (Surankote) mentioned in the Raj Taringani. But he could not identify Ram Kund Temple of Raja Lalitaditya's time because this temple was located in a very unknown place which was far away from the main route leading towards Kashmir in those days. All the habitants of this area were non-Hindus. Even most of the Hindus were knowing very little about this shrine in the past. Therefore, they could not talk about this temple to Stein. ( Sanskrit as language )

The other proof is that Devdasis reported to Raja Lalitaditya that they belonged to a nearby village known as Sover Dehmana at that time. This village is still existing near Narol (where temple exists) and known as Dharana instead of Dehmana. Therefore, on the facts given above, it is clear that Ramkund is the same temple which was excavated and reconstructed by Raja Lalitaditya in 8th century. ( Chandi Dham Machail )