Bhallar Stupa Taxila (2021)

The coordinates of Bhallar stupa are 33°48'48.44"N, 72°49'30.85"E. Located on the Sarada Hill, just beyond the Haro River, along the route from Mechanical Complex to Haripur, this stupa holds a commanding position. It proudly stands as the tallest stupa in Taxila.

Bhallar stupa has a rich history, with notable visits from Chinese pilgrims pa Hien and Hiuen Tsang. They believed it to be the spot where Buddha himself offered his head. Constructed during the "medieval period" following the Hun era, this magnificent structure comprises a grand stupa, surrounded by votive stupas, shrines, and a monastery. It served as the place where the Buddhist monk Kumaralabha composed his treatise.

The main stupa, though now broken on its northern face, once stood on a majestic oblong base. A flight of steps on the eastern side leads up to this base. The stupa consists of a plinth base, a drum, a dome, and originally, umbrellas. The drum is adorned with Corinthian pilasters, freezes, and dental cornices, beautifully divided into six or seven tiers.

The Ancient Buddhist Capital of Punjab, Taki also named Asarur (2018)

Following the footsteps of Alexander Cunningham 

Date of visit: - March 08, 2018

All Pictures are owned

Reference is taken from the book ‘The Ancient Geography of India’ by Sir Alexander Cunningham.

A few years back, I read notes of Sir Alexander Cunningham on Asarur the probable ancient Buddhist capital in Panjab before the Muhammadan period, which was visited by famous Chinese pilgrim Huen Tsang in 633 AD.

I want to visit this site of great historical importance for quite some time but know very little about the exact location of this place.  However, with this incomplete information about the location, I decided to visit Khanqah Dogran to find this site. Fortunately able to find it after a few hours of wandering and with help of a local's guidance. 

The View of Mound

Sir Alexander Cunningham was known as the father of the Archaeological Survey of India which he founded and served as the first director between 1861 to 1865. He spent sixty years in India in the Army and achieved distinction as an archaeologist and scholar of the ancient history and geography of India.

Cunningham was a keen student of Huen Tsang and Fa Hein(Chinese monks who came to India in the 7th and 5th centuries CE, respectively, in search of Buddhist scripture) and decided to retrace the journey of Huen Tsang to identify every single place mentioned by him.

His book, ‘The Ancient Geography of India’ refers here to India's Buddhist period up to the seventh century CE, during which time Buddhism was the subcontinent's dominant religion. In this work, he draws on material ranging from the campaigns of Alexander the Great to the travels of the seventh-century Buddhist pilgrim Huen Tsang, who recorded much about India's geographical, political, religious, and cultural landscape.

A mound near the modern village of Asarur (Now Khangah Dogran tahsil of Gujranwala District, Punjab has been identified by Cunningham as the site of the ancient capital of Panjab. It is visited by Hiuen Tsiang in 630 AD.

The city was then one of great importance and is said by the Chinese pilgrim to have been 3 miles in circuit, a measurement which agrees well enough with the ruins still existing. The antiquity claimed for the place is confirmed by a large number of bricks, 18 by 10 by 3 inches, which are found all over the ruins, and by the great numbers of Indo-Scythian coins discovered after heavy rain. Its history therefore indeed reaches back to the beginning of the Christian era. The ruins consist of an extensive mound, 15,600 feet, or nearly 3 miles, in the circuit. The highest point is in the northwest quarter, where the mound rises to 59 feet above the fields. This part, which Cunningham takes to have been the ancient palace, is 600 feet long and 400 feet broad, and quite regular in shape. It contains an old well, 21 feet in diameter, which has not been used for many years and is now dry. The place is surrounded by a line of large mounds about 25 feet in height, and 8,100 feet, or \\ miles, in the circuit, which were the strongholds or citadel of the place. The mounds are round and prominent, as the ruins of large towers or bastions. On the east and south sides of the citadel, the mass of ruins sinks to 10 and 15 feet in height, but it is twice the size of the citadel and is no doubt the remains of the old city.

