Why in the News?
Archaeologists have unearthed ancient Buddhist stupas and settlement remains at Zehanpora in Baramulla, reviving Kashmir’s 2,000 year old Buddhist past. The breakthrough was aided by century old photographs preserved in a French museum, which guided modern excavations.
About the Zehanpora Discovery
- Location: Zehanpora village, Baramulla district, along the Jhelum River
- Site lies on an ancient Silk Route corridor linking Kashmir to Central Asia and Kandahar
- Excavations began in July 2025 after drone surveys, aerial mapping, and ground verification
Key Archaeological Findings
- Three Buddhist stupas
- Urban type settlement complex likely including chaityas and viharas
- Apsidal stupa architecture with pradakshina path
- Kushan era artefacts
- Pottery shards
- Copper objects
- Stone walls
- Evidence of long term monastic and urban activity
Historical Significance
Gandhara Buddhist Network
- Discovery firmly links Kashmir to the Gandhara Buddhist cultural network
- Establishes Kashmir as a central hub of Buddhist learning, not a peripheral region
- Demonstrates cultural and intellectual exchange between South Asia and Central Asia
Chronological Context
- Buddhist presence in Kashmir began during Ashoka’s reign (3rd century BCE)
- Flourished under the Kushan Empire (1st to 3rd century CE)
- Kushans promoted urbanisation, trade, and Buddhism
Literary Corroboration
- Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang mentioned entering Kashmir via the Silk Route
- Zehanpora excavation provides material archaeological evidence supporting textual references
Role of French Museum Photographs
- In 2023, century old photographs showing three stupas in Baramulla were discovered
- Images validated local archaeological hypotheses
- Triggered systematic excavation and site identification
Prelims Pointers
- Zehanpora is located in Baramulla district
- Site linked to Gandhara Buddhism
- Artefacts belong mainly to Kushan period
- Apsidal stupas allow circumambulatory worship
- Discovery aided by foreign archival material
| [2023] With reference to ancient India, consider the following statements:
1. The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin. 2. Stupa was generally a repository of relics 3. Stupa was a votive and commemorative structure in Buddhist tradition How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None |
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