In Zehanpora of Baramulla, Jammu- Kashmir, 2,000-year-old Buddhist stupas and urban-type settlements have been discovered from mounds.
- Amid apple orchards and paddy fields, in a valley on the banks of the Jhelum River, there were several mounds that had long aroused curiosity among the local people of Zehanpora village.
- Over the past few years, archaeologists from Srinagar and Delhi visited this village in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir. They conducted surveys and made assumptions about the ordinary-looking mounds.
- This discovery in Zehanpora village revealed Kushan-period stupas, monastery buildings, and other structures.
- When archaeologists began a systematic study of the mounds, which are located along an ancient Silk Route leading to Kandhar and beyond, and used drone surveys, aerial photography, and mapping, it became clear that they were part of an ancient structure.
French museum inspired the discovery
- The discovery began with a strange clue. Blurred, decades-old photographs of three stupas kept in a French museum caught the attention of researchers.
- Those photographs led to new surveys in Zehanpora, eventually revealing a significant Buddhist complex that sheds new light on the ancient civilization of this region.
- According to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s latest ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address, “In that picture of Baramulla, three Buddhist stupas were visible. From there, the course of the discovery changed, and Kashmir’s forgotten past began to emerge. This history is about 2,000 years old.”
Buddhist stupas in Zehanpora
- Kashmir’s Buddhist roots resurfaced, Zehanpora connects Kashmir to the Gandhara Buddhist network.
- Zehanpora is located on an ancient trade and pilgrimage route that once connected Gandhara with Kashmir, indicating that this region played an important role in cultural and religious exchanges.
- The discovery in Zehanpora brings to light Kashmir’s long-ignored Buddhist chapter, which began during the reign of Ashoka (268 to 232 BCE) and continued until the Kushan era (1st to 3rd century CE), when the valley was an active center of monastic education.
Kushan Empire
- The Kushans were a powerful ancient dynasty that ruled large parts of northern India and Central Asia between the 1st and 3rd centuries CE and played a major role in trade, urban centers, and the spread of Buddhism in India and beyond.
- Founded by Kujula Kadphises. This empire extended from Tajikistan to the Ganga valley.
- Major rulers: Kanishka (most powerful), Vima Kadphises.
- Gold coins: The Kushans issued large-scale and high-purity gold coins in India.
- Silk Route: Control over this route brought heavy revenue.
- Administration: Adopted the satrap system (provincial governors) and titles like ‘King of Kings’.
- Attire: Introduced better cavalry, turban, angrakha, and trousers in India.
- Decline and successor dynasties: After decline around the 3rd century, the rise of the Nagavansh, Maukhari, and Maghraja dynasties took place.
Cultural and artistic contributions:
- Gandhara style: Development of Greco-Buddhist style.
- Mathura art: Sculptures with images of Shiva-Parvati and Lakshmi.
- Buddhism: Kanishka organized the Fourth Buddhist Council in Kashmir.
