The Chaitru Stupa: Just Another Forgotten Site by Mayank Singh
On a drive to Dharamshala via Gaggal, you would hardly recognise that your vehicle passed a place, where, once a Buddhist stupa existed. The site in the village of Chaitru was accidentally discovered, when the same road was being laid from Pathankot to Dharamshala in the early 1900s. The cutting of a mound for the construction of the road yielded a head of the Buddha (now in the possession of Lahore Museum, Pakistan) along with the remains of brick and pebble structures, red and micaceous redware pottery sherds and few terracotta and copper objects of Kushana Period(2nd to 3rd century CE).
Image 1: The not so noticeable notice boards at the entrance which mention the name of site on a fading rusted board.
The site locally known as Bhima ka Tila(or Bhima's Mound), is believed to be formed, when Bhima, one of the five Pandavas, dusted his feet here. The site, until the Archaeological Survey of India took over, hosted the annual village fair, which also featured wrestling bouts, locally called chinja. The fair that was organised in the Chaitra month of the Hindu calendar(March-April) has been shifted to the ground nearby.
Image 2: The mound as seen from the Northern slope
Image 3: The mound as seen from the South-west direction, also a glimpse of the hard work put in by the Gardner.
From an archaeological perspective, the site presents a sorry state. It has been converted into a garden, which actually is comparatively well maintained than most of the monuments in the area(we Himachali just love nature too much; take this plain-dwellers!)but there is no evidence of the Stupa that once existed. At the top of the mound, there is a rectangular stone structure, which is worshipped as a local shrine by the locals. Given the fact that the structure is in the vicinity of a peepal tree, the perfect place for many to go Jai Jai over, it shouldn't come off as a surprise.
Image 5: The stone structure being worshipped as a local shrine.
The excavation reports of the site state the presence of the shrine on the mound, it also reported bases of three stupas on the other side of the road, which cannot be seen today, probably due to the deposition over the years. The place has been converted into a meadow with little flowing streams, perfect for a family picnic and that is what describes the site best today, the perfect picnic spot with well cut grass, pine trees surrounding the garden and beautiful bushes with yellow flowers in between. One may not even notice it is an Archaeological site, if not for the notice boards put on by the ASI.
Image 6: The bases of three stupas excavated by ASI( Image credits: Archaeological Survey of India)
Image 7: The place where the three stupas were excavated today.
The site has been well maintained but if you ask whether the heritage has been preserved well, then technically, yes, under the layers of dirt that have accumulated over the years and all that we need is a bunch of archaeologists to dig in and recover what has been lost to time.
Really nicely written!
ReplyDeleteThis account is a clear indicator of how one perceives heritage and its preservation. While it is always important to preserve the different stories or experiences that a site might hold over a period of time, it shouldn't be the case that the main heritage structure is lost in all these innovations. I think a balanced and systematic approach needs to be taken by the ASI and other local bodies to ensure that the built heritage as well as the experiences built around it are preserved and adequately brought back in the memories of the people. Hopefully thie site is recovered before it is lost forever.
Yes, truly a valid point. The entire issue of involving local communities and the ASI itself preserving the context of the site reminds of an article by Jaya Menon and Supriya Varma, where they are critiquing the fact that all ticketed ASI monuments are almost gardened and fenced , thus creating a distance from the communities around. This can be traced back to the ASI's colonial heritage and how the idea of gardening could have its remote origins in the Enclosure Movement in England. Such a well written piece, Mayank!!
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