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‘“Namastey Sharada Devi Kashmir Pur Vasini Tvam Ham Prartheye Nityam Vidya Danam Che De hi mey” meaning Salutations to you,
Sharada, O Goddess, O one who resides in Kashmir. I pray to you daily, please give me the charity of knowledge.
This is the Prayer recited by the people of Kashmir even to day about the Saradha Desh.
This is where,
Adi Shankaracharya ascended the Sarvagna Peetha, Seat of Learning of Throne of Wisdom’
Ramanujacharya visited and contemplated before embarking upon his commentary on Brahma Sutra,
‘The temple is so ancient that Kashmir State was earlier known as ‘Sharada Peeth’. It is at this temple that Sankaracharya received the right to sit on
the Sarvanjnanapeetham orSarvajna peetha(Throne of Wisdom).
The temple is at a height of 11000 feet above the sea level and is about 70 miles from Shrinagar.
The length of the temple is 142 feet and width is 94.6 feet. The outer walls of the temple are 6 ft. wide and 11 ft long.
And there are arches with 8 ft. height. It is a very good example of architecture.
The Śāradā image atShringeri Sharadamba temple was once said to have been made of sandalwood, which is supposed to have been taken by
the Shankaracharya from here.”
*Kashmiri Pandits from India regularly try to visit this temple to offer prayers, but there are instances where they were not permitted to cross the LOC and visit the temple.
Yet some of the best photographs of this place is by Pakistani Muslims.
Location of the Temple.
The temple is located in the remote village of Sharda, in Pakistan’ Neelam Valley, at a distance of 60 miles from Baramulla in Indian-administered Kashmir, and 40 miles from Muzaffarabad, capital of Azad Kashmir. It lies 16 miles to the northwest of the Line of Control in a militarily sensitive area.
Sharada Peeth (Sarvajnapeetha) temple ruins, in Azad Kashmir.
Given its close proximity to the contentious Line of Control, access to the site by foreigners is sometimes restricted during periods of heightened tension with India.
In 2007, a group of Kashmiri Pandits who were permitted to visit Azad Kashmir were denied permission visit the temple.
Citizens of Pakistan, including its Hindu population, do not face any official restriction in visiting the site. Visitors from India are generally refused access to the region, given its close proximity to the Line of Control, though foreigners from other countries do not face similar restrictions – although they may be denied entry during periods of heightened tensions with India.
I am providing the thread of discussions found in the site.
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| jiju | 27-May-2013 17:18 | |
| aacharya shankara was born in kerala (southern part of India) Kashmir is in northern part of India…this temple teach us the unity of our country in the ancient age..but now…we are divided..let us rebuild this oldest university and also our unity… | ||
| SURESH PANDITA | 22-Mar-2013 06:42 | |
| WE THE KASHMIRI PANDITS USE TO VISIT NEELUM VALLEY AND PAY THE OBEISANCE TO MATA SHARDA FROM THE IMMORAL TIMES . MATA SHARDA IS THE SUPREME SEAT OF LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE. AT JAMMU J&K INDIA WE HAVE CREATED REPLICA OF MATA SHARDA SHRINE MANAGED BY THE SHARDA MATA TRUST . WE HAD REQUEST GOVT . TO ALLOW US TO VISIT SHARDA TO PAY OBEISANCE . KINDLY SEND ME MORE PICS SO OF SHARDA SHRINE . |
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| Asif Razzaq(Grace)islamabad | 11-Jul-2012 20:34 | |
Salam to all,I m Asif Razaq live in islamabad but belong to azad kashmir,I want tel u some think about azad kashmir,if u want go there then best time to visit May to September,in azad kashmir many beautifull places,Nelem vally,sharda,kail,Halmat,tio butt,Grace,Rati Gali,Banjosa,Haji peer,Ali abad,Kaler,Sodan Gali,Lepa vally,Jhelum Vally,and many beautifull and nice places,but before going u must need information about these places,u need information,about Road,Hotels ,Waither,And convence,if u want need guide line u cal me i will tel u about azad kashmir,cuz i see 90% azad kashmir and i know v well about azad kashmir,i want ur trip will be good and u must remember ur this trip,if u want see all nelem valy then u need 5 to 6 days,in nelem valy best places,tio butt,halmat,Kail,sharda,Davarehaa,karan,is best places to vissit in nelem vally,but in all places r hotels r cheep but some places gust house r good but in muzfarabad u go to forest office then u boked rrom already,cuz in 4,to 5 months many people go there then 90% hotels have no room.if u have ur own car then u go to sharda,not more cuz in sharda road is good but after sharda road is v bad and if u want go to halmat or tio but then u nopt use car cuz in places u need jeep,in these places u not go with car,u need 4×4,cuz road condeshan is v bad,and dangress,in azad kashmir best place to visit *Rati Gali.* in rati gali 6 beautifull lake,but if u want go there then u go on road and walking cuz no convence to rati gali lake,u must travel 8 to 10 hours then u will reach in lake,and u go there in after 15 jully to 28th aguest cuz in this time u see lake before 15 july if u go there then lake r complete freez and u need tent and food with u,cuz in rati gali no hotels no gust house,and in rati gali lots of cold u must need jecket and sweeter,i hope u under stand ,if u want more information u cal me i will more guide u,Take care God bless u,my mobile number,0333,5507160 |
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| abdullah khawaja seri kalas | 11-Jul-2012 17:56 | |
| welldone brother | ||
Adi guru Shankaracharya paid a visit to Sharada Nilaya in Kashmir known as Sarvajna Peetha (the seat of the all knowing).
Those who are not all-knowing are not entitled to sit on it; no one could claim to be an expert in any religion or philosophy without sitting on it. Shankara did not wish to show himself off as Sarvajna.
He felt that Sri Sharada Nilaya with Sarvajna Peetha was by itself a place worthy of visit by all devotees. Besides, Kashmir is the crown of Bharat. So he resolved to go there, lest the ancient Hindu religion should perish there.
There are four gates in four directions for entering Sharada Nilaya.
Eminent scholars and philosophers had entered it from various directions and had established their scholarly merit But no one so far had adorned this chair of Sarvajna.
And also till their no one had even attempted to enter the temple through the Southern gate May be this gate was waiting for Acharya Shankara. only who was from the South! Scholars of many group and communities were waiting for him in ‘ the premises of Sir SharadaNilaya
All were filled with a feeling of reverence to see him who was learned in both Jnana and Vijnana Yet the scholars in religious philosophies of Jaina, Bouddha, Samkhya, Yoga, Nays and Vaisheshika confronted him at the time of his entry to the temple, Shankara defeated all of them in philosophical debate and then entered the temple through the Southern gate.
Acharya went to ascend Sarvajna Peetha. Sri Sharada, the presiding deity of all learning, herself set a test for him. Shankara passed this test also. After this the Goddess Herself blessed him, proclaiming his omniscience. So say the ‘Shankara Vijayas’.
Citation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharada_Peeth
http://www.shaktipeethas.org/ashtadasa/topic90.html
http://www.pbase.com/hgharib/shardatemple
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