Religions

I have seen this picture of Shiva mostly common in Kashmiri pandit households during those golden days when we were inhabiting in valley
Yes kasmiri pandits were Shiv upaskas right from beginning.Shivratri was our biggest festival.The oldest temples of Kasmir were mostly related to Shiva and Shakti.The temples of Rama and Krishna were later on built by Dogra rulers in Kashmir.we Kasmiri pandits believed in Philosophy of Shivism.The pioneers of which were The Great Abinavgupta , Utpal Deva etc. But Kashmiri Shivism had its own charactrisic features than General Shivism. Shankaracharya , a great Shivist also.  Visited Kashmir to have an insight of Kashmiri Shivism and got aquainted with the power of Shakti.If difference  between Shivism in general  and Kashmiri Shivism in particular is to be  defined in one sentence  it can be that shivism in general believes in Jagat Mithya, Shivo satyam and Kashmiri Shivism believes in Jagat Satyam , Shivo Satyam. The famous verses of our great Lala Ded are also witness to the acheivements of   Kashmiri Shivism.And lastly I pay homage to Swami Ishwarsaroop Laxmaman joo who was guarding this great legacy of ours till recently.
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