Introduction

The village of Krimchi is a cluster of tiny hamlets that lie off National Highway 1-A. The turnoff is eight kilometers short of the town of Udhampur and Krimchi lies another twenty kilometers ahead. This has some of the oldest temples in the Jammu region which are dated back to the eighth or ninth century. The stone temples stand in a row facing east and a narrow stream called the Birunala flows close by. The main temple stands some fifty feet high, while one of the temples is in a state of disrepair. Among the pieces of fine sculpture that have been retrieved from the rubble are images of Shiva and his consort Parvati, as well as the 'Shiva-‘trimurti’. Excavations at the site have revealed terracotta items and coins.

The temples display an unusual blend of architectural characteristics. The overall design is similar to the temples at Bhuvneshwara in the state of Orissa and the construction has been done with large stone slabs that act as beams and equally massive stone pillars. The porches resemble those that are found in traditional Kashmiri temples while far more unusually, there are elements of Hellenic design to be found in the temples and one speculation has it that these were built by the Kushan invader, Kanishka who entered India from the northwest while others say that these could have been built by King Lalitaditya of Kashmir.

It is believed that Krimchi was once a thriving town that played a significant role along the old trade routes. For years it lay forgotten till it was ‘rediscovered’ by the traveler Frederic Drew in the nineteenth century who wrote about it in his travelogue, ‘The Jummoo and Kashmir Territories’.

At some distance from Krimchi lie the hill resort of Pancheri and the Moungri cave shrines

Special Attributes

Ancient temples with remarkable architecture

Nuisance

None as such

Dressing restrictions

Comfortable

Connectivity

Taxis

Enjoyed by

History, architecture and art lovers

Exposure

Yes. Especially in summer.

Avoidable Season

Open through the year

Facilities

Limited

Things Not Allowed

Shoes are not allowed within the functional temples

Tip

This is a full day excursion and some walking in the area can be quite enjoyable

Type of site

Ancient temples