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Picture Courtesy: Indian Express

Context:

Archaeological excavations in Zehanpora, Baramulla (North Kashmir), have uncovered a massive, over 2,000-year-old Buddhist stupa.

Discovery:

The Zehanpora archaeological site, located in Baramulla district of North Kashmir and spread over nearly ten acres, was long considered a natural landscape feature but has now been identified as a large man-made complex over 2,000 years old.

Archaeological Significance:

• The site resembles a man-made plateau, structurally similar to Buddhist stupas.
• Evidence suggests the presence of a wooden superstructure above the mounds—an architectural feature consistent with early Buddhist monuments.
• Use of drones, remote sensing, and mapping techniques indicates that the entire area is covered with buried structures, making it the largest known Buddhist archaeological site in Kashmir.
• Some mounds remain undisturbed, offering high potential for reconstructing Kashmir’s ancient history. 

Link with global archives:

• A historical photograph of the Zehanpora site was found in a traveller’s archive in a French museum.
• The image closely resembles three Buddha stupas, suggesting early documentation by European travellers.
• This confirms that Kashmir lay on important trans-regional travel and cultural routes, linking Taxila–Lahore–Kashmir. 

Buddhism’s Early Arrival in Kashmir

• Contrary to popular belief that Buddhism entered Kashmir during Ashoka’s reign, Kalhana’s Rajatarangini indicates its presence before Ashoka.
• The Mahavamsa records that Ashoka invited Kashmiri Buddhist scholars to the Third Buddhist Council at Pataliputra, highlighting Kashmir’s early intellectual prominence. 

Role of Kushan Patronage

• Under Kushan rulers, especially Kanishka, Buddhism flourished in Kashmir.
• Numerous monasteries (viharas), stupas, and learning centres were established.
• Kashmir emerged as a major philosophical hub, where debates among Buddhist sects shaped doctrinal evolution. 

Kashmir and the Rise of Mahayana Buddhism:

• Kashmir is considered one of the birthplaces of Mahayana Buddhism.
• Mahayana ideas developed in Kashmir later spread to China and Central Asia through Kashmiri missionary monks.
• Dialogues such as that between Indo-Greek ruler Menander (Milinda) and monk Nagasena further strengthened Buddhist philosophy in the region.

Significance of Zehanpora:

Archaeological significance: Zehanpora represents one of the largest and most prominent Buddhist archaeological sites in Kashmir, with extensive man-made mounds dating back over 2,000 years to the Kushan period.

Evidence of Buddhism in Kashmir: The site provides material evidence of a strong Buddhist presence in Kashmir, reinforcing textual references from sources like the Rajatarangini and confirming the region’s early adoption of Buddhism.

Architectural importance: The plateau-like mounds resembling Buddhist stupas, along with traces of a possible wooden superstructure, offer valuable insights into early Buddhist architectural practices in the Himalayan region.

Kushan patronage and Mahayana Buddhism: Zehanpora reflects the period of Kushan royal patronage, especially under Emperor Kanishka, when Mahayana Buddhism flourished and gained philosophical depth in Kashmir.

Centre of Buddhist Learning: The scale of the site suggests that Zehanpora may have functioned as a major religious and educational centre, contributing to Kashmir’s reputation as a hub of Buddhist scholarship.

Role in trade and cultural exchange: Its location highlights Kashmir’s role in ancient trade and pilgrimage routes linking the Indian subcontinent with Central Asia, facilitating cultural and religious exchanges.

Conclusion:

The Zehanpora site is a landmark archaeological discovery that reaffirms Kashmir’s role as a major centre of Buddhism during the Kushan period, highlighting its importance in religious learning, architecture, and trans-Asian cultural exchange.

Source: Indian Express