Double-Headed Eagle Stupa at Sirkap Taxila

290318

The location of the site is 33.756458' N, 72.829781' E 

The second city at Taxila is called Sirkap, which means "severed head" and is the name of a mythological demon that is said to have lived on this site. It devoured human flesh and was killed by the hero Rasalu. Sirkap was founded by the Bactrian king Demetrius, who conquered this region in the 180s BCE. The city was rebuilt by king Menander.

A special Stupa at Sirkap is the so-called 'Double-Headed Eagle Stupa'. The pilasters here are of a Greek design, "Corinthian columns". In the middle arch, a Greek temple is shown; in the outer, a shrine of a Hindu design can be seen. On top of these sanctuaries, a Double-headed eagle is seated from which the name of the Stupa has been derived. This motive is rather odd, to say the least, as it is originally Babylonian. It seems to have spread to Scythia, and introduced in the Punjab by the Saka rulers.

Kunala Stupa Taxila

 29-03-2018

33°45'2.27"N,  72°49'50.49"E

MONASTERY VIEW 
Apart from its historical, religious, cultural and legendary background, in the last 2,000 years Taxila was also famous for eye treatment.

In fact officials with the Department of Archaeology and Museums (DOAM) believe that the Christ Hospital Taxila is continuation of that old historical legendary story narrated by folk tellers.

“The Stupa of Kunala sitting 100-feet high to the south-east of Takshasila city – Taxila’s ancient name – was where the blind would come to pray, and many had their prayers answered,” said an official of DOAM.

The official said Kunala was Emperor Ashoka’s beloved son, who was heir to the Mauryan empire. While he was supposed to be the future king, he was blinded by one of Ashoka's wives, Tishyaraksha, at a young age in jealousy, the official said.

The story of Kunala was related to this magnificent Stupa on the top of Sirkap city, founded by Greeks in 2nd century BC, the official said. “He was called Kunala because his eyes were small but beautiful. He was gifted with a sweet voice. But the jealous queen manoeuvred to order that his eyes be put out. A minister hesitated to execute the order.

“When the prince came to know about the royal order, he insisted on obedience to his father's command and a hot iron was put to his eyes.

He wandered with his wife far from his father’s kingdom,” the official narrated, adding that one day Ashoka recognised his son’s voice in his court. On learning his queen’s treachery, Ashoka ordered to put

her to death and Kunala was restored to the court.

According to DOAM official, Prince Kunala’s eyesight was restored by a famous surgeon who got his education in medicine in Taxila, then famous for training and knowledge of medicines, mathematics, grammar, archery, languages, and astronomy etc.

“Archaeological remains of Kunala's Stupa do not co-relate with the story. The masonry style of this Stupa belonged to 2nd century AD whereas Kunala was appointed in Taxila in 4th century BC,” the official said.

“How it was named as Kunala Stupa was not fully confirmed and needed deeper investigation and study.

But it is a fact that Taxila was known for the best eye treatment in those days,” he said, supporting his story with several antiquities found in Taxila, which were used for eye treatment.

Such surgical instruments were on display in Taxila Museum for public.

MONASTERY ROOMS FOR PILGRIMS AND STUDENTS

VIEW OF KHANPUR DAM

STUPA

MONASTERY

MONASTERY

MONASTERY

STUPA

MONASTERY

STAIRS TO REACH HILLTOP MONASTERY

A 20 MINUTES WALK FROM SIRKAPP TO KUNALA , KUNAL SITUATED ON THIS HILLTOP

MONASTERY

KHANPUR DAM MOUNTAINS

A 20 MINUTES WALK FROM SIRKAPP TO KUNALA , KUNAL SITUATED ON THIS HILLTOP

JANDIAL Taxila

29-03-2018

33°45'52.91"N

72°49'44.09"E

Taxila is known as the cradle of Buddhist civilisation, with numerous Buddhist sites. But few know that in heart of the great Buddhist civilisation there stands a Zoroastrian temple known as the Jandial Temple.

The Temple was excavated in 1912-1913 by the Archaeological Survey of India under John Marshall. It has been called "the most Hellenic structure yet found on Indian soil

The Jandial temple dates back to 1st century BC, standing on an artificial mound, north of Sirkap City.

The resemblance of this temple to classical Greek temples is striking. The structure of the temple is in limestone and kanjur with plaster on the façade, patches of which are still intact. Kanjur is a porous form of sedimentary stone, used in Gandhara. Some large columns and pillars are constructed with massive blocks of sandstone.

Built in the Scythio-Parthian period, this is believed to be the temple described by Philostratus in his Life of Apollonius of Tyana. According to A.G Lone, a former curator of Taxila Museum, Philostratus may have spoken of this temple when he says “They saw, a temple in front of the wall, about 100 feet in length and built of shell like stone. There were brazen tablets on which were portrayed the deeds of Porus and Alexander”.

Behind the main building is a set of stairs that leads to a platform where a Parthian fire Sanctuary probably existed in the 1st century BC.

Late veteran scholar and historian A.H. Dani, in his book ‘History of Civilisations of Central Asia’ notes that “the remains of a Zoroastrian fire temple were shown from Jandial, said to have been built by the Indo-Parthians”.

