Thursday, 12 July 2018

Jaulian, Buddhist Monastery and Stupa, Taxila, Punjab, Pk

March 29, 2018
Location:- 33.7649 N, 72.8749 E
Buddhist Site

Jaulian monastery is among the prominent heritage sites of the province and located close to Taxila. Sir John Marshall, director of the Archaeological Survey of India (1902-28), in his book Guide to Taxila noted the monastery is at the top of a hill close to the village of Jaulian. Marshall said there was reason to believe that the destruction of the Buddhist settlement took place in 5CE at the hands of the invading Huns.

There are two main parts of these ruins, one is the main stupa and other one is the monastery and university of Jaulian.

The main stupa at Jaulian is surrounded by twenty-one votive stupas and is badly damaged. Some of the experts believe that few of these votive stupas here are the tombs of revered monks. There are statues at stupas and most of the statues are preserved. For the purpose of exhibition at museum, a number of these statues are removed. Along with the plaster, at some places, the original structure of the building of Stupa is preserved.

Hall for Main Stupa

Monastery 

Monastery

Healing Buddha :- An odd artifact that is a statue of Buddha with a hole in its navel can be seen here that is called “healing Buddha”. People visit this place with the belief that by putting their finger in the naval hole and praying for the alimenting of patients would help to cure the illness. The carved writing under the statue reveals that this statue was gifted by “Budhamitra Dharmanandin” a friar. 



Votive Stupas
Votive Stupas



Votive Stupa & Healing Buddha


A monastery was also built here that contained a number of rooms for the students. In addition to these rooms, a large pool for washing was also built here. Two floors are built within the monastery and each floor has twenty-eight rooms. In front of some of the rooms, statues of Buddha are preserved. Stairs were made of stones to reach the upper floor and are still preserved. As a source of some light and the supply of fresh air, each of these rooms had a window. These holes of windows were also used as niche to grip the lamps for students.


Monastery

Monastery

Monastery

Votive Stupa

Buddhist Stupa

Buddhist Stupa

Votive Stupa

Main Stupa Hall


In 455 CE, White Huns burnt the monastery and thus destroyed.

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