SA Site Cover: The Ruins of Ban Faqiran Stupa, Islamabad by Sirat Gohar

By Speaking Archaeologically - July 30, 2018

Sirat Gohar is a Citizen Archaeology
Member at Speaking Archaeologically

When we speak of archaeological tourism, no site in Pakistan perhaps surpasses the potential that Taxila has. It attracts tourists from all walks of life, and its rich historical and cultural background makes it famous in the chronicles of history and the travelogues of foreign travellers right from the ancient times.

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View of Taxila city from Ban Faqiran Stupa

Even today, the whole valley is dotted with the signs of the past. Apart from the three Ancient Cities: of Bhir-mound, Sirkap and Sirsukh, Taxila has also been the religious epicentre of the Indian subcontinent, housing ruins of Hindu Temples, Islamic places of worship and Buddhist monasteries.

Of these, the Buddhist monasteries can easily be called the oldest, dating back to the second century CE, synchronous with the reign of Kanishka. More than twenty Stupas and Monastic buildings of Kushan period have been excavated so far in Taxila—a fact that demonstrates the religious and cultural importance of the valley. This article shall talk about the recently discovered site of Ban Faqiran, located in the secluded part of the Taxila valley, nearly two kilometers away from famous Buddha Caves at Shah Allah Ditta village, Islamabad. Two hundred meters on the western side of the Stupa, there is a huge water tank and a mosque from Muslim period.

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View of Shah Allah Ditta Village from Stupa

I visited Ban Faqiran alongwith my friends, Taqdees Alam and Oneeb, this year in July, 2018, whilst on a self-organised Archaeological hunt in the Margalla Hills. Ban Faqiran Stupa belonged to the period between 2nd to 4th centuries CE. Like the other Stupas of Taxila, this,too, has an immense significance to both the religious and cultural history of Ancient India.

After an exhausting but rewarding uphill hike on a rainy day, we reached the site of the Stupa. Immediately, the ruins and the rubble around, attracted our attention. The material used in the construction is Kanjur and lime stone, stacked together with diaper and ashlar masonry.

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Islamabad Museum: Coins from Ban Faqiran Excavations

The site was a chance discovery, excavated in April 2015 with a grant aid of two million rupees by National Fund for Cultural Heritage (NFCH). The second season of excavations was carried out in August that year, under supervision of Mr. Abdul Ghafoor Lone, who reported important discoveries from the area, including the Buddhist Stupa, a huge water tank and a mosque of Gaznavid Period later embellished under the Mughals. The artefacts, too, showed a long and continued pattern of occupation, including coins and pottery sherds from the Mauryan Period right up to the Mughal times . The objects are at display in Islamabad Museum.

Despite the evident rich legacy of the site, however, it remains in a decaying state,demanding protection from both environment and human folly. Given its sheer importance to history, the government and concerned departments ought to offer special considerations to Ban Faqiran archaeological site so as to preserve and protect it from further deterioration. If the site is protected and adequately developed for touristic activities, it can blossom into an important place for archaeologists and history buffs alike. The needs of the hour, therefore, is to highlight places like Ban Faqiran, that lie scattered across the globe, with buried secrets of forgotten culture and heritage.

Below are some pictures from the site that the author took to highlight its present state.

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