Sculptures Pulled from Sacred Spring in Kashmir Valley

AISHMUQUAM, JAMMU AND KASHMIR—Renovations to the Karkoot Nag spring in Aishmuquam revealed a series of ancient stone relics likely belonging to a forgotten shrine that highlights the Kashmir Valley’s deep religious and cultural history, Greater Kashmir reports. A team of municipal workers pulled about 21 Hindu idols and intricately carved fragments of relief sculpture from the sacred pond, including 11 Shivlings, or stone pillars that symbolically represent Lord Shiva. Preliminary observations indicate that the artifacts may date to the Karkota Dynasty that ruled Kashmir from around a.d. 625 to 855. This period is known for its architectural achievements, including the Martand Sun Temple in Mattan. University of Kashmir archaeologist Ajmal Shah believes that some of the sculptures may also be stelas or hero stones, memorial markers honoring warriors, ascetics, or women who died by ritual suicide. “These stones, often placed near sacred springs or ‘nags,’ were more than grave markers,” he said. “They were symbols of honor, sacrifice, and spiritual merit, deeply rooted in the region’s social and religious fabric.” Experts who examined the objects have noticed both Hindu and Buddhist influence in the artwork, supporting the traditional view that Karkota rulers were religiously tolerant. To read about Jain idols unearthed in southern India that Hindu rulers likely destroyed around the thirteenth century a.d., go to "Educational Idols."