Ancient Shivlings, Idols Unearthed at Karkoot Nag Spring, Believed Linked to Kashmir’s Karkoota Dynasty
Anantnag, Kashmir | August 3, 2025:
In a stunning rediscovery of Kashmir’s ancient past, 11 Shivlings and several age-old idols have been unearthed during the renovation of a natural spring at Karkoot Nag in the Salia area of Anantnag district.
Local residents and workers were taken aback when, amid routine desilting and cleaning of the spring, the centuries-old relics emerged from the soil — silent, sacred witnesses of a forgotten era.
Historians and archaeologists believe the unearthed artefacts may be linked to the Karkoota dynasty, which ruled the Kashmir Valley between 625 and 855 CE.
The dynasty, founded by Durlabhvardhan, is remembered for establishing a powerful Hindu kingdom that nurtured art, architecture, and spiritual traditions.
“This is not just a discovery — it’s a resurfacing of memory,” said a senior heritage official. “The soil of Kashmir is revealing its sacred past.”
The Karkoot Nag site itself, named after the dynasty, is known to locals as a spiritual spring and has been revered for centuries.
The idols, believed to be in classic Shaivite style, reflect the deeply rooted worship practices of the era and may provide valuable insight into the iconography of early medieval Kashmir.
As the idols and Shivlings were carefully retrieved, villagers and religious devotees gathered to offer prayers — a reminder that while kingdoms may fall, faith and memory persist.
The J&K Archives and Archaeology Department is expected to take over the site for preservation and further study.
Local residents have called for the area to be developed as a heritage tourism site, so that more people may witness the living history that still rises from Kashmir’s sacred soil.
Because history never forgets — it only waits to be uncovered.
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