176 
ANCIENT GEOGRAPHY OF KAS'MIR. [Extra No- 2, 
Shrine of 
Bhimakesava. 
About one mile below Hut a mar and on the bank of a branch of 
the Lid a r, lies the liamlet of Bumfizu, which 
contains an ancient structure of considerable 
historical interest. The Ziarat of Baba Bam^din 
Sahib is nothing but a well-preserved temple, converted, with a liberal 
use of plaster, into the supposed resting place of a Muhammadan saint. 
1 have shown elsewhere that there is good reason to identify this shrine 
with the Bhimakesava temple which Bhlma S'ahi , king of Kabul, 
the maternal grandfather of Queen Didda, is said to have erected during 
the rule of her husband Ksemagupta (a.d. 950-958). 1 
The legendary of the Ziarat relates that the saint was originally a 
Hindu and bore before his conversion to Islam the name of Bhlma 
Sadhi. It is easy to recognize in this name an adaptation of Bhlma 
S'ahi. Also the name of the locality Bum^zu which the Martanda- 
rnahatmya renders by Bhimadvipa , is clearly derived from the old name 
of the shrine. Bhlma is an abbreviation of Bhimakesava to which Ks. 
zn , ‘island,’ has been added with reference to the several islands 
formed here by the Lid a r immediately in front of the hamlet. 
Kalhana tells us a curious anecdote regarding the fate of Bhlma 
S'ahi’s temple in King Harsa’s time who confiscated the great treasures, 
with which it was endowed. 2 Close to the present Ziarat of Bam^din 
Sahib is a small cave in the cliff containing a well-preserved little 
temple which is still used for Hindu worship. Another smaller shrine 
outside has been turned into the tomb of Rlshi Ruknu-d-dln Sahib. 
111 . About one mile south of Bum^zu we reach the Tirtha sacred 
to Martanda which has from early times to the 
present day enjoyed a prominent position 
among the sacred sites of Kasmlr. It is marked by a magnificent 
spring traditionally represented as two, Vimala and Kamala. An ancient 
legend connects them with the birth of the sun-god Martanda . 3 The 
Tirtha is visited at frequent intervals by crowds of pilgrims and is 
well-known also in India proper. 
The popular name of the Tirtha, Bavan, is derived from Skr. 
hhavana , ‘[sacred] habitation.’ This somewhat general appellation 
seems to have come into use already at an early date, as S'rivara employs 
it, 4 and is in itself an indication of the great popularity of the Tirtha. A 
Tirtha of Martanda. 
1 See Rdjat. vi. 178 note. For an accurate description of the temple, see Bishop 
Cowie’s paper, J. A. S. B., 1866, pp. 100 sq. 
2 See Rdjat. vii. 1081 sqq. 
3 Compare for a detailed account of the Tirtha, Rdjat. iv. 192 note. The Vimala 
Naga is named by the NUamata , 963 ; S'rlv. i. 377, etc. 
4 S'rlv. i. 376, 387. 
