Avanti Swami Temple Ruins, Srinagar - Timings, History, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 26 km from Srinagar, Avanti Swami Temple is a ruined Hindu temple located at Awantipora near Srinagar. Situated on the banks of the Jhelum River, it is one of the best places of heritage in Jammu & Kashmir, and among the prominent places to visit as part of Srinagar tour packages.

The Awantiswami Temple is a complex consisting of two temples, one for Lord Shiva and another one dedicated to Lord Vishnu. These temples were built in the 9th century CE under king Avantivarman, the first king of the Utpala dynasty who ruled Kashmir from 855 to 883 AD. It is said that the town of Awantipora was founded by Avantivarman. He built a Hindu temple in Awantipora dedicated to Vishnu called 'Avantisvamin' before he became king, and during his reign, he built a second Hindu temple in Awantipora called 'Avantisvara' dedicated to Shiva. Locals call these temples Pandav Lari which means the 'house of the Pandavas'.

Before the Muslim conquests, Kashmir was a center of Shaivism and Hindu philosophy and a seat of Sanskrit learning and literature. By the 14th century, Kashmir had come under Muslim rule, and most of its early temples were deserted or sacked by the early 15th century. Unfortunately, the Avanti Swami Temple complex is one of them. The ruins of Awantiswami Temple were excavated by the archeologist Daya Ram Sahni in the early 20th century. Now, the temple complex is protected and maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Both the temples of Awantiswami & Avantisvara were built-in spacious rectangular paved courtyards enclosed by a huge stone wall that is decorated beautifully. The stone temple of Avanti Swami is smaller in size, but similar in planning to the earlier Martand Sun Temple. The entrance is located on the west side and is approached by a flight of steps. The walls of the entrance are ornamented with sculptured reliefs both internally and externally. The courtyard has subsidiary shrines at four corners. The Vaikuntha Vishnu illustrated as the frontispiece is said to be found in this temple.

Timings: 8 AM - 5 PM

Entry: Rs. 20 for Indians, & Rs. 200 for Foreigners