For many years, locals in Zehanpora assumed that the mounds of earth they saw running for acres were part of the landscape. Spread over 10 acres in a small village in Baramulla, North Kashmir, the mounds have only recently been discovered to be man-made, and estimated to be over 2,000 years old.
Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned the site in his Mann ki Baat address, highlighting the cultural legacy of Jammu and Kashmir.
Randhir Jaiswal, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, later posted on X, “What first appeared as unusual rock formations was later found to resemble an image of three Buddha stupas preserved in archives of a museum in France. This discovery highlights the cultural legacy of Jammu and Kashmir.”
The director of the archeological excavation at the site, Dr Mohamad Ajmal Shah, told The Indian Express that the structures date back to the Kushan era.
What is the significance of the site?
This site has found mention in passing references by writers on Kashmir. No one had really taken a deep dive into it. It was like a conspicuous archeological site but remained unexplored. It looks like a man-made plateau, similar to the structure of a stupa. The mounds have been reduced through the ages but still stand out in the landscape. Since the 1970s, a canal has divided the site.
In October last year, our team of researchers from the Centre of Central Asian Studies at the University of Kashmir, along with the J&K Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums, began mapping the site. The team had been looking for ways to begin excavating the site for the past two years. There is evidence at the site of a wooden super-structure that perhaps rose above the mounds.
We started the mapping using various methods and equipment, including drones and remote sensing. Initial findings suggest that the whole area is covered in structures. Work at the site was halted owing to the onset of winter and will be taken up again after the season.
How does this excavation help in understanding the past?
The site will take longer than the stipulated three years because of the size of the plateau, but will be a significant addition to the knowledge of trade routes that passed through Kashmir as well as the Buddhist influence in the region. No archeological site in the region matches the scale of the Zehanpora site. There are some distinct mounds that are undisturbed, and will go a long way in explaining the history of this region.
Story continues below this ad
What is the connection of the site with some pictures found in France?
In 2023, I visited France on a fellowship and discovered a photograph of the site in Kashmir in a traveller’s photo archive at a museum. When I saw the picture, I was in awe and happy to recognise the site. I believe the British travelled through Lahore and erstwhile Taxila (Northwest Pakistan) to Kashmir and photographed these sites on the way.
When did Buddhism enter Kashmir, and how did the region become an early centre of Buddhist learning?
As per popular belief, Buddhism was introduced to Kashmir during the Mauryan King Ashoka’s reign. However, Kalhana’s Rajatarangini tells us that Buddhism was prevalent in Kashmir much before Ashoka’s time. As per another source, Mahavamsa, Ashoka invited Buddhist scholars of Kashmir for the Buddhist council he convened at Pataliputra.
Through philosophical deliberations among the different sects of Buddhism and the patronage of Kushan rulers, especially Kanishka, Buddhism got a stronghold in Kashmir. Many monasteries, viharas and stupas were established in Kashmir.
Story continues below this ad
What role did Kashmir play in the evolution and spread of Buddhism?
The evolution of Buddhism can be traced from the references in Rajatarangini, when king Surendra is believed to have constructed many monasteries in Kashmir. The Indo-Greek ruler Menander and Buddhist monk Nagasen’s dialogue on Buddhism was held in the Kashmir region. This would have further strengthened Buddhism across the region.
Later periods saw a rise in Buddhist practices, which was supported by Kushan kings. A new sect of Buddhism Mahayana is considered to have established its roots in Kashmir. The same sect later became an established form of Buddhism and spread across China and Central Asia by the missionary monks of Kashmir.
How is its legacy visible today?
From textual sources to the archaeological record, the Buddhist legacy of Kashmir is widely visible across the length and breadth of Kashmir. Dozens of archaeological sites have been reported in Kashmir with strong Buddhist material evidence.
The northern part of Kashmir has many known sites with Buddhist affiliations, like Kanispora, Ushkur, Zehanpora, and Parihaspora, while Harwan represents a major Buddhist complex in Srinagar in central Kashmir.
South Kashmir is dotted with archaeological sites like Semthan, Hutmur, Hoinar and Kutbal with strong Buddhist affiliations. These sites collectively represent Kashmir’s Buddhist heritage in the form of structural and artistic evidence, and need more research and conservation efforts from the departments concerned.
