Shankaragaurishvara Temple is a ruined ninth-century Shiva temple at Pattan, built by King Shankaravarman, who ruled Kashmir between 883 and 902 AD. It stands roofless now, but the stonework still shows the classical Kashmiri temple plan, and its twin, Sugandhesha, built for the king's queen, stands nearby.
Duke Kashmir Travels, a Srinagar agency registered as JKTA00003978 with the Department of Tourism since 2011, adds Pattan for guests interested in the valley's pre-Islamic architecture. Kashmir packages start near ₹6,350 per person, twin sharing.
By Duke Kashmir Travels Team · Reviewed by Rayies Ahmad Zargar, Founder · Published · Updated
Key takeaways
- Built by King Shankaravarman of the Utpala line, who reigned 883 to 902 AD.
- Dedicated to Lord Shiva; the king named it after himself.
- A second temple nearby, Sugandhesha, was raised for his queen.
- The plan and detailing follow the same tradition as Shankaracharya Temple.
- Both temples are now ruins, open to the sky.
- At Pattan on the Srinagar-Baramulla road, an easy stop on the Gulmarg drive.
Who built the temple, and when?
King Shankaravarman, who ruled Kashmir from 883 to 902 AD, built it and named it after himself, dedicating it to Shiva.
He founded the town of Pattan itself, and the pair of temples here, Shankaragaurishvara and Sugandhesha, were its principal monuments. Both were built within a few years of each other and share the same design vocabulary.
What survives today?
Stone walls, the plinth and parts of the cella and the surrounding enclosure. The roofs are long gone and there is no active worship.
The interest is architectural: trefoil arches, fluted columns and the square sanctum plan of ninth-century Kashmir, the same tradition visible at Martand and at Shankaracharya. Read a little before going, since there is little interpretation on site.
How do you visit?
Pattan sits on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway, roughly 27 km from Srinagar and directly on the road towards Gulmarg.
Twenty minutes covers both temples. Martand Sun Temple in the south of the valley is the grander example of the same architecture if you have a full day for it.
Booking this with us
The agency behind this guide, Duke Kashmir Travels, was registered with the J&K Department of Tourism in March 2011 (JKTA00003978) and joined IATO in 2016. More on the paperwork is on our About Us page.
Tell us when you are travelling and how many of you there are, and a costed itinerary follows. Reach us on +91 9018 44 0000, at info@dukekashmirtravels.com, or through the contact page.
About the founder
The agency was started in Srinagar in 2011 by Rayies Ahmad Zargar, who owns it to this day, helped found the JK Tourism Council, and reads every destination guide before it goes up. His LinkedIn profile is here.