Sharda Peeth

Description

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Context: Union Home Minister said the government would move forward to open a corridor to the Sharda Peeth in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) on the lines of the Kartarpur corridor.

Details:

About:

Sharada Peeth is a ruined Hindu temple and ancient centre of learning located in the Neelum Valley of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
It is situated in the valley of Mount Harmukh, believed by Kashmiri Pandits to be the abode of Shiva.
Sharada Peeth translates to "the seat of Sharada", the Kashmiri name for the Hindu goddess Saraswati.
"Sharada" could be also related to the proto-Nostratic terms "sarv", which means "flow or stream", and daw (blow, tip or rock), because it was located at the confluence of three streams.
It was probably commissioned by Lalitaditya Muktapida though no definitive evidence exists in favor.
Al-Biruni recorded the place for the first time, as a revered shrine housing a wooden image of Sharda — however, he had never ventured into Kashmir and based his observations on hearsay
The reconstruction of Maa Sharda’s temple in Kupwara is a necessary and important step in the direction of discovery of Sharda-civilisation and promotion of Sharda-script.

Historical Significance:

Educational Centre:

Between the 6th and 12th centuries CE, it was among the most prominent temple universities in the Indian subcontinent.
Known in particular for its library, stories recount scholars travelling long distances to access its texts.
It played a key role in the development and popularisation of the Sharada script in North India, causing the script to be named after it, and Kashmir to acquire the moniker "Sharada Desh", meaning "country of Sharada".

Religious significance:

As one of the Maha Shakti Peethas, Hindus believe that it represents the spiritual location of the goddess Sati's fallen right hand.
Sharada Peeth is one of the three holiest sites of pilgrimage for Kashmiri Pandits, alongside the Martand Sun Temple and the Amarnath Temple.

Kartarpur corridor:

It was opened in 2019.
The corridor links two important Sikh shrines — Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district of Punjab and Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan — and allows pilgrims to travel visa-free.

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PRACTICE QUESTION

Q) Sharda Peeth was among the most prominent temple universities in the Indian subcontinent. Discuss. (150 words)