The Mound where once citadel present 

Clearly can see old bricks in mound walls

Old Bricks of the Buddhist Era

Old Bricks of the Buddhist Era at the mound 

Debris at Mound

Another picture of Debris

Another Scene of Mound from fields

Mound

Mound

Mound

Mound

Most of  part of mound now converted into fields and residential areas of the village

Mound

An unknown Shrine was constructed on top of the Mound

Another view of Mound

There are no visible traces of any ancient buildings, as all the surface bricks have been long ago carried off to the neighboring shrine of Ugah Shah at Khangah Masrur on the road from Lahore to Pindf Bhattian; but among the old bricks forming the surrounding wall of the mosque, Cunningham found three molded in different patterns, which could only have belonged to buildings of some importance.

Mosque constructed of old bricks extracted from Ancient Mound. The mosque is not in used now

Another view of Mound 

View of Mosque from Inside

Another view of the Mosque 

Another View of Mosque 

Another View of Mosque 

Another View of Mosque 

He found also a wedge-shaped brick, 15 inches long and 3 inches thick. This must have been made for a stupa, or a well, but most probably for the latter, as the existing well is 2 1 feet in diameter. The modern village of Asarur contains only forty-five houses. At the time of Hiuen Tsiang's visit, there were ten monasteries, but very few Buddhists and the mass of the people worshipped the Brah- maniacal gods. North-east of the town, at 10 //, or nearly 2 miles, was a stupa of Asoka, 200 feet in height, which marked the spot where Buddha had halted, and which was said to contain a large number of his relics. This stupa General Cunningham identifies with the little mound of Salar, near Thatta Saiyidan, just 2 miles to the north of Asarur.

The Ancient Bazira of Alexander (2019)

The Ancient City of Bazira and in the background Scared Hindu Shahi mountain Jugianosar

Bazira, the ancient city associated with Alexander the Great, is situated in the southern region of the Swat Valley within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. Positioned approximately 20 km (12 mi) away from both Mingora and Butkara, it serves as the gateway to the Swat valley and is home to an approximate population of 25,000.

The exploration of the ancient town of Bazira, located beneath the modern settlement of Barikot, has been carried out by the Italian Archaeological Mission (later renamed ISMEO) since 1984, under the guidance of Giuseppe Tucci. Over the years, these excavations have uncovered intriguing ruins, shedding light on the city's historical significance.

During the 1980s and 1990s, the expeditions unearthed remains of an Indo-Greek town dating back to the reign of King Menander I in the 2nd century BCE. However, starting from 2011, a new excavation in the southwestern corner of the site revealed even older settlements. One of these pre-Indo-Greek layers has been dated to the mid-3rd century BCE, placing it within the Mauryan era. It is believed that an earlier settlement existed before being conquered and possibly destroyed by Alexander the Great during the 4th century BCE. Additionally, in close proximity to Bazira, a village belonging to the Gandhara grave culture, spanning the 7th to 8th century BCE, was also discovered. Delving deeper into history, the oldest layer beneath Barikot dates back to 1000-1100 BCE, representing an ancient village of that era.

At its peak during the 2nd century BCE, the town of Bazira covered an area of approximately 12 hectares (30 acres), including the acropolis, or about 7 hectares (17 acres) excluding it. The city was protected by a defensive wall fortified with massive rectangular bastions. Numerous artifacts have been unearthed during the excavations, providing insights into the daily life of Bazira's inhabitants. These artifacts range from coins and pottery to weapons. Among the notable discoveries are significant items highlighting the Buddhist history of Bazira, such as a large green-schist statue of Siddhartha Buddha riding his horse Kanthaka, and a carved representation of a stupa adorned with two lions. Another intriguing statue depicts an unknown deity seated on a throne, characterized by long, curled hair, and holding a wine goblet along with a severed goat head, possibly representing Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, or another local deity.

During the Kushan Empire, Bazira thrived as a major town. However, a series of earthquakes in the 3rd century CE caused extensive devastation. Combined with the decline of the Kushan Empire, these factors ultimately led to the abandonment of Bazira by the end of the 3rd century.

The archaeological excavations at Bazira offer valuable insights into the rich history of the region, tracing back through different cultural and historical periods. The artifacts and structures discovered at this site provide glimpses into the daily lives, religious beliefs, and cultural influences that shaped Bazira over time.

 

Indo Greek Defensive Walls

Indo Greek Definsive Wall

Indo Greek Defensive Wall