Page 19 - InTheLoop(April-June2020)

about pakistan

Takht-i-Bhai: A Buddhist Monastery in Mardan

Takht-i-Bhai is another well-known and preserved
monument, a Buddhist monastery located on a rocky ridge
about 10 miles northeast of Mardan. This structure dates
back to two to five century AD and stands 600 feet above
the plane. The feature, which distinguishes this site from
others, is its architectural diversity and its romantic
mountain setting. The uphill approach has helped in the
preservation of the monument.

The exposed buildings here include the main stupa and
two courtyards in different terraces surrounded by votive
stupa and shrines, the monastic quadrangles surrounded
by cells for the monks, and a large hall of assembly. In one
of the stupa, courtyard is a line of colossal Buddhas, which
were originally 16 to 20 feet high. The site’s fragmentary sculptures in stone and stucco are
a considerable wealth but its most remarkable feature is
the peculiar design and arrangement of the small shrines,
which surround the main stupa. These shrines stood upon
a continuous sculptured podium and were crowned
alternately with stupa-like finials forming an ensemble. The
beauty and grandeur provided by the entire composition is
unparallel in the Buddhist world.
Takht-i-Bhai had a wealth of ancient Buddhist remains. A
long - range of different sized Buddha and Buddhistavvas
from Takht-i-Bhai fill many museums. Some of the best
pieces of Gandhara sculpture, now to be found in the
museums of Europe were originally recovered from
Takht-i-Bhai.

*REF.- emergingpakistan.gov.pk

19