Narastan Temple is an ancient shrine located at Narastan village in Pulwama District, Jammu and Kashmir. This stone temple is noted for its architectural works. It is distinct from that of all the temples in the valley. Dating back over about fourteen hundred years, the temple is believed to have been dedicated to Lord Narayana.
The temple faces east and now houses a shivling, which must have been installed at a later date. The interior compound measures to about 8.6 ft square. The temple has no ceiling. The courtyard is about 70 ft square. From the outer wall, there is a small side entrance near the south-western side. This circular shaped temple is fully constructed with stones in Gandhara style. The temple is on a single base consisting of only four courses of stones. At the top of the pediment, there is a figure that resembles a Garuda.
The main attraction here is the trefoil arches on the exterior of the shrine walls. Another remarkable feature is the absence of a circumambulatory path on top of the base. From the courtyard, a flight of four steps leads to the shrine. There is a stream of water that gushes down near the front of the temple. There is another shrine located at the northern part of the chamber which has a sloping roof and ceiling similar to that of the Pandrethan temple.
Narastan temple can be approached on the Avantipur-Tral road by reaching Arpal. From Arpal village, Narastan is only 6 miles away.
