Shankaracharya Temple all Information

SHANKARACHARYA TEMPLE is located on top of the Shankaracharya Hill on the Zabarwan Range in Srinagar, Jammu and kashmir. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

The SHANKARACHARYA TEMPLE is also known as JYESHTESHWARA TEMPLE.

The temple is located in valley offering its magnificent view to the pilgrims. Snow clad covering the mountains,reflection of sunlight or lights of boats in the water, giving those shimmering effect is a wonderful experience.

BACKGROUND

As per the historians, earlier, it was a Buddhist site which was then changed to Hindu site of worship by ADI SHANKARACHARYA.

The temple was visited by Adi Shankara and has ever since been associated with him; this is how the temple got the name Shankaracharya. This place is also regarded as sacred by Buddhists.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple was built by Raja Gopadatya,giving its name GOPADRI to the temple. It is after the incident of Shankaracharaya staying in this temple led to the renaming the temple to SHANKARACHARYA TEMPLE.
The temple is built on a solid rock with an octagonal base that supports a square building on top. The terrace around the square temple is reached by a stone staircase.
A doorway on the opposite side of the staircase leads to the interior.
There is a lingam encircled by a snake inside the temple.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TEMPLE

The temple has gained a lot of recognition, not only from religious point of view, but also for its architecture. The sidewalls of these steps once bore a value inscriptions. There was even a Persian inscription dated back to emperor Shahjahan’s rule.

Also believed that the great SHANKARACHARYA stayed here when he visited Kashmirto reviveSanathan Dharma.