The Ancient Temple, Ladhoo

THE LOST AND FORGOTTEN SHIVA TEMPLE AT LADHOO, KASHMIR
Located far away from Srinagar in a small village called Ladhoo, the presence of the ancient Jeevnath Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is barely known anymore, even to many Kashmiris.

The temple is really special because of the message of communal harmony it showcases. There are no Hindus at all in the village, yet the temple is still maintained by the caretakers of a mosque located right next to it. All that survives now is a small pond with few walls around and a Shiva idol somewhere inside. Apparently the idol becomes visible when the weather is dry.

Ancient Temple, Ladhoo, is located in the middle of a natural fed pond or spring known as Sanz Haer Nag or Sanyasar Nag in Ladhoo, a village in the Pulwama district of the southern part of the Kashmir Valley of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is four km (2.5 mi) away from NH44 via Lethapora and 18 km (11 mi) from Srinagar.

The temple is listed among List of Monuments of National Importance in Jammu and Kashmir. It has also been attributed by other including, Sun Temple or Jeevanath Temple or Shiv temple, but these names found no historical proof. Thus, the monument remained entitled as ‘The Ancient Temple, Ladhoo’ in the documents of Archaeological Survey of India.

This temple is externally square and internally circular in shape. The entrance which faces the southwest has a arch surmounted pediment. This archaeological monument is datable to circa 8th century A.D. The monument and the pond including a small park is fenced and maintained by Archaeological Survey of India, circle srinagar, Jammu.