Geography:

Katas Raj is an area located approximately 40 kilometers off Chakwal, Punjab, Pakistan. Its location on Google Map can be seen here 

History

Bhagwan Shiv, while carrying the body of dead Sati, shed two drops of tears on here to form the Katas lake and other at Pushkar, Rajasthan. Pandav, while in self-exile after Lakshagrih, stayed here and built earliest temples. Later rulers of Kashmir built modern standing structure during their reign from 625 CE to 939 CE.

Alexander Cunningham, the first Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India, in 1872-73 CE describes a Buddhist stupa 61m in height with ten streams around also existed there.

Architecture

These were built in Kashmiri architectural tradition and resemble the architecture of the temples of the Karkota and Varma dynasties who ruled from 625-939 CE. Certain defining characteristics such as dentiles, trefoil arches, fluted pillars and pointed roofs are present in most of the temples along the Salt Range foothills. The main building material is soft sand stone which is plastered over.

Philosophical

This area is called Dvaitavana in the Mahabharat and the series of questions between the Panda and the Yaksha took place here.

Social

Shivratri is celebrated here and many devotees from India also travel there. After 2008, Mumbai blast, Indian Hindus stopped travel but resumed in 2010.

Political

After partition, Pakistani government neglected the complex and it deteriorated. Pakistani Hindus and Hindus from India. The locals used the pond and the place for recreational purposes. The Indian Hindus were barred from visiting the temple in 1956, 1960 and 1965. The Indian Hindus were again permitted to visit the temple after 1984.

In the year 2005, L.K. Advani, the former Deputy PM of India, visited the site and was extremely dissatisfied with its condition. The scenario changed when the Pakistani government agreed to restore the temples to its former glory and also clean the pond. Hindu God's idols were placed in the seven temples after their restoration.

However, as of 2016, there is a suo moto case that has occurred due to the drying up of the pond as the water is being illegally used by the nearby cement factories. The Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has also questioned about the absence of idols in the Shri Ram and Hanuman temples of the Satgraha.

 Points to Ponder

 Same as any other non-Muslim place of worship in Pakistan.

Geography

• The village is located on the South-West Bank of river “Krishna Ganga or Madhumati or Neelam”, between Gurez and Keran (Karna).
• The temple was situated on a hillock, on the right' bank of river.
• It is situated at a distance of 130 Kms from Srinagar and 140 kms. from Muzaffarabad. Its current postal address in PoK is: Village Shardi, Tehsil Atta Mukam, District Muzafferabad.
• There is a place called "Tikkar" at a distance of 1.5 Kms from Kupwara, in Kashmir. From here, there is a short cut for going to Shardi which measures 40 kms.

History

• Land of Rishi Kashyap, origin of temple?
• A Gaud King had restored the "Sharda Temple Complex" in ?
• After the Mughals, the Dogra regime assumed power in Kashmir. Their Collector of Muzaffarabad, Col. Gundu repaired the temple and provided a new ceiling made of wood. He got fixed an annuity for the priest of the temple, under the orders of Maharaja Gulab Singh of Kashmir.
• Prior to the partition of India, many Kashmiri Hindu families, saints, ascetics and their associates/ disciples and their servants, were settled in Shardi.
• Sikander Butshikhan destroyed the temple as well as the Peeth in ?.

Architecture

• Wreckaged remains of the temple of Goddess Sharda can be seen.
• It had the main girdle of 22 feet dia and the main entrance door in the west with foot steps.
• The rectangular sanctum had 63 foot steps, each 9' wide.
• The other entrances had 20 feet high arches. On both sides of the porch, there were two square shaped pillars, 16 feet high and 2'6" x 2'6" in sectional size, carved out of a solid stone block.
• The construction inside the temple was very plain and unadorned.
• The Architecture of temples in Kashmir is different than temples at other places. This style was developed, during the reign of King Lalitaditya (724 A.D.) and in 9th Century reached its Zenith, during the regime of Avantiverman.
• Generally, a temple in Kashmir has two parts, a square sanctum and a porch in front of it. These structures have centres and subcentres of Learning associated with them. There is an expansive courtyard around the temple.
• The pillars and columns of Kashmiri temples are of Derrik style.

Philosophical

The name and fame of this Sharda Teerath was well spread throughout ancient India. It was equally famous like Som Nath of Gujarat, the Vishnu Temple of Thaneshwar, and the Sun-Temple of Multan.

Social

• A fair used to be held at Shardi in the month of Bhadrapada [Bhado] on the eighth day of Shukla Paksha. 1000s of devotees from all over India, flocked the place.
• The Kashmiri Scribes, kept their Bhurjapatra manuscript covered in a platter overnight, in front of Goddess Sharda, for obtaining her blessings. If the pages of writings remained undisturbed, it was taken for granted that the works had the blessings of the Goddess. If, however, the pages of the works were found sifted, the works were considered as disapproved by the Goddess. 

Political

The Save Sharda Committee (SSC), founded by Sri Ravinder Pandita Ji, is taking the lead in campaigning to start the pilgrimage to Sharda Peeth Complex. As of May 2023, GoI and GoP are in talks to start this corridor, local assembly of PoK has agreed to this proposal.

Points to Ponder

• It's obvious Muslims destroyed it, so there is nothing to ponder about. It is well known that Islam encourages destruction of places of worship of all communities except its own denomination.
• Sikander Butshikhan - the destoryer ruler died in 1413, and there after it was rebuilt/ repaired by Collector of Muzaffarabad, Col. Gundu [under Dogra Regime]. So, it was further destroyed after 1947 and Government of Pakistan/ PoK was neither interested nor capable of protecting it.
• Hindu population has beentotally eliminated, so even if world [mostly Sanaatani people, but also other well-meaning, civilized people] restores it, can Pakistan Government or PoK or UN or any other [to be created] administrative body take the responsibility of protecting it? 
• Would it be worth while to restore it? It should be considered human heritage. It is our ancestors' [including ancestor of current people of Pakistan, who now follow Muslim way of life], achievements.