Takht-i-Bahi

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Takht-i-Bahi (Pakistan)
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Takht-i-Bahi overview

Takht-i-Bahi ( Urdu تخت بھائی, Taḫt-i bahāʾī , "Throne of the Source", "Throne of the Origin"), also Takht-i-Bahai , are the names of the extensive grounds of a Buddhist monastery ruin that extends over several hills in the ancient region of Gandhara .

geography

The central ruins of the monastery are located on a 152 m high mountain about 15 km northeast of Mardan in today's Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa . The place is at the entrance to the Malakand Pass , which leads into the Swat Valley.

history

Unfortunately, the first scientific excavations by DB Spooner on behalf of the Archaeological Survey of India and by H. Hargreaves at the beginning of the last century were not compared and coordinated in order to gain important knowledge about the history of its origins. Nevertheless, it can be assumed that the monastery was built in the first century BC. Was founded. At the time of Kanishka it experienced its greatest heyday. During this time the "courtyard of the many stupas was built , while the main stupa and the large courtyard date from the third and fourth centuries AD. The latest buildings date to the 6th and 7th centuries AD. Like the other Buddhist monasteries, Takht- i-Bahi the patronage of the Kushana rulers, whose construction and often their maintenance were financed by wealthy merchants.

Nearby was a settlement of the Parthian king Gondophares , whose name is mentioned in an inscription found in the monastery. The apostle Thomas is said to have stopped by here on his way to India.

architecture

The early monasteries on the Indian subcontinent were open to the public. The monasteries of the Gandhara culture, on the other hand, closed themselves off from the outside with strong walls and the entrance at Takht-i-Bahi was bent away from the axis. From the archaeological findings it can be seen that the monastery ( Vihara ) consisted of many individual buildings. These included the living and sleeping quarters of the monks ( bhikșu ), the refectory ( upasthāna-śālā ), the kitchen ( aggi-śālā ), a bath room with hot water ( janthāghara ), a well house ( udapāna-śālā ) and other utility rooms . In the center of the monastery was the sacral area , a large courtyard measuring 36 by 15 meters, surrounded by meditation cells , 35 stupas or just niches with some larger than life statues of Buddha. Then in the south you reach another courtyard. Here the main stupa stood on a platform (4.5 m square) that was accessible by stairs. This courtyard is also surrounded by chapels . The side facing the courtyard decorated Half pillars with Corinthian acanthus - capitals . The side stupas and the many statues were plastered with lime , on which bright colors, especially gold, were applied. The walls of the monastery also glowed in color. So the monastery looked extremely magnificent.

Not far from Tahht-i-Bahi are the ruins of the fortified city of Sahra-i-Bahlol from the early 1st century. Both sites have been registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1980 .

literature

Web links

Coordinates: 34 ° 17 ′ 10.3 ″  N , 71 ° 56 ′ 49.2 ″  E