Naranag

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Naranag Temple, Ganderbal

Naranag (नारानाग) is a tourist village and ancient Hindu pilgrimage site, near Ganderbal town in Ganderbal district, Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Variants

• Nara Naga (नारानाग)
• Nara Nag (नारानाग)
• Naranaga (नारानाग)
• Naranag valley

Location

Well known for its ancient but pillaged temple ruins complex, it is located around 8 km from Kangan, 6 km upstream from the Sind River. Noted for its scenic meadows, lakes and mountains, it is a base camp for trekking to the Mount Haramukh 16,870 ft (5,142 metres) and Gangabal Lake. The village lies at the left bank of the Wangath river, which is a tributary of the Sind River.

Founders

Nara I (1023-983 BC) was king of Kashmir. Nara II (520 BC-460 BC) was king of Kashmir.

King named Nara of Kashmir

Rajatarangini mentions in the list of Kings of Kashmir one Nara I, King of Darvabhisara: Then came his son Nara I, sometimes called Kinnara, to the throne. Whatever he did for the benefit of his subjects turned, from want of proper judgment, to their injury. A Buddhist who lived in a monastery in a certain village eloped with his queen, this so enraged him, that he burnt thousands and thousands of monasteries, and gave to the Brahmanas, who dwelt at Madhyamata, the villages that supported those monasteries. He built a town on the banks of the Vitasta, which he laid out with spacious roads, and adorned with the spoils of other countries. It was crowded with rich shops, and graced with fruit and flower gardens, and the river below was covered with boats.

Rajatarangini mentions that the passion Nara I suffered what none over suffered. When a king, under the pretence of protecting his subjects, oppresses them, he generally meets such a death unawares. Even to this day, the burnt houses and the tank near the hill Chakradhara remind the people of the occurrence. This king reigned over a period of thirty-nine years and nine months, and within this short time the town of Kinnarapura (Narapura) became as beautiful as Gandharvapura. It was by mere chance that Nara's son prince Sidha was absent at Vijayakshetra when the catastrophe happened to the king and his capital, and thus his life was saved from the general ruin.

Rajatarangini mentions a place called Narapura.

Genealogy of Nara

Rajatarangini provides us following Genealogy of Nara:

Genealogy of Nara, King of Darvabhisara

Formerly at Darvvabhisara there lived a king named Nara of the Gotra of Bharadvaja, who had a son named Naravahana, and Naravahana had a son named Phulla. Phulla had a son named Sarthavahana, his son was Chandana, and Chandana had two sons, Gopala and Sinharaja, Sinharaja had several children, his daughter Didda was married to Kshemagupta. Didda made Sanggramaraja (son of her brother Udayaraja) king. She had another brother, Kantiraja, and he had a son named Jassaraja, Sanggramaraja had a son named Ananta, while of Jassaraja were born Tanvangga and Gungga. Ananta's son was Kalasharaja, and of Gungga was born Malla. Kalasha's son is king Harshadeva, and Malla's sons were Uchchala and Sussala.

Tourism

The Naranag valley is noted for its scenic meadows. The village is a base camp for trekkers to the Mount Haramukh, the Gangabal Lake and Satsar (the seven lakes). It is also a base for the trekkers to Gadsar Lake, the Vishansar Lake and the Krishansar Lake, though it takes 5 to 7 days of trekking.

Naranag Temple

The Naranag temple is the main attraction for the tourists. It is one of the important archaeological sites of the country.The site consists of a cluster of temples facing each other at a distance of about 200 meters. Historians say that the temple is dedicated to Shiva and was built by Lalitaditya Muktapida, of the Karkota Dynasty in the 8th century AD. It is believed that the king Awantivarman paid a visit and donated a pedestal for bathing at Bhuteshwar ("Bhutsher").

It is also believed to be dedicated to the ancient Naga king named Nara. Hence, the name "Naranag". It was built by the Naga Karkotas.

Its architecture reveals the art of the 8th century. The government has only constructed walls to protect it from encroachments and nothing else has been done. It is now left in ruins of which only faint traces have survived.

नारानाग

नारानाग मंदिर, गान्दरबल

नारानाग : यह स्थान नागवंशी राजा नारानाग के नाम पर है । नारानाग जम्मू-कश्मीर राज्य के गान्दरबल जिले का एक पर्वतीय पर्यटक स्थल है। यहां लगभग 200 मीटर की दूरी पर 8वीं सदी में निर्मित मंदिरों का एक समूह है। इतिहासकारों के अनुसार शिव को समर्पित इन मंदिरों को नागवंशी सम्राट ललितादित्य ने ही बनवाया था।

नारानाग भारत के जम्मू व कश्मीर राज्य के गान्दरबल ज़िले में 2128 मीटर की ऊँचाई पर स्थित एक पर्वतीय पर्यटक स्थल है। यह कंगन से 8 किमी की दूरी पर सिन्द नाले (सिन्धु नदी से भिन्न) नामक नदी की घाटी पर अधिक ऊँचाई पर स्थित है।[1] अपने मर्ग (घास के खुले मैदान), पर्वतों और झीलों के लिये जाने जाने वाले इस स्थान से 16840 फ़ुट ऊँचे हरमुख पर्वत और उसके चरणों में स्थित गंगाबल झील के लिये पगडंडी शुरु होती है। यह वंगथ झरने के बाएँ किनारे पर बसा हुआ है, जो आगे चलकर सिन्द नाले में विलय होता है। यहाँ से गडसर झील, विशनसर झील और किशनसर झील के लिये भी रास्ते निकलते हैं हलांकि नारानाग से वहाँ तक पहुँचने के लिये 5 से 7 दिन का पैदल सफ़र तय करना पड़ता है।

नारानाग मंदिर

नारानाग के मंदिर पर्यटकों के लिये एक मुख्य आकर्षण हैं और भारत के सबसे महत्वपूर्ण पुरातन-स्थलों में गिने जाते हैं। यहाँ लगभग 200 मीटर की दूरी पर एक-दूसरे की तरफ़ मुख किये हुए मंदिरों का एक समूह है। इतिहासकारों के अनुसार शिव को समर्पित इन मंदिरों को 8वीं सदी में कश्मीर-नरेश ललितादित्य ने बनवाया था। यह मंदिर वंगत नदी के दाएँ किनारे पर भूतशेर पर्वत ('भूतेश्वर पर्वत' का परिवर्तित रूप) के चरणों में स्थित हैं।

References

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