Shri Ranbireshwar Temple: The biggest Shiva Temple of North India
Jammu, June 22: Jammu, the city of temples has in its crown the rarest jewels in the shape of temples that are not only historic, magnificent but also famous for their architecture, grandeur and spirituality that emanates from the temples soothing the souls of the pilgrims visiting there.
Among the grandest temples of Jammu is Raghunath temple and Ranbireshwar temple within the Jammu city. These temples are not only famous for their historic values but also for the connection they have with the grand Dogra rule of Jammu.
Built by Maharaja Ranbir Singh in 1883, Shri Ranbireshwar temple is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The main Shivling is seven-and-a-half-feet tall, surrounded by several small crystal Shivlings.
Shri Ranbireshwar temple in Jammu is one of the biggest Shiva temples in the whole of north India, popularly known as Shiv Mandir. It was built by Maharaja Ranbir Singh, son of Maharaja Gulab Singh, the founder of Jammu and Kashmir State, in 1883.
Situated on an elevated platform approached by three flights of steps, the temple is magnificent and has a commanding location. This temple is one of the prestigious temples manned by the Jammu and Kashmir Trust Council. It is a very ancient shrine, located in Shalimar Road near the New Secretariat.
The Ranbireshwar temple stands in the midst of the extensive brick-covered platform and has a panoramic view from even many miles in the front. The temple opens on the west and overlooks the sprawling Parade Ground to its east. The spire of the temple raises high over a big hall, which contains two pairs of eleven Shiva lingas (Ekadasha Rudra). One of these Rudra is made of crystal stone and the other of beautiful black stone. The biggest of the lingas placed in the Jalhari, 7 feet high and most impressive.
Planted in the black wall are beautiful marble images of lord Shiva and Jagdamba Mata Parvati.
There are two side halls in which embedded in cemented platforms are one and a quarter lakh bana lingas brought from the holy Narmada River.
There are huge images of lord Ganesha and Kartikeya and Nandigan in the verandah in front of the main entrance of the temple. There is also a Bhairava image in the compound. One idol of Mahakali was added in 1983 and Hanuman idol was installed in 1984. These idols were got prepared from the famous sculptors of Rajasthan.
The Maharaja Ranbir Singh laid the foundation stone of the temple in 1882. The murtis were procured from Rajasthan and sacred lingas from river Narmada and were brought in trains. Maharaja Ranbir Singh at Ranbirsingh Pura personally received these. Later, these were carried to Jammu from Ranbirsingh Pura in a chariot with full devotion. The Maharaja himself pulled strings of the chariot assisted by his troops and thousands of other people singing bhajans in the praise of lord Shiva.
The construction of the temple took two years. In the meantime, the Maharaja Ranbir Singh had fallen ill. He, therefore, asked his younger brother, Raja Ram Singh to perform the inauguration ceremony of the temple. But, it appeared that it was too not acceptable to destiny.
In spite of the best efforts of Raja Ram Singh and others the big Shiva linga could not be placed in the vedi (Jalhari).
Consequently, the Maharaja Ranbir Singh though ailing, came personally to the temple, prayed to the Lord Shiva and then with his own hands, helped by several other Shiva devotees mounted the lingam in the Holy vedi amidst chanting of ‘Har Har Mahadev’.
A number of big panels about Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati have been got painted on the inner walls of the temple. The paintings depict Lord Vishnu worshipping Lord Shiva and offering his eye in place of the 101st lotus and the latter
awarding his Sudarshana-chakra to him, Lord Shiva having darshan of Shri Krishna soon after his birth, Lord Shiva
destroying Kamadeva, Shri Rama worshipping Lord Shiva before launching the attack on Lanka and Gangavtaram.
The largely participated annual fairs are held on the holy occasions of Maha- Shivratri and Raksha Bandhan when thousands of people throng the sanctum-sanctorum to pay their obeisance and seek the blessings of Lord Shiva. Several lakh pilgrims of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi and Shri Amarnath pay visit to this famous annually during their stay at Jammu.
A number of rooms have been constructed in the basement of the temple and Yagyashalla a recent addition to this spectacular temple with the life-size stature of Maharaja Ranbir Singh on a platform in the worshipping posture.
Three magnificent Chinar trees with Peepal tree in the compound add to the grandeur. There also exists the Smadhi of famous seer Nadh Giri Ji Maharaj with whose inspiration Maharaja Ranbir Singh had got constructed this temple in Jammu.
The Jammu and Kashmir Dharmarth Trust Council under the aegis of its Chairman, the world renowned Vedantic Scholar, Dr. Karan Singh Ji and supervision of the Trust President, has affected a number of the improvements in the complex environment.
Salient features completed for the convenience of the devotees include wooden roofing replaced with RCC slabs, Parikrama improved with crazy flooring. Re-plastering has been done on all the walls and Ultima paint done on all the temple walls to make these more beautiful and attractive.
A shop for making available religious books and Puja material to devotees on reasonable rates has also been set up in the complex.
Here are a few experiences written by pilgrims’ visiting the temple from outside the Jammu which clearly depict the importance and religious sanctity of the temple. “If peace and tranquility are what you are looking for, this is one of the ideal temples where you will experience both and one of those mystical energetic feelings deeply associated with temples in Jammu.
It has a huge open arena where you can sit and just relax. The temple is famous for its huge Shiv-lingas, both in size and quantity! This is only temple where one can find huge shiva linga and bring buckets of water to keep doing Abhishekaa to Lord Shiva linga, it gives lot of joy and satisfaction and very spiritual atmosphere.” (Compiled with inputs from Dharmarth Trust and tourism related sites)