Avantivarman of Utpala dynasty (AD 855-83) constructed his capital at Avantipur. During his reign two magnificent temples were built at Avantipur - one dedicated to Lord Vishnu called Avantiswamin and the other to Shiva called Avantisvara, the former built before his accession to the throne and the latter after obtaining sovereignty. The ancient names of these (Avantisvara and Avantiswamin) temples were reclaimed first by A. Cunningham.
In 1913, the site of Avantiswami temple was excavated on a large scale by Daya Ram Sahani. He exposed the entire quadrangle of the temple down to the floor of the courtyard. The excavation yielded 121 coins of Toramana, Hindu rulers, Sultans and Afghan rulers and Dogra Maharaja, besides a large number of sculptures (mostly fragmentary), terracotta figurines, earthen longas and pottery including large storage jars. Most of the images represent Vishnu, usually four-armed and standing. These images were enshrined in the cells of the peristyle and subsidiary shrines. The other images include those of Ardhanarisvara, Ganesa and Gaja-Laxmi.
From the finds of fragments of birch-bark manuscripts of a late date containing accounts of articles of worship in two of the cells of the peristyle of Avantiswamin temple, Daya Ram Sahni observed that some portion of the temple was brought into reuse after the destruction of the temples. The temples of Avantiswami were razed to the ground during the reign of Sultan Sikander (AD 1389 – 1413), locally known as But-Shikan.
Avantiswami temple comprises a collonaded peristyle enclosing a paved courtyard, in the centre of which is the main shrine, built on a double base with four subsidiary shrines at the corners. The entrance which is in the middle of the west wall is approached by a flight of steps bounded on either side by a plain rail and a side wall. The surface of the walls is ornamented profusely with sculptural reliefs.
Another flight of steps, similar to that on the outer side, leads down to the stone-paved courtyard. The side walls of this stair are plain, but the pilasters are covered with sculptured reliefs. Furthermore, in the middle of the space between the gateway and the main shrine is a moulded pedestal base which appears to be the base of a Garudadhvaja pillar.
The central shrine is built on a double base which is partly intact but the sanctum structure has almost disappeared. The main shrine is approached by a flight of steps on two tiers. The tiers are flanked on either side by a partly plain balustrade. The front side of the balustrade is covered with the figures of Vishnu with Lakshmi and a six-armed goddess.
The courtyard is paved with irregular stones. The four subsidiary shrines in the courtyard at the corners of the main shrine show that the temple belongs to the Panchayatana type.
The main characteristic of the temple lies in its cellular colonnade. It comprises 69 cells. The cells in the centre are larger than the rest and advanced slightly forward. In one or two cells on the eastern side of the peristyle are found pedestals which show that images were also enshrined in them1.
1 R.C Agrawal, Kashmir and its Monumental Glory (New Delhi: Aryan Books International, 1998), 146-152.