‘Mann Ki Baat’ reveals how blurred photos in French museum brought forgotten Buddhist ruins in J&K village to life (Ld)
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s weekly address, “Mann Ki Baat,” highlighted Kashmir’s hidden cultural treasures. The leader referred to the ancient Buddhist site near Zehanpora village in Baramulla district, where archaeologists have uncovered the Kushan‑era Zehanpora mounds.
The mounds are believed to be the remains of a sizable Buddhist complex dating back about 2,000 years. Excavations have revealed stupas, outer walls, pottery, terracotta objects that echo the Gandhara style, and copper artifacts, all of which point to a flourishing monastic center during the first‑to‑third‑century CE Kushan dynasty. The discoveries match descriptions by Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang, who mentioned nearby sites such as Ushkur (Hushkapur).
An unusual photograph of the mounds displayed in a French museum has brought international attention to the site. Prior to the digs, researchers employed drones and ground‑penetrating radar to map the landscape, which led to systematic excavation.
Dr. Harmeet Singh Soodan, a professor at Government Degree College in Katra, explained that the story of Zehanpora began with aerial surveys rather than conventional tooling. He wrote:
“For years, locals had noticed the unusual mounds, but assumed they were remnants of past settlements or simply geological features. Drone‑based aerial surveys changed everything. The mounds revealed symmetrical circular and rectangular shapes‑patterns unmistakably man‑made. What followed was a methodical ground exploration. Brick foundations emerged, forming what appears to be a stupa base. Adjacent sections showed monastic structures: cells, platforms, and pathways that mirrored the layout of Buddhist monastic complexes found across the Gandhara region,” he said.
Soodan continued:
“The discovery was so precise that even the layering of construction matched known Kushan‑era patterns. In an interesting twist, the findings also corroborate early archaeological notes made in 1869 by colonial‑era explorers. Their observations, largely forgotten, mentioned structural remnants near the area that bore resemblance to Gandhara architecture. But lacking modern tools, they could only speculate. Today, their marginalia stand vindicated. Zehanpora is thus both a rediscovery and a realisation: a heritage overlooked for more than a century has finally spoken,” he wrote.
To grasp the significance, Soodan placed the site within the broader Kushan Empire, which from the first to third centuries CE stretched from Central Asia to northern India. The Kushans were notable patrons of Buddhism, fostering its growth along the Silk Routes. Emperor Huvishka, in particular, is said to have shifted part of his administration and religious activities to Kashmir.
“Ancient coins, inscriptions, and historical accounts point repeatedly to a royal centre named Huvishkapura, whose location has long remained a mystery. Scholars have proposed several sites, but none have been definitively proven. Could Zehanpora be part of this elusive capital’s landscape? The evidence is suggestive. The sheer scale of the structures, their chronological placement, and their artistic affiliations align with the Kushan architectural footprint. The presence of stupas—monumental symbols of Buddhist patronage—adds weight to the idea that Kushan influence here was not peripheral but central,” he noted.
Soodan added, “If Zehanpora was not the capital itself, it might well have been a satellite settlement, a monastic extension, or a spiritual hub within the capital’s broader domain. What is certain is that this discovery strengthens Kashmir’s position in the history of early Buddhism, revealing a valley deeply engaged with the currents of Kushan‑era culture, politics, and spirituality,” he said.
Kashmir’s link to Gandhara has long been attested in texts such as the Nilamata Purana, an ancient Sanskrit treatise that details pilgrimage sites, rituals, and ceremonies. While the text offers rich insight into the social and religious history of early Kashmir, visible archaeological evidence in the valley has been relatively sparse—until now.
The architectural features uncovered at Zehanpora—circular stupa bases, brickwork, and rectilinear monastic cells—mirror those seen in key Gandharan centers like Swat, Taxila, and Takht‑i‑Bahi. Its location along an ancient corridor that connected Srinagar to Gandhara via Baramulla, and onward to northwest passes, suggests the site was part of a vibrant exchange network.
“It was a part of a thriving exchange system—a place where ideas blossomed, where teachers debated, and where scriptures may have been copied, translated, or composed. For Kashmir, the discovery is a reaffirmation of its historical role as a meeting point of civilisations, not just a frontier zone. What makes the Zehanpora discovery profoundly meaningful is not simply its age, or its architectural value, or even its link to the Kushans. It is a reminder that Kashmir’s story is not one‑dimensional. It is a tapestry woven from diverse civilisational threads—Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, Persian, Central Asian, and local Himalayan. For too long, the valley’s early Buddhist period has been eclipsed by later chapters. This discovery reopens that chapter with clarity and urgency,” Professor Soodan said.
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