Source: IT
Subject: Art and Culture
Context: The 2,000-year-old Buddhist stupas and monastic complex at Zehanpora in Baramulla, Kashmir, dating to the Kushan period, have been scientifically excavated.
About Zehanpora Stupa:
What it is?
- The Zehanpora site is a large Kushan-era Buddhist complex comprising multiple stupas, apsidal chaityas (prayer halls), viharas (monk residences), urban-type settlements, and artefacts, spread over nearly 10 acres in Baramulla district, Jammu & Kashmir.
Discovered at:
- Zehanpora village, Baramulla district, North Kashmir
- Located along the ancient Silk Route corridor linking Kashmir with Gandhara (Afghanistan–Pakistan region)
History:
- The site dates to the Kushan period (1st–3rd century CE)
- Kashmir was a major centre of Buddhist learning during this time under rulers like Kanishka and Huvishka
- Buddhism in Kashmir began earlier under Ashoka (3rd century BCE) and flourished through Mahayana Buddhism, which later spread to Central Asia and China
- Zehanpora was likely part of the Gandhara Buddhist network, a trans-regional system of monasteries, trade routes and learning centres
Key characteristics of the discovered stupas/structures:
- Stupa-like plateau/mounds: The mounds appear as man-made raised platforms, resembling stupa bases that have been reduced by time but remain prominent.
- Multiple mounds (clustered layout): The landscape suggests more than one stupa, indicating a complex, not an isolated shrine.
- Evidence of superstructure: Indications of a wooden super-structure above the mound(s), implying layered construction.
- Scientific mapping & survey: Documentation used drones, remote sensing, aerial photography and ground mapping, indicating the site is structurally dense beyond what is visible on the surface.
- Signature-link potential: The excavation narrative highlights comparing construction patterns/circuits/modus features across regional sites.
Significance:
- Experts note no other regional site matches Zehanpora’s scale, making it a key addition to Kashmir’s material history.
- The complex strengthens Kashmir’s position as a hub of Buddhist learning and monastic activity, linked to movement of monks, ideas and pilgrims.
