Need to be preserved for posterity
Arvind Kotwal
During the course of some Heritage Walks, one came across several heritage temples scattered on the dhakkis (foot trails) on the slopes rising from the Tawi river bank and crowned by the Mubarak Mandi and old localities of Jammu city. Curated by Kushagra Anand a young architect and heritage enthusiast and his group Jammu Heritage, the walks revealed hitherto unknown temples which with the passage of time have ceased to be in the public gaze. These temples are located on the dhakkis emanating from the old Jammu city leading to the river Tawi, downhill of what is now known as the Circular Road. The dhakkis were the only routes taken by the royals and the laity for going to the river for bathing and recreation before the advent of motorable roads. The Parmeshwari dhakki, the Pakki dhakkiand the Dhounthly dhakkiwere once busy thorough fares frequented by thousands of people. These temples have gone into oblivion now with the dhakk is falling into disuse. The stretch on the hillside from Parmeshwari dhakki along the river bank upto the Dhounthly dhakki makes an absorbing temple trail.
Parmeshwari dhakki temples
Moonchon wale Ram ji durbar
The Parmeshwari dhakki is a foot trail which leads one from Peer Mitha locality to the Tawi river bank at Peer Kho, one of the most visited shrines of Jammu city. Located on this path is Tandon da khoo a non-descript cluster of houses. In the midst of this cluster, unknown to manysurvives an interesting heritage temple with a peculiar name; Moonchon Wale Ram Ji Durbar. Having idols of Lord Rama, Sita Mata and Lakshmana it is said to be among the four temples in India having mustachioed idols of Lord Rama and Lakshmana, the others being in Bengal, Madhya Pradeshand Rajasthan. It’s a Thakurdwarastyle temple lacking a spire and is enclosed within a fortification. A modest structure, it has three small doors which lead to the sanctum. The walls of the sanctum are the most captivating feature of this temple as these are adorned with intricate wall paintings which as per experts belong to the earliest phase of the Jammu School. The panels depict gods, royals and battle scenes framed with beautiful floral and paisley motifs. The paintings have lost their sheen and are considerably defaced having been subjected to rain water as the temple used to have a wooden and daub roof which developed leaks over a period of time. An attempt has been made to protect the shrine by raising a concrete slab over it. The temple priest claims that he is the 18th generation of priests looking after the temple which was given to his ancestors by Raja Dhyan Singh, bother of Maharaja Gulab Singh, making it about two hundred years old or possibly more. In the precincts is located a well after which the locality is named and which was source of potable water to the city in the distant past.
Gyarah Jyotirlinga temple
Barely a hundred meters from the Ram ji temple on the dhakki, is a small Shiva temple known as the Gyarah Jyotirlinga which is hemmed in by lodgings from all sides. Capped with a small yellow shikhar which is barely visible from the path, the sanctum sanctorum has 11 Shivlingas placed in a circle on the jheleri. A marble plaque above the entrance speaks of the temple having been made by one Vijay Dhar son of Lakhmani resident of Jamboo Nagar asdharmarth. The year mentioned therein shows the date of the temple as 1953 Samvat, thus placing the date of construction as 1896 CE.
Bhadrakali and Sheetla Mata.
Located on a scarp is a temple complex housing the idols of Bhadrakali and Sheetla Mata. The main shrine has the idol of Bhadrakali astride a lion made in a black stone. The walls of the garbhagriha have murals depicting Lord Krishna, Lord Rama and Virbhadra in the style of Jammu miniatures. There is reason to believe that there may have been more paintings but the walls have been tiled over which may have obliterated. A smaller cella at the entrance has a four armed idol of Sheetala Mata made in white marble. A smaller temple on an elevation appurtenant to the main temple houses a pindi which is said to be a manifestation of Sheetla Mata. Remnants of old walls indicate this temple to be of considerable antiquity. The temple priest claimed it was six hundred years old. Legend has it that this temple was made by Raja Bajradev in memory of his queen Parmeshwari after whom the dhakki has got its name. However, the temple has lost its heritage look having been made over with cement plaster and tiles.
An Aap Shambhu temple on the slope has been completely renovated with marble and plaster and painted all over. Similarly a Radha-Krishan temple which is privately owned has also been renovated. The shikars of both these temples are visible from circular road below the DC office.
Pakki dhakki temples
Radha-Rukmani temple
Linking the localities around the Mubarak Mandi with the Tawi river is the Pakki dhakki. Situated on thedhakki, the Radha-Rukmini temple is the only temple in North India where Rukmani (wife of Lord Krishna) is venerated along with Radha and Krishna. According to the temple priest, the temple is about 200 years old. It is said that people after having bath in the Tawi would perform rituals in this temple before proceeding back. After the end of the monarchy this temple was abandoned and ritual performance was started by the local community only a few years back. It is at present under the management of the Dharmarth trust. Another quaint little temple housing idols of Lord Krishna and Radha is located on the dhakki just across the Radha-Rukmani temple.
