THE BUDDHIST MONASTERY AT HARWAN, KASHMIR
Buddhism once flourished in Kashmir. In fact, the Mahayana school of Buddhism was conceived in Kashmir and propagated by Kashmiri scholars in Kashmir, Central Asia and Tibet. The great Mauryan king — Ashoka, who founded the city of Srinagar in 250 BCE, was key in spreading Buddhism in the region. Majjhantika or Madhyantika), the Buddhist monk from Varanasi was deputed by Ashoka to spread Buddhism in the regions of Kashmir and Gandhara. Later, the Kushana king — Kanishka furthered the belief.
The Fourth Buddhist Council took place near Srinagar, in a place known as Shadarahadwana, which means “ the grove of six saints” around 78 CE, under the patronage of Kanishka. Shadarahadwana is the present-day Harwan. In this Council, the doctrines of the Mahayana form of Buddhism were finalized. The Council was presided by Vasumitra, with Asvaghosa as his deputy. Hundreds of monks from the country converged in Harwan for this conference. The Buddhist monk, Nagarjuna, a contemporary of Kanishka, is believed to have lived here.
So, where exactly is Harwan?
Harwan is on the outskirts of Srinagar, about 15 km from the city centre. It is set against the backdrop of majestic Zabarwan mountains with the peak Mahadev right at the back. Unlike the Mughal Gardens in Kashmir which have manicured terraces and beautiful fountains, Harwan is all about unadulterated natural beauty. The gardens are lush green with innumerable flowers and gigantic Chinar trees. A water canal, fed from a lake just behind the garden, passes through the middle of it. The lake itself is fed by the snow from the Zabarwan. Harwan is also the gateway to the Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary.
My friends and I were at this lake, where we met someone who explained to us how the water from here is sent to treatment plants across Srinagar city for consumption. During this conversation, I enquired from him about the whereabouts of the Buddhist Monastery, that I had heard so much about but had not been to. This gentleman was on his way to Dachigam and said that the monastery was not far from where we were. He said he would accompany us until a point in the hills after which our ways would split. It could not have sounded better! So, we trekked up the mountainside a little, gaining some altitude. Once we reached this stream called Sharab Kol, flowing down from the Zabarwan, he took a left for Dachigam and asked us to take the right and walk along this stream for a few minutes until we see the signboard of the monastery. As is in the case of mountainfolk anywhere, a few minutes turned out to be a good 30 minutes. But we had no reason to complain. It was not a climb any more, but a walk on a flat narrow trail on the hillside, strewn with fallen flowers from the jungle and all along the Sharab Kol. Finally, we saw a clearing, some village hutments and a little ahead, the signage. We had come really far from the Harwan garden, at the entrance of which, we had left our cab waiting.
The ruins of the Buddhist Monastery were in front of us, spread over the mountain in the form of terraces. It was a beautiful spring day, the sun was out and a cool breeze blew in our faces. There was no one there except a couple of gardeners who were working in the verdant lawns.
The monastery complex is mainly divided into two main terraces — lower and upper, in addition to scattered ancient remains further uphill. The lower terrace includes four residential rooms separated by a corridor, built in rubble and approached by a flight of steps on the East. There’s a part of the diaper pebble wall, a triple base of a Stupa facing North within a rectangular courtyard made in rubble and a rubble enclosure wall perhaps of a monastery.
On the upper terrace is an apsidal shrine, made in diaper pebble masonary, within a courtyard which is laid with moulded and plain tiles now buried. The tiles bear motifs of flora and fauna, rams fighting, cow suckling their young, archers on the horseback chasing deer and shooting an arrow at them, dancing girl, men and women conversing in a balcony. The art is typical of Kashmir and Central Asia and the structured are supposed to have been made in the early centuries of the Christian Era.
(as per the details shared by ASI on the plaque there).
From the monastery, Srinagar city looks beautiful. Sitting under the huge Chinars, one can only imagine how enchanting the place must have been like, two thousand years back!
Note : There’s a direct and shorter climb to the monastery from the main road near the Fisheries department.
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