Shri Sharda Asthapan Trust Gund Gushi Kupwara

SHARDA MATA
Description of Goddess --- In Sharda Vandana Sharda has been described like this “Kashmir Purvasini, Vidhya Dieyinam Shawetambuj Viharinam, sheshtbuj Dharini… Shattantriveena Vadini… Mokshadayini, Papanashneemam … Vitasta Rupenam … Himachidit Girishshobinam … Kalashamrit Dharayae.” Translated this means; Residing in Kashmir from ancient times..giver of knowledge.. seated on a white bird {Swan}..having six arms, carries hundred stringed veena.. giver of moksha and forgiver of sins.. just like with grace of Vitasta {Jhelum River}.. gracing a snow clad mountain..carrying a pot with holy nectar.

“ Sharda Verda Devi Mokshdata Saraswati
Namastasya, Namastasya, Namastasya Namo Namah “

Sharda being an embodiment of Shakti is an integral part of Kashmir Shaivism, which depicts seven Acharas (systems) namely Veda, Shaiva, Vama, Dakshina, Kaula, Matta, and Trika. The most popular among the seven systems has been the Trika system and kashmiri pandits have adopted it as their religion till date.Gushi and Tikr are the places, where Sarda goddess (. Sharda Bhagwati )took rest, while on her way from Lanka to Shardi( The legend goes that Shiv and parvati had decided to live on earth in lanka and on the pretext of deep meditation by sage shandilya, Parviti decided to give him darshan in the foot hills of shardavan..She compelled Hanuman to take her to Shardavan..Hanuman first declined then he proceeded after much persuasion and on the way She stopped at certain places, these places also got acceptance as Sharda temples.This legend goes beyond 1100B.C. and has a little historic details to support) In Gushi the sacred site is situated a little above the groove of Rangvor.

As per mythology and legends go that Sharda Bhagwati came to Kashmir, (alongwith leftover Amrit from Devtas, in a Kalash) from South at the time when SAMUDRA MANTHAN took place between Devtas and Rakhshas. Sharda Bhagwati had a brief stay at village Gushi (Kupwara) and on Her onward journey She rested at Tikkar on the hillock and had a brief stay at the spot where the temple exists today. From Tikkar Sharda Bhagwati continued Her onward journey via Batpora -Ghotum Door -Thejan and finally rested at Shardi village on the banks of river Krishan ganga where river Madhumati gets connected to it (now in Muzaferabad district of Pak Occupied Kashmir “POK”) . Sharda Bhagwati rested here in the form of a flat stone (shila) covering the Amrit Kalash. The temple is located in a village called Sharda, in Neelam Valley, at a distance of 60 miles from Baramulla and about 16 miles from line of control. The Chinese Buddhist monk, Xuanzang visited this learning centre in 632 CE. He stayed there for two years and appreciated the mental gifts of priests and students of this learning centre. One can go to Sharda by either these routes or from Muzaffarabad or Teetwal which have bridges strong enough for carrying vehicles across the river. The journey by bus would obviously be comfortable. But then the bridges and the whole of the vehicular road are in Pakistan. So undertaking the journey is dependent upon a request being made to Pakistan by India and upon Pakistan granting the necessary permission
In Marach 1990, again a hostile and terrible gorilla attack was made by Pakistani militants in which the temple was set on fire, resulted in loss of the belongings of Mata Sharda temple gushi kupwara , in which Two dharamshals and one bathak choki , which was in between of two chinar trees was also set on fire, resulted in destruction of the two historically important chinar trees.

The temple was temporary restored by army after few years of incident and it was under their supervision but due to the internal disturbances in Kashmir valley few years back army was forced to leave that temple and now its condition is dilapidated. Now due to normalcy in Kashmir and continuous travelling of devotees of mata shared temple to Kashmir from last one decade has developed a feeling to re-construct it.

It is requested to all the devotees of Mata Sharda to donate generously for the said cause so that we can restore the symbols of history for our future generation and with this liberal work Mata Sharda will continue to showers its blessing on our community.