Narsingh ji temple, Savitri temple and Shiva temples
At the lower end of the Pakki dhakki where the slope flattens towards the river, are located several small temples. A tiled walkway going past these temples has now been laid out on an old foot trail linking Pakki dhakki to the Dhounthly dhakki. Steep stairs from the Radha-Rukmani temple lead to the Narsingh ji temple on the walkway below. A historical temple which houses a shaligram with an open mouth signifying Narsingh avtar, it has however been completely built anew as the old structure was done away with due to damaged condition several years ago. A little distance ahead is one of the most remarkable temples on the Tawi river bank. The Savitri temple is believed to be one of the oldest in Jammu city. Built entirely of stone blocks with a pyramidal shikhar the temple has a low door facing the east. It is copiously decorated with Jammu miniature style paintings on the interior walls fromthe floor to the ceiling depicting themes from Ramayana and Krishna Lila. This temple is being looked after by the Dharmarth trust. Next to the Savitri temple is the Dakshineshwari Kalika temple which appears to be a fairly recent structure. However, the idol of Kali Mata is believed to be five hundred years old and is quite similar to the Kali Mata idol in Bahu fort temple. Adjoining this temple are two old Shiva temples; one with a Shivalinga installed in the open and the other with a black Shivalinga under a square canopy. The Shivalinga in the open is said to have been recovered from the Tawi river bed long ago and has an uneven curvature.
It is believed that long ago ghats existed at this place as the Tawi river used to flow along the right bank before it shifted course towards the left bank where it is positioned now. A steep staircase on the slope behind these temples,vertically below the Mubarak Mandi palaces,is said to have been adhakki route taken by the queens to come down to the river for bathing and ablutions. Old timers speak of a lift system which relied on pullies and was used by the royal ladies to descend and ascend to and from the ghat.
Dhounthly dhakki temples
Mata Chintpurni Temple
This temple lies on the ancient foot trail called the Dhounthly dhakki which connects the Dhounthly area, just below Panjtirthi Multi Level Car Parking to the Tawi river bank. This Temple was built during the reign of Maharaja Gulab Singh in 19th Century CE after he dreamt of Mata in abstract form (pindis) and started searching for it in the forest area below Dhounthly area (known as Panjtirthi). It is believed that these pindi’s were found in the forest and carried to Mata Vaishno Devi Ji’s darbar for consecration and then later established at the current place. The Maharaja also established an idol of Mata Chintpurni (made in white marble) in the backdrop of these pindis under a silver cupola. Some mirror work has been added later to embellish the temple. Interestingly this Temple has a unique tapered foundation about 50 feet deep. It’s a living temple and is managed by the Dharmarth Trust.
Shiva Temple
A short steep descent from the Chintpurni temple brings one to a level ground on the slope on which stands a Shiv temple. The temple has a unique Shivalinga made of spathik (crystal) and is believed to be more than a 100 years old. Though nothing is known of the origins of this temple, people living nearby spoke about an unknown family in the city who owned it. However, this remains unverified and the unkempt state of the temple indicates that it is lacking in care and maintenance. It has a small pillared entrance more in the form of a sit out or a porch. Beautiful paintings apparently over a hundred years old and in the style of the Jammu School adorn the walls of the sanctum sanctorum. Right next to this temple is another temple in a ruinous state which appears to be of the same antiquity. According to the locals, the idol in the temple got fragmented and thus people stopped worshipping here and abandoned it.
Balram Ji Temple
Below the Shiv temple on the lower end of the Dhounthly dhakki is located the Balram ji temple dedicated to Balram, the elder brother of Lord Krishna.This temple was built during the reign of Maharaja Gulab Singh. It is variously known as the Baldev ji temple or the Dau ji temple as Lord Krishna addressed his brother as Dau. It is said to have been built after a saint advised the Maharaja to save people of Jammu city from snakes as Balram Ji is the incarnation of Sheshanag, the cosmic serpent associated with Lord Vishnu. The entrance to the temple is through a dilapidated double-story gateway (deodhi). The temple stands on a platform amidst an open courtyard enclosed on four sides by high walls and the remnants of a sarai. A grand edifice, the shikar of the temple is one of the loftiest among Jammu temples, over a hundred feet in height. The sanctum sanctorum has the idols of Balram ji and his wife Revati. The circumambulatory path that runs around the garbhagriha has decorated niche like openings from three sides including the main entrance. Each opening is marked with three ornate archways standing on two double pillars. It seems the temple originally had wall paintings but now the only painting the temple has is that of Lord Ganesha in a niche on the exterior wall of the sanctum sanctorum. The temple is under the care of the Dharmarth Trust. Also, in the vicinity is a heritage well with an octagonal platform built entirely in stone with a diameter of approximately 14 feet and a depth of more than 100 feet. Now completely dry, it was among the seven wells on the Tawi bank which used to provided potable water to the Jammu city.
Shiva Temple
The lower most temple on the Dhounthly dhakki and a short distance below the Balram ji temple is a tall Shiva temple built on an octagonal plan. Housing a simple Shivalinga placed on a copper jheleri not much is known about this shrine. A marble plaque above the entrance though disfigured due to elements and layers of paint, shows the temple having been built in 1967 Samvat i.e. 1910 CE. Locals stated that the temple was built by a family in Jammu who were the Diwans of the Maharaja at that time.
These lesser known temples and the dhakkis speak of the rich spiritual and cultural heritage of Jammu. Besides the architectural accomplishment and unique features, these temples also showcase the finesse achieved in intricate wall paintings. Efforts need to be made to restore and conserve these shrines. A step in this direction can be taken by attracting people to visit these temples by organising heritage walks and events during the religious festivals. The Tourism Department should create publicity material and highlight these in their social media handles. Simultaneously, government needs to take up the restoration of some of these shrines which are fast losing their heritage character. This will not only promote religious tourism but also revive the popularity which these temples of Jammu once enjoyed.
(The author is a former JKAS Officer)
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