The famous Raghunath temple is situated in the heart of Jammu
city and surrounded by a group of other temples. This temple dedicated
to Lord Rama is an outstanding and unique piece of monument in Northern
India. The construction of this Hindu temple was initiated and started
by Maharaja Gulab Singh, founder of the Kingdom of Jammu and Kashmir
in 1835 AD and was completed by his son Maharaja Ranbir Singh in
1860 AD. The inner walls of the main temple are covered with gold
sheet on three sides. There are many galleries with lakhs of 'Saligrams'.
The surrounding temples are dedicated to various Gods and Goddesses
connected with the legendary epic of Ramayana.
History of Raghunath Temple
Amongst the temples in Jammu, the Raghunath temple
dedicated to Lord Rama, takes pride of the place, being situated
right in the heart of Jammu. The temple has seven shrines, with
gold-plated interiors. The most important shrine houses the Dogra's
patron deity, Rama, Vishnu's eighth incarnation. The cluster of
temples makes it the largest temple complex in Northern India and
makes it an important tourist destination for visitors of Jammu.
The inner sanctums of the temples contain gigantic statues of Gods
and Goddesses and numerous 'lingams'. It contains representatives
of almost the entire Hindu Pantheon, which makes it a rare sight
to witness for its visitors. The inner walls of the main temple
are covered with gold sheet on three sides. There are many galleries
with lakhs of 'Saligrams'. The surrounding Temples are dedicated
to various Gods and Goddesses connected with the epic of Ramayana.
The arches and architectural details show Mughal influence.
Morning and evening aartis are ritually attended by hundreds of
devotees and there is also a stone lingam here and in the other
shrines, for this is a center for Shakti worship. A portrait of
Ranbir Singh, the temple patron and a sculpture of Hanuman are at
the entrance. The other shrines have images of Vishnu in various
incarnations, Shiva and Surya. The Sanskrit Library of the temple
contains numerous rare manuscripts.
A visit to Raghunath Temple, Jammu will uplift you spiritually
and provide you inner peace of mind. |
