Sharda University ruins

“Building the past” Sharda University
By Zahid Samoon (Abraham).


This refers to the recent photo exhibition on Sharda Peeth ruins by Ayaz Rasool Nazki (Jammu, 5th April) & subsequent indication given by the Governor Lt. General (Retd) S K Sinha about setting up of Sharda Peeth University in Kashmir. I congratulate Mr. Nazki for holding photo exhibition on Sharda Peeth temple which is just a step towards understanding & reviving our lost heritage. Sharada Peeth has the historic Value because of the Sharda University that once prevailed there. Sharda University was the seat of highest learning in the whole Asia. People across the globe came here to get knowledge & went back to spread that knowledge throughout the Globe.
Sharada Peeth was the famous temple in Kashmir on the banks of Kishenganga river, (also known as Neelum in Pakistan administered Kashmir). Its ruins are now in Pakistan administered Kashmir near the Line of Control (LOC). Being a Part of the Gurais, Neelum Valley emerged as a different name after the partition of the subcontinent in 1947. Before partition pandits from all over India came to visit this temple for pilgrimage in Gurais. Presently Sharda Peeth is only eight kilometers from the last village of Gurais (Tara Bal) near L.O.C. Many Pandit Brethren are demanding the opening of the route along the L.O.C. through Gurais, as it is the shortest possible distance. And also it is the ancient route to reach the Sharda Peeth. Sharda Peeth is more than140km from Muzaffarabad city. One of the archaeological sites of importance in the Gurez Valley include Kanzalwan where the last council of Buddhism is believed to have been held (in old chronicles its name is mentioned as Kundhalwan) and, further down stream, 8 Km’s away from Bagtore, the ruins of the ancient Sharada Peeth (now under Pakistan's occupation) are preserved along the Kishenganga River.
There is a temple in Kaloosa also named as Sharda temple; besides Bandipora area has the river Madhumati which has the religious importance for Hindus of the area. River mahumati has been mentioned in many ancient chronicles also. Many pandits will love to visit these areas while having a visit to Sharda temple.
Sharda temple is at a height of 8000 from the sea level and is about 70 miles from Srinagar. The length of the temple is 142 feet and width is 94.6 feet. The outer walls of the temple are 6 ft. wide and 11 ft long. And there are arches with 8 ft. height. It is a very good example of ancient architecture. In ancient times Kashmir as a whole was known as Sharada Peeth due to the temple of Hindu goddess Sree Sharada Devi. Even today, we know that the original script of Kashmiri language is SHARADA script. In "Linguistic Survey of India", George Garrison puts forward the fact that Shina language is the origin of Kashmiri language. Shina Language is spoken in most part of the Gurais (Neelum valley being a part of it). As original script of Kashmiri language is the "Sharada Script and also the Sharada temple as well as Sharada University ruins are present in the Neelum Valley (part of Gurais). More research needs to be done in this direction.
In all probability Sharda temple was constructed somewhere in mid 12th Century, during the reign of Jaisimha by an Aryan Saraswat Brahmin warlord of Kishanganga Valley. According to Al-Biruni, the famous historian of India, Sharada was an important site of pilgrimage. The earliest records in Sharada have been dated to 800 A.D and were found all over northwest India. Also, Gurmukhi, the Punjabi script was based on Sharada script. By origin Kashmiri language is the most southern member of the Dard group of the Pisaca languages. The Pisaca languages are Aryan, but are neither Iranian nor Indo-Aryan. According to George A. Grierson, The speakers of Picasa languages appear to have left the main Aryan body after the great fission which resulted in the Indo-Aryan migration, but before all the typical peculiarities of Iranian speech had fully developed. The immigrants into Kashmir must have been Shins, speaking a language closely allied to the ancestor of the modern Shina. They appear to have dispossessed and absorbed an older non Aryan people, whom local tradition now classes as Nagas, or Snake-gods, and, at Alb, Early_English_period, to have come themselves under the influence of Indo-Aryan immigrants from the south, who entered the valley along the course of the river Jhelum. The language has therefore lost most of its original Pisaca character, and is now a mixed one. Sanskrit has been actively studied for many centuries, and the Kashmiri vocabulary, and even its grammar, is now largely Indian. So much is this the case that, for convenience' sake, it is now frequently classed as belonging to the north-western group of Indo-Aryan languages, instead of as belonging to the Pisaca family as its origin demands. It cannot be said that either classification is wrong. The vocabulary of Kashmiri is, as has been explained, mixed. At its basis it has a large number of words which are also found in the neighbouring Shina, and these are such as connote the most familiar ideas and such as are in most frequent use. Thus, the personal pronouns, the earlier numerals, the words for " father," " mother," " fire," "the sun," are all closely connected with corresponding Shina words. Languages spoken in the Vale of Kashmir and the surrounding hills by origin are Dardic, but Kashmiri has become predominantly Indo-Aryan in character. Reflecting the history of the area, the Kashmiri vocabulary is mixed, containing Dardic, Sanskrit-language, Punjabi, and Persian-language elements.
Looking at the facts & history the time is ripe to setup the Sharda University in the Gurais itself at the bank of Kishenganga River near Baghtor Ismarg. Being only 8 km from the ruins of the ancient Sharada University, the place is perfectly suitable for the modern Sharda University. Besides being a tourist resort & on route of Sharda Peeth, Baghtor Ismarg is idle for research purposes. I must add here that people of Tulail Gurais are the pure Aryan race, and government is promoting the cultural tourism in this part of the valley.
I congratulate respected Governor S K Sinha for putting forward the idea of reviving the ancient Sharda University. The time has come when we should have a detailed research on our rich art and cultural heritage.
Regards
Zahid Samoon (Abraham) ; Management department; University Of Kashmir; zahid_samoon2000@yahoo.co.in; 9419003183.