In the banks of the river Tawi stands the sprawling city of Jammu, the ‘winter capital’ of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has a rich history spanning more than two thousand years beginning with its semi-historical founder king Jambulochan (c. 1320-1290 BC). Throughout its history, many dynasties have come to control Jammu and the scions of these dynasties have constructed numerous religious establishments (principally temples) throughout the city. As a result of this millennia-long building activities, the city that stands before the observers today boasts a wide array of temples which exhibit different artistic and architectural traditions from different eras, leading to the city acquiring the title of ‘the City of Temples.’ At the heart of the fabulous temple city beside Shalimar road opposite to the Jammu & Kashmir Civil Secretariat stands one of its most imposing temples of all- the Ranbireshwara temple- a structure nearly one and a half centuries old which continues to command the piety of thousands of Shaivites across the city and beyond. The product of a very different time in history, the Ranbireshwara temple is a monument the meaning of which has changed to its visitors and patrons with the changing socio-political circumstances, but it has remained influential throughout the ages has never failed to elicit awe and reverence from all who have beholden it, The construction of the Ranbireshwara temple was completed in 1883 AD during an era of intense temple building and repairing activities. The energy and resources that the Dogra rulers of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir (c. 1846-1947) spent on these activities was staggering and mere piety, for some scholars, cannot explain this phenomenon. To be sure, temple construction, maintenance, embellishment and reconstruction have always been an effective means to claim legitimacy for pre-colonial Indian rulers, especially those who styled themselves as monarchs. However, temples were especially crucial for the survival and power of the Dogra state. Mridu Rai (2004) points out that with the establishment of British paramountcy over the Indian subcontinent including the indigenous states which were not annexed by the colonial state, many of the markers that were once the royal prerogatives of the indigenous rulers were barred to their surviving descendants. These ‘princes’ could not make war, conduct independent foreign affairs and shape and reshape the political order through these activities. In the absence of the previously essential markers of sovereignty, the princes had to devise their own ways to derive legitimacy. In the case of the Dogra rulers, ‘Hinduness’ and ‘adherence to tradition’ came to be factors that the dynasty heavily relied upon to derive its legitimacy to rule. The second ruler of the dynasty, Maharaja Ranbir Singh (r. 1857-1885 AD) turned the previously private charitable fund of Dharmarth into a government department the sole purpose of which was to build and maintain new temples, maintain and repair older temples, supervise the jagirs (land grnats) assigned for the maintenance of temples and oversee the functioning of the sadavarts (free kitchens associated with temples) and dharmshalas (guest houses for the benefit of the pilgrims). State-sanctioned manuals for the method of worship were issued and handed down to the priests of the temples with few local exceptions. Simultaneously, religious practices deemed problematic by the state were outlawed. Priests and other temple functionaries were now paid by the state and most of the costs involving the construction and maintenance of old and new temples were paid by the state. Temples constructed in the countryside served as sources of regular information for the Dogra government. Moreover, having understood that the Kashmiri Hindus unlike themselves were mostly Shaivite, the Dogra rulers starting from Maharaja Ranbir Singh’s reign tried to symbolically integrate the two regions by constructing Vaishnavite temples in Kashmir on the one hand and Shaivite temples in Jammu on the other. Sukhdev Singh Charak (1985) points out that the temples constructed and maintained during the Dogra rule served important social functions such as distributing free food among the poor and hungry through sadavarts, providing lodging to travelers and pilgrims, serving as centers of state-funded education and, in some cases, libraries, for students and scholars alike and providing employment to thousands of officials and functionaries. Chander M. Seth (2018) states that Jammu was situated on an extremely dry territory and tanks and lakes were constructed to solve the resultant water crisis, mainly beside the temples. In short, temples in the Dogra period became centers of overlapping religious and political control over the subjects of the state by the princely administration, a source of employment for many, a hub of education for others and, for others still, as a source of food and shelter. How many of these meanings were embodied by the Ranbireshwara temple in particular cannot be stated with certainty without further research, but the temple was constructed at a time when Maharaja Ranbir Singh’s grand project of binding together aspects of religion, politics and legitimacy was largely completed and the sheer scale and location of the temple implies that it was meant to be an integral and prominent part of the network