Deterioration of Śarda Temple, Neelum Valley, Pakistan: General Perceptions vs New Findings (original) (raw)

Stone temples of Kashmir are rare architectural marvels. Most of them are deteriorated to a great extent. Generally, scholars attribute their destruction to Sultan Sikander, known as the iconoclast, the desecrator of Hindu Temples in Kashmir, on the basis of historical chronicles. Many geologists, on the contrary, attribute most of these destructions to the Himalayan Earthquakes. Śarda temple, being one of the same group is taken as a case in this study to find out similar possibilities. It tries to establish that it is never a single or intentional activity but a long list of deteriorating agents that reduced the Śarda temple into the ruins that we know today.