Remains of a Buddhist Stupa in square shape discovered

Shazia Mehboob

Mansehra

Remains of a Buddhist Stupa in Square Shape discovered at Bado Dheri Gandhian near Mansehra.

The stupa is one of the important discoveries of the 21 st century, owing to its unique architecture. Material, construction techniques and design of the Stupa has its own uniquness.

Hazara University Archaeology Department Head Shakirullah Khan said the heritage site has great potential to attract cultural and religious tourists at national and international level.

The site possible linked to the Buddhist Civilization of Kushan era and the heritage site is spread about 50 Kanal are.

Dr Shakirullah said in the shape of Square Stupa and Architecture as unique the robbles stones wall with facing as finishing of Kanjor stone

The Archaeology Department of Hazara University, Mansehra discovered the Buddhist remains during an execuvation under its first scientific field investigation at the site in August 2019 with the financial support of the Higher Education Commission under the NRPU funded project.

Bado Dheri is located on the left bank of Gandhian stream, in-between the Karakoram Highway and the newly constructed CPEC road. Having remained at the mercy of the antique dealers since long, the site was damaged and looted.

The first season archaeological investigation at the site has brought to light many important ancient remains (i.e. terracotta potsherds, bones, charcoals, stone pestles and grinding stones).

But the most important discovery from site is a Buddhist Stupa constructed of stones in rubble masonry.

Traces of kanjur facing added to the earlier core of the stupa were also noticed showing later addition. Although no inscriptional records and coins have yet been unearthed to assign a proper date to the site, but scientific analysis of the organic will help to establish a complete cultural profile of the site, said Shakirullah Khan.

The archaeological field investigation at Bado Dheri provided an opportunity to the students of Archaeology and Tourism to get practical exposure in Field Archaeology and cultural tourism, he added.

Aimed to rescue the site a well as systematically record and reconstruct the history of the site before its complete destruction into the hands of the illegal diggers funded the project, the project was initiated by HEC.  

Further work on the material as uncovered during the excavation is going on and the samples scientific analysis will be able us to put these important ruins in the proper context of the Kushan era and history of the region. 

In the excavation process of the site about 200 students took part.