Rupaiya Wala Mandir
On exploring the internet I have found only two articles about the ancient Panjvaktra Mandir situated in the heart of Jammu city just 200 meters away from the famous Raghunath Mandir.
You can understand the extent of negligence by locals and the department to elevate this historic Rupaiye wala temple on the Tourism Map of Jammu and Kashmir.
Jammu is often known as the city of temples and the city has vast potential in Spiritual Tourism whether it is the Raghunath Mandir, Bahu Fort Temple, Ranbireshwar Temple, or the Rupaiye Wala Mandir all these temples if promoted well can attract a large number of Tourists.
The temple is unique in many ways, let it be the silver coins on the courtyard of the temple, the Swyambhu Shivling (i.e. self-originated Shivalinga), or be it the historic significance.
The temple is known by many names- Panjvaktra Mandir, Shivalay Mandir, or the Rupaiye wala Mandir.
Location:
Panjvaktra Road, Residency Road near Raghunath Bazar.
Historic Significance:
The temple was visited by many historic celebrated personalities in the past.
1. Adi Shankracharya
The origin of the temple is unknown but according to the oral histories, it is believed that Adi Shankracharya on his visit to Jammu and Kashmir stayed in this temple.
Later, Adi Shankracharya visited Kashmir and established the famous Shankracharya Mandir in the Srinagar district of Jammu and Kashmir.
2. Guru Nanak Devji
As per the written sources, Guru Nanak Devji has visited the temple in 1514 and stayed here for several days.
The King of Jammu- Raja Khokkar Dev along with the Queen visited the temple and seek the blessings of Lord Shiva and Guru Nanak Devji.
Later the King arranged a discourse and Guru Nanak Devji gave a sermon on 'Raj Dharma'. He advised the king to fulfill his duty without considering the caste, creed, religion of the subjects.
Guru Nanak Devji gave the sermon under a 'Ber-tree'. This historic 'Ber-tree' is still present inside the temple premises.
Various paintings in the traditional Basoli style can be seen on the walls of the Rupaiye wala temple.
3. Maharaja Pratap Singh
It was Maharaja Pratap Singh who was the king of Jammu and Kashmir, a devotee of Lord Shiva who patronised the construction of the present-day temple structure.
The temple completed in the year 1751 and large amount of precious stones and metals were donated to the temple by the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir- Pratap Singh.
Why the temple floor have coins fixed?
The courtyard of the Panjvaktra Mandir is fixed with the silver coins of the British era.
According to the oral histories, Maharaja Pratap Singh embedded the coins on the temple floor to disrespect the British authority in the state as the Britishers were interfering with the state matters of Jammu and Kashmir.
The King embeddded the silver coins which have the face of British King and Queen on them. The locals have to walk over the faces of the King and Queen which is an insult to the British crown.
Inside the temple
The temple has a Gau Shala inside the temple premises. It also hosts a Yoga Centre and students from different regions came here to learn scriptures and Yoga.
Inside the temple, there are various Samadhis of the Sidhas (enlightened). These Samadhis are locally known as 'Dehris'.
The temple is decorated on the Mahashivatri festival and the 3 famous temples- Panjvaktra Temple, Raghunath Temple, Ranbireshwar Temple are flooded with devotees.
How to visit the Shivalay Temple?
The Rupaiye wala temple is 2.5 Km from Jammu Bus Stand. From Jammu Bus Stand you can either cover the distance by walking, Auto or the Matador.
From Bus Stand take the Parade Matador and get off the Matador at either Prade or Shalamar Stop. From there the Temple is few meters away.
The Raghunath Temple, Ranbireshwar, and the Panjvaktra Temple are few meters away from each other, you should visit all of them.
Conclusion
The Rupaiye wala temple is one of the most revered and historically significant temples in Jammu city.
Outside the temple, a small shop selling various religious books primarily of Gita Printing Press and other ayurvedic and spiritual products at very cheap prices. You should also check them out.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. What are the places to visit in Jammu?
A. There are many beautiful places to visit in Jammu- Raghunath temple, Dogra Art Museum, Panjvaktra Mandir, etc.
Q. What are the major temples in Jammu city?
A. Raghunath Temple, Ranbireshwar Temple, Panjvaktra Temple are the major Shiva Temples.
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