Location
Masroor Rock Cut Temple is situated 40 km from Kangra. Masroor Rock Cut Temple lies between 32°4’21″N and 76°8’13″E. It is close to Dharmashala, which is about 35 kilometres away.
About
Masroor Rock cut Temple is also known as Himalayan Pyramid. There are 15 monolithic rock-cut temples in the the Indo-Aryan style and richly carved. The main complex of Masroor Rock Cut Temple contains three stone images of Lord Rama,Lakshman and Sita. The complex also has a large rectangular pond.
History
The temple complex was first identified in 1875 on the basis of antiquities found in the Punjab and its subordinate fiefdoms. This reference was made in the list of Archaeological monuments prepared in 1875 as “Thakudwara Temple in the village of Masrur, Tehsil Dehra”. However, the next published information about the existence of this temple complex was about nearly four decades later in the Annual Report of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) of 1912-13 as a travel informatio of H.L. Shutterleworth, a British explorer, when he was exploring the Himalayas in 1913. Following this there were many other reports on the art and architecture of this temple complex by other historians. The conservation of the temple complex became the responsibility of ASI from 1914. The exact period of building this complex is not very clear. It is a puzzle as there are no epigraphic records that ascribe any date for its construction. Considering the huge size of the structures it was believed that the temple was built under major rulers of the area and was not the work of any local chieftains. The area of the temple complex was also known to have many caves and relics indicating large settlements. It has been established by reasoning that during the 8th century kings of Jalandhar moved to Masroor from the plains (plains of present day Punjab) and established their capital here. Source: Wikipedia.
Best time to visit Masroor Rock Cut Temple: March to October.
How to access
By Air: The nearest airport is Gaggal.
By Train: The nearest railway is Pathankot.
By Bus: It is well connected by roads.
