Srinagar
The summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir — home to the ancient Shankaracharya Temple atop Gopadri hill, overlooking the Dal Lake.
Connection to Adi Shankaracharya
Srinagar holds profound significance in the legacy of Adi Shankaracharya. The Shankaracharya Temple (Jyeshtheshwara Temple) atop the Gopadri hill is traditionally associated with his visit to Kashmir around the 8th century CE. According to the Shankaravijaya accounts, he ascended to the Sarvajnapitha (Throne of Omniscience) in Kashmir — the highest seat of philosophical debate — and established the supremacy of Advaita Vedanta. Kashmir was historically one of the most important centres of Sanskrit learning and Shaiva philosophy.
Source: Shankaravijaya literature (multiple recensions); the Shankaracharya Temple's association is documented in local tradition and the temple's archaeological record dating to at least 200 BCE.Places of Interest
Shankaracharya Temple
An ancient Shiva temple perched atop the Shankaracharya Hill (Gopadri/Takht-i-Sulaiman), over 1,000 feet above Srinagar. The temple dates to at least 200 BCE and is traditionally associated with Adi Shankaracharya's visit to Kashmir.