Jammu and Kashmir · North
Martand Sun Temple
Martand Sun Temple Ruins
Martand's ruined courtyard of eighty-four fluted columns, built by the Karkota emperor Lalitaditya Muktapida in the 8th century, represents the high point of the distinct Kashmiri temple style that fused Gandharan, Gupta, Central Asian and Byzantine trefoil-arch motifs into a form found nowhere else in the subcontinent. Perched on the Karewa plateau above Anantnag with sweeping views across the Kashmir valley, the grey limestone complex was deliberately demolished over roughly a year in the late 14th century by the Kashmir sultan Sikandar Butshikan, leaving only foundations, column stumps and fragments of the trefoil facade. Even in ruin it is regarded as the single most important surviving witness to Kashmir's pre-Islamic temple architecture and a direct architectural ancestor of later Kashmiri stone shrines like Avantiswami.
Art & Architecture
- Colonnaded courtyard blending Gandharan, Gupta and Byzantine influences
- Trefoil-arched niches and fluted pillars unique to Kashmiri stone architecture
- Grey limestone construction on a plateau overlooking the Kashmir valley
- Ruined by Sikandar Butshikan's demolition, c. 1389 CE
Best Season
Festivals
Local Sun-worship observances (limited active ritual)
Journeys Featuring This Temple
Planning your visit
Nearby
Guesthouses and dharamshalas near the temple often take walk-ins. Confirm a single-occupancy rate when you call.
- Evergreen Resorts2.9 km
Rated 4.0 on Google Maps from 3,132 reviews, a short auto ride from Martand Sun Temple. Listed on rating and proximity — we have not stayed here.
Checked by us
- Hotel Spring6.7 km
Rated 4.4 on Google Maps from 22 reviews, a drive from Martand Sun Temple. Listed on rating and proximity — we have not stayed here.
Checked by us
Rated 5.0 on Google Maps from 18 reviews, a drive from Martand Sun Temple. Listed on rating and proximity — we have not stayed here.
Checked by us
- Iqbalabad Anantnag3.6 km
From Overture Maps — not verified by us (2026-08-04)
- Sarnal Islamabad.5.5 km
From Overture Maps — not verified by us (2026-08-04)
- Gulshan Abad, Anantnag5.7 km
From Overture Maps — not verified by us (2026-08-04)
Listings drawn from third-party maps are not verified by us and may be out of date. Please confirm directly before you travel.
Sources