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Temples In Jammu

The city of Jammu has come to be known as the ‘City of Temples'. Innumerable temples and shrines, with glittering ‘shikhars' soaring into the sky, dot the city's skyline, creating the ambience of a holy and peaceful city.

Amongst the temples in Jammu, the Raghunath Temple (Mandir) takes pride of place being situated right in the heart of the city.

Raghunath Temple: 130 years old it is the largest temple complex in northern India. The temple work started by Maharaja Gulab Singh, founder of the Kingdom of Jammu and Kashmir in 1835 AD was completed by his son Maharaja Ranbir Singh in 1860 AD.

Raghunath Temple

Inside view of Raghunath Temple, Jammu
Situated at the city center the inner walls of the main temple are covered with gold sheet on three sides while the interiors of the temple are plated with gold. There are many galleries of saligrams. The Temple is dedicated to various Gods and Goddesses connected with the epic Ramayana which make it a rare site to behold. The temple consists of seven shrines, each with a tower of its own. The main sanctuary is dedicated to Lord Vishnu's eighth incarnation the Rama.

Bave Wali Mata (Goddess Mahakali): The Bahu fort today serves as a religious temple is situated on the left bank of the river Tawi. This is perhaps the oldest fort constructed originally by Raja Bahulochan over 3,000 years ago. The temple inside is dedicated to the Goddess Kali popularly known as Bave wali Mata.

Bave Wali Mata Temple inside Bahu Fort
Inside view of Bave Wali Mata.
Bave Wali Mata is the presiding deity of Jammu . Tuesday and Sunday are special days for worship for the devotees. Fort is surrounded by a beautiful terraced garden.

The famous temple of Bawey Wali Mata inside the Bahu Fort is also known as the temple of Mahakali Goddess and is considered second only to Mata Vaishno Devi.

Ranbireshwar Temple

India /Jammu & Kashmir /Jammu /Jammu

Sight Address : Ranbireshwar Temple is situated opposite raghunath bazar on the Shalimar Road in the city of Jammu.Edit

Detail InformationEdit

Ranbireshwar Temple is a popular pilgrimage site that is dedicated to the Hindu god of destruction, Shiva. This ancient shrine was built by Maharaja Ranbir Singh in 1883. This temple has two halls that have been embellished with figures of Kartikeya and Ganesha, sons of Shiva. The temple enshrines a 7.5 feet long ‘Shiva Lingam’ apart from 12 crystal ‘Shiva Lingams’, each measuring 15 cm. ‘Shiva Lingams’ fixed on stone slabs can also be sighted inside the galleries.

Entrance of Ranbireshwar Temple, Jammu, India

HistoryEdit

Shri Ranbireshwar temple in Jammu is one of the biggest Shiva temples in the whole of north India. Popularly known as Ranbireshwar temple. It was built by Maharaja Ranbir Singh, son of Maharaja Gulab Singh, the founder of Jammu and Kashmir State, in 1882.Situated on an elevated platform approached by three flights of steps, the temple is magnificent and has a commanding location. This temple is one of the prestigious temples manned by the Jammu and Kashmir Trust Council.The Ranbireshwar temple stands in the midst of the extensive brick-covered platform and has a panoramic view from even many miles in the front. The temple opens on the west and overlooks the sprawling Parade Ground to its east. The spire of the temple rises high over a big hall, which contains two pairs of eleven Shiva lingas (Ekadasha Rudra). One of these Rudra is made of crystal stone and the other of beautiful black stone. The biggest of the lingas placed in the Jalhari, 7 feet high and most impressive.Planted in the black wall are beautiful marble images of lord Shiva and Jagdamba Mata Parvati.There are two side halls in which embedded in cemented platforms are one and a quarter lakh bana lingas brought from the holy Narmada river.
There are huge images of lord Ganesha and Kartikeya and Nandigan in the verandah in front of the main entrance of the temple. There is also a Bhairava image in the compound. One idol of Mahakali was added in 1983 and Hanuman idol was installed in 1984. These idols were got prepared from the famous sculptors of Rajasthan.The Maharaja Ranbir Singh laid the foundation stone of the temple in 1882. The murtis were procured from Rajasthan and sacred lingas from river Narmada and were brought in trains. Maharaja Ranbir Singh at Ranbirsingh Pura personally received these. Later, these were carried to Jammu from Ranbirsingh Pura in a chariot with full devotion. The Maharaja himself pulled strings of the chariot assisted by his troops and thousands of other people singing bhajans in the praise of lord Shiva.

Panchbakhtar Temple - Panchvaktar (five faces) Mahadev Mandir (temple) occupies a unique place, in Jammu, the city of temples.

It is one of the oldest Shivalya in the city. Old tales and oral histories state that Adi Shankryacharya visited this site and stayed there; while some believe that it was discovered much later, during the reign of Raja Mal Dev, in early fourteenth century. The Lingam in this temple is self manifested (Aap Shambu).

Panchvaktar Temple, Jammu.

Inside view of Panchvaktar Temple, Jammu.
This temple was also connected with Shri Amarnath Yatra in past and it was a Padayo (camp) for Sadhus visiting the Holy Cave of Shri Amarnathji.

The temple of such a rare antiquity, heritage and spiritual importance, is situated in the heart of the city at Panch vaktar Road, Jammu.

Peer Kho Cave Temple

The Peer Kho cave temple overlooking the Tawi river is another well known Shiva temple in Jammu. Peer Kho cave is located on the bank of river Tawi and it is widely believed that Ramayan character Jamvant (the bear God) meditated in this cave.

Mahamaya Temple

Mahamaya Temple and City Forest: On the bypass Road, behind Bahu Fort, the city forest surrounds the ancient Mahamaya temple overlooking the river Tawi. A small garden surrounded by acres of woods provides the best view of the city.

Other important temples in Jammu are the Lakshmi Narayan temple, Duda Dhari temple and the Panj Mandir in Gandhi Nagar.

Laxinarayan Temple