Mahmoodul Hasan Shah, assistant director in the federal directorate-general of archaeology and museums, quoting Dr A.H. Dani, said: “The Jandial temple was found at the same place where Alexander the Great erected his tent.”

He said that the Greek rulers of Taxila performed religious ceremonies of their own faith at this temple.

The Temple may have been built in the 2nd century BCE under the Greeks in India (Indo-Greeks). The exact alignment of the Temple with Sirkap leads some authors to think that it may have been built during the main occupation period of the Greek city, and that it may have been the work of an architect from Asia Minor, or from Greece or an architect trained in Greek techniques.

Alternatively, it may have been built under the Indo-Parthians in the 1st century BCE in order to practice the Zoroastrian faith, possibly right after their invasion of Hellenistic lands, using Greek manpower and expertise. Alternatively, it may be the construction of a Greek devotee of Zoroastriasm, at it known that in India the Greeks easily followed other faith, as examplified by the dedication to Garuda made by a Greek envoy on the Heliodorus pillar in Besnagar.

A coin of the Indo-Scythian ruler Azes I was found in the rubbles of the Temple, which may suggest that construction occurred during his reign.

The Jandial Temple may have been the one visited by Appollonius of Tyana during his visit of the subcontinent in the 1st century CE.

"Taxila, they tell us, is about as big as Nineveh, and was fortified fairly well after the manner of Greek cities; and here was the royal residence of the personage who then ruled the empire of Porus. And they saw a Temple, in front of the wall, which was not far short of 100 feet in size, made of stone covered with stucco, and there was constructed within it a shrine, somewhat small as compared with the great size of the Temple which is surrounded with columns, but deserving of notice. For bronze tablets were nailed into each of its walls on which were engraved the exploits of Porus and Alexander."

Bhamala Stupa

Largest ‘death of Buddha’ statue and first double halo statue found in Gandhara

29-03-2018

33°49'58.52"N

72°58'34.92"E

Bhamala Stupa is a ruined Buddhist stupa and National Heritage Site near Haripur, Pakistan. The Stupa is different from other stupas found in Gandhara. The ruins date back to the 4th century CE. The ruins are situated very near to the Khanpur Dam. The stupa is cross shaped and looks like an Aztec Pyramid. Bhamala stupa is an archaeological site and is also known as Bhamala Buddhist Complex.

Sir John Marshal first excavated the site in the late 1920s and early 1930s but The site was never studied in depth again. It is nominated at UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The nomination lead to the restoration of the ruins (mainly the Stupa). The site , as of June 2015, is under the control of Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Government of Pakistan. The site is believed to be one of the best preserved sites in the Taxila Valley

According to the current understandings, the shape of main stupa is cruciform and it is the biggest surviving example of this shape in Taxila and Gandhara region. There are about nineteen but small votive stupas in courtyard surrounding the main stupa

According to archaeologists this discovery is the largest statue ever found in Gandhara depicting the death of Buddha as well as a ‘double-halo’ Buddha statue, the first of its kind to have been found at the Bhamala Stupa site.

The rare discovery was made during excavations at the Buddhist stupa and monastery dating back to 4th century AD.

According to Dr Abdul Samad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa director, Department of Archaeology and Museums,  this latest discoveries by the archaeologists have opened new chapters in the history of the ancient Taxila valley civilisation.

“This is one of the few sites in the world to have the cruciform Stupa which was reserved for Buddha himself.”

The death of the Buddha scene is known as ‘Maha Pari Nirvana’. The statue depicting the scene, measures 14 metres in length, and is the largest ever statue of its kind found in the archaeological history of Gandhara civilisation. The image is placed on a 15 metre long platform.

Buddha’s head is missing as the site appears to have been targeted by illegal treasure hunters.

“Other parts of the statue such as the left leg and arms were also found in a damaged condition,” he said.

Other images in terracotta have been found near the Par Nirvana scene. Pari Nirvana scene was exposed from a long chamber to the west of the main Stupa facing towards east. He added that access to this chamber is given through three openings at regular intervals. The chamber is made of stone in semi ashlars masonry. This statue of Buddha with double halos was unique and such a statue had never been found at this site. In the past statues, heads of Buddha statues and coins from the Kushan period had been found at the site.

“In the first leg of this excavation, archaeologists have opened a new chapter in the archaeological history of the Taxila valley. Through the recent discoveries, it has been confirmed that the site dates back to 3rd century CE. Recently discovered Buddha heads are made in baked soil which dates to the third century, rejecting archaeologist John Marshal’s claim from 1930 that the site was from 12th century CE.”

During this leg of excavations, other relics such as a carnelian seal depicting what appears to be the Gaja Lakshmi deity, one of the forms of Hindu goddess Ashta Lakshmi have been discovered. Other relics with Kashmiri influence have added new dimensions to what we know about these ancient civilizations. Several terracotta and stucco Buddha statues and copper coins were discovered at this site which date back to the Kidara-Kushan period (4 to 5 CE). This indicates that Bhamala was not isolated from main Taxila. Material found in Bhamala could improve our understanding of Buddhist culture, development and contact in this region.