of temples cultivated by the state. By the very least, it may have served to further symbolically integrate the two provinces of Jammu and Kashmir into one socio-cultural, religious and political unit, as has been mentioned above. Architecturally speaking, the scale and grandiosity of the Ranbireshwara temple leaves one spellbound. The temple is arguably the largest temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in northern India. It is located atop a raised two-storeyed quadrangular platform, the rooms of which were used as the residences for the priests and travelers, the kitchens and toilets. The temple is accessed by a fliht of stairs. At the main entrance of the temple there are two statues of the vahana of Shiva, the Nandi bull. The larger of the two, a hulking brass figure which was added later, weighs around 1000 kilos. A massive bell beside this Nandi statue weighs around 100 kilos itself. The outer hall houses statues of deities associated with both Shaivite and Vaishnavite cults, featuring panchamukhi Hanuman, Kali, six-faced Kartikeya, Ganesha etc. Tis hall leads to the sanctum sanctorum which houses an enormous, 8 feet high (other sources claim 7 ½ feet) Shivalinga made of a single black marble stone. This central lingam is surrounded by a range of smaller shivalingas. The shrine also houses twelve Ekadasa lingas made of crystal. The walls of the sanctum sanctorum are also adorned with images of the anthropomorphic form of Shiva and his family, including his consort Parvati. Two other halls adjoining the sanctum sanctorum exhibit massive stone slabs which house no less than 1.25 lakh bona lingas, also known as shaligrams, which were brought from the Narmada river and hold special religious significant for the Shaivites. The outer ceiling of the sanctum sanctorum ends in a cornice from which rises the shikhara of the temple. This shikhara, much like others constructed during Ranbir Singh’s reign, is topped by an upward lotus leaf and lotus bud design, from which rises three ura-sringas placed one above the other which finally is crowned by a lofty kalasa. While most scholars including Seth (2018) ascribe this temple to the common Nagara style of temple architecture, Charak (1985) opines that it exhibits a blend between Indo-European and Islamic styles, evident by the use of squinches. The decision to have the temple enclosed by a verandah on all sides which could serve as a circumambulatory path of pradakshina patha was, moreover, adopted from the temple architectural style of Kashmir. The end of the Dogra rule with the accession of the state to the newly-independent Indian nation- state (1947) meant that the temples’ function as sites legitimizing their rule was also at an end. The loss of political importance, however, did not mean a loss of general popularity and reverence for these temples and Ranbireshwaraa temple has been no exception. It, in fact, experiences one of the highest footfall of religious structures in Jammu city, not far behind the Raghunath temple complex. The month of Sawan is especially busy for the temple as throngs of devotees crowd the shrine every day. Scores of festivals enliven the temples’ halls throughout the year, but the occasion of Mahashivaratri elicits the grandest of all celebrations. Since the temple has never really experienced a loss in public attention, it has enjoyed abundant patronage from public and private enterprises, including the Dharmarth Trust. Apart from the massive Nandi bull statue, the most important recent addition to the temple’s beauty has been a life-sized statue of Maharaja Ranbir Singh in front of the structure. A park has also been constructed behind the temple to further beautify the temple premises. Monuments, it may be observed, have meanings, and these meanings change according to socio- cultural and political circumstances and the positions of those who ascribe these meanings. The Ranbireshwaraa temple, constructed as a part of a great socio-political experiment to serve as a center of religious and political control and serve the needs of various groups of people, has since lost much of its initial meaning as the regime that necessitated these meanings has long disappeared. However, the loss of political function has not resulted in any reduction of the immense popularity the temple has enjoyed throughout its lifetime. To this day, pilgrims and traveler alike flock to the Ranbireshwaraa temple from across the country and beyond to witness its appreciate its beauty, be awe-struck by its scale and immerse themselves in the sincere religious practices of the temple priests and functionaries. The erstwhile instrument of state control continues to rule the hearts and minds of many.
References
- Charak, Sukhdev Singh. Life and Times of Maharaja Ranbir Singh (1830-1885). Jammu: Jay Kay Book House, 1985.
- Seth, Chander M. “Jammu- the city of temples.” Edited by Catalani et. al. Cities’ Identity through Architecture and Arts. London: Taylor & Francis Group, 2018.
- Rai, Mridu. Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects: Islam, Rights and The History of Kashmir. Delhi: Permanent Black, 2004.
- Jamwal, Suman. “Development of Religion and Religious Structures in Jammu Region- An Overview.” Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute 87 (2006): 163-174.
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Hi, I’m Arka Chakraborty….
Hi, I’m Arka Chakraborty….
