But, besides the ruthless hand of the destroyer, another agency,
less immediate, but equally certain in its ultimate effects, must have
been at work upon the large temples of Kashmir. The silent ravages of
the destroyer, who carries away pillars and stone, for the erection
of other edifices, has been going on for centuries. Pillars, from
which the architraves have been thus removed, have been thrown down
by earthquakes, ready to be set up again for the decoration of the
first Musjid that might be erected in the neighbourhood. Thus every
Mahomedan building in Kashmir is constructed either entirely or in
part of the ruins of Hindu temples.
Takt I Suliman.
The oldest temple in Kashmir, both in appearance and according to
tradition, is that upon the hill of "Takt i Suliman," or Solomon's
Throne. It stands 1,000 feet above the plain, and commands a view of
the greater part of Kashmir.
The situation is a noble one, and must have been amongst the first
throughout the whole valley which was selected as the position of
a temple. Its erection is ascribed to Jaloka, the son of Asoka,
who reigned about 220 B.C.
The plan of the temple is octagonal, each side being fifteen feet in
length.