The success of the Bhamala Stupa study would also encourage other archaeologists to come to Pakistan.

The Bhamala complex was different from other sites in Taxila valley.

The stupa, shaped like a cross, resembles Aztec Pyramids and such constructions had only been found in Kashmir, in the past. Main stupa was cruciform and there were about 19 small votive stupas in the courtyard surrounding the main stupa.

During the recent excavation, a total of 510 relics were discovered, which included terracotta, stucco sculptures as well as iron objects including nails, hooks, door fittings, hair clips, copper artifacts and 14 coins from the late Kushan period.

 main stupa i 

main stupa is cruciform 

Buddhist  monastery

 Buddhist  monastery

 double-halo’ Buddha statue, 

 main stupa is cruciform 

main stupa is cruciform 

main stupa is cruciform 

REMNANTS OF ARCH BRIDGE of MUGHAL ERA on CHHOTI DEGH & ITS STORY of DEMISE

 February 26, 2018

by Ali Usman Baig

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit a remarkable bridge that dated back 400 years to the Mughal Era. This architectural marvel was situated on Degh Nala and captured my interest after reading an extensive article about it by Sir Salman Rasheed. Intriguingly, Sir Salman Rasheed's article also mentioned another Mughal-era bridge located on a branch of the Degh known as the Chhoti or Lesser Degh, not far to the west.

For a considerable period, I struggled to pinpoint the exact location of this place. However, after much effort, I finally succeeded and visited the site last Sunday. As I arrived, I noticed the remnants of the collapsed bridge scattered across the stream, a stark reminder of its former grandeur.

The length of the bridge was measured to be 30 meters, identical to the Mughal Era Bridge situated on the main Degh River. It was an arch bridge, featuring four arches with a center-to-center distance of 7.5 meters. Construction of the bridge is believed to have taken place in the later decades of the sixteenth century.

An analysis of the chemical and mineral composition of the Mughal mortar renders, and plaster from the seventeenth century revealed the presence of coarse materials such as bricks, kankar pieces, and slag, along with fine aggregates like river sand. These materials were typically combined with a calcite lime binder. The specific ratio of binder to aggregate varied depending on the functional requirements of each masonry unit. The chemical composition, both major and trace elements, indicated the use of locally available raw materials in the construction of these historical monuments. In the current bridge, the construction comprised Nanak Shahi bricks internally reinforced and filled with calcite lime mortar.

Arch bridges, which have been utilized for over 3000 years, remain one of the most popular bridge designs. During the Roman Empire, stone and wood arch bridges gained significant popularity, with architects successfully constructing over 1000 stone arch bridges across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Remarkably, many of these bridges have endured to this day. Contrary to the belief that the 1976 flood led to the collapse of the bridge I visited, it appeared that the disintegration of the arch members originated from the top crown. Arch bridges primarily rely on compression to bear loads. The failure I observed seemed to result from overloaded vehicles frequently crossing the bridge, ironically serving as a common route for heavily loaded tractor trolleys for decades. Evidently, the Mughal architects did not anticipate such substantial wheel loads when designing the bridge.

The remnants of the bridge include the remains of 2-foot-high, 40-meter-long roadside wing walls that run on both ends of the bridge along the road. These walls are accompanied by columns at the beginning of each wing wall, making the bridge visible from a distance. It is worth noting that the length of the bridge is nearly double the current width of the Nala, indicating that the Nala has significantly narrowed over time due to reduced water flow in the River Ravi. Presently, a new bridge has been constructed over the debris of the collapsed one.

In the past, this bridge served as a crucial crossing point for the military troops of the Mughal and Sikh armies. It witnessed the passage of numerous centuries. Sadly, no relevant authority has ever taken the initiative to restore or protect this historical gem, instead attributing its destruction to floods.

It is disheartening to witness the fading away of such a significant piece of history, lost forever to the sands of time.

  Looking towards Debris

 Wing Walls

 new bridge & old bridge

 Another view

 Disintegration from Crown

 Pillars at crown wall

 view of debris from new bridge

 wing wall

 Debris

 Another view of wing wall

 Wing Wall

 Arch

Google earth view 

Mamdot Villa

20-01-2018

Nawab Shah Nawaz Khan, born in 1883 in Mamdot, holds a significant place in the history of the All-India Muslim League. One of his notable contributions came in March 1940 when he played a pivotal role in organizing the historic session of the party in Lahore. Known for his unwavering commitment, Sir Shah Nawaz Mamdot generously shouldered all the expenses for the session, highlighting his dedication to the cause.

During the years from 1937 to 1947, Sir Shah Nawaz Mamdot emerged as one of Quaid-e-Azam's most trusted and loyal associates. His unwavering support and commitment to the vision of Quaid-e-Azam earned him the status of a trusted lieutenant. Throughout this period, Sir Shah Nawaz Mamdot stood by the side of Quaid-e-Azam, actively participating in various political endeavors and contributing to the growth and progress of the All-India Muslim League.

The Mamdot villa, situated in Lahore, held special significance in the life of Quaid-e-Azam.