Have never visited this site sadly but have always wanted to. Has anyone been here?
Footloose, NOS, The News International
Architectural marvel
Takht Bai offers one of the most imposing relics of Buddhism in Pakistan
By Tahir Ali
Situated on the Mardan-Swat road, Takht Bai lies at a distance of 15 kilometres north of Mardan. The monastery is 2 kilometres east of Takht Bai Bazaar. Built on a rocky ridge, it stands 500 feet above the ground. The first sight of the mountain from the car park below is very impressive. A full view of the complex can be seen from the hill-top on which the site stands.
Standing on top of the hill, one can have a spectacular view of the surrounding areas – the sight of Mardan’s suburbs in the east, south and west is refreshing while northwards you see the sprawling Malakand Pass and the Hindu Kush range. The Jamal Garhi’s archaeological site is situated at a distance of 12 kilometres to the east of the complex. As you turn eastward, you come across Asia’s first sugar mill, Frontier Sugar Mill, which was built by the British Government near the Buddhist monastery.
Takht Bai literally means ‘Well on the flat surface of hill.’ The remains of the two wells located close to each other still exist on the crest of the hill. The Buddhist monastery and the nearby village are believed to have been named after these wells. Takht means ‘throne’ and Bai stands for ‘water’ or ‘spring’ in Persian/Urdu. There is still a spring of fresh water present on the left side of this Buddhist site. The monastic complex, according to the locals, was called Takht Bai because it was built atop a hill and was also close to the spring.
The site was first mentioned by General Court, the French officer of Maharaja Ranjit Sing in 1836. Then Lieutenants Lumsden and Stoke explored it in 1852 followed by Dr H.W Bellow, Assistant Surgeon, Corps of Guides, Mardan, who examined it in 1864. From 1869-70 onwards, a large number of sculptures were recovered from here by General Maclagan’s deputed men. Dr Leitner procured some sculptures through men of ‘Guides’ in 1870. Sergeant Wilcher excavated the Takht Bai site with a company ‘Sappers and Miners’ in 1871 and found innumerable sculptures – some depicting stories from the life of Buddha, while others devotional in nature. But Dr D.B. Spooner, Curator, Peshawar Museum, was the first to have systematically excavated the site in 1907-8 in accordance with the recommendations made by Sir John Marshall, Director General, and Archaeological Survey of India. Later, Mr Hargreaves, Curator, Peshawar Museum excavated the site in 1910-11. During this attempt, the famous and beautiful emaciated Siddhartha was also discovered in three parts. A large number of stone and stucco sculpture have been excavated during excavations which are now on display in Peshawar and Mardan Museum.
About 15 per cent area of the whole site was discovered till 2001. The Department of Archaeology conducted excavations which led to the discovery of a huge block on the western and south-western sides of the existing complex in 2004-5. Some famous statues of Buddha and Gandhara art pieces were also discovered. These newly excavated remains were many times bigger than the ones discovered hitherto.
Dating back from second century B.C to 5th century A.D and having covered an area of 650 canals, the Takht Bai remains present architectural diversity comprising the Main Stupa, votive Stupa courts with chapels around them, Monastic quadrangle, Meditation cells, covered passages, the monastery, the assembly hall, the low-level chambers, the courtyard, the court of three stupas, the kitchens, the wall of colossi and the secular building.
There is a small museum where some statues and relics are on display. The Court of Stupas is surrounded on three sides by chapels. Experts say, at first, they contained single plaster statues of Buddha sitting or standing but were taken away afterwards. One can see that the monastery has cells for the monks on four sides, a verandah and an assembly hall and store rooms giving an idea of how the monks led lives in those days.
A statue of Buddha is on display in the central part of the complex. The sight of the sculpture reminded me of my visit to the site back in the 1995 when there were many such statues. I was told that some of them have been taken now either to Peshawar or kept in a safe room in the complex.
The remarkable architectural features of the site has placed it on the World heritage list by UNESCO along with the Sahri-Bahlol remains that date back to the same period, located a couple of kilometres in the south. Some historians think that the Huns from Central Asia destroyed the Takht Bai’s Complex along with many others on the orders of their king Mihiragula who also ordered the destruction of 1600 stupas and monasteries and the slaying of two thirds of Gandhara’s inhabitants.
Sajid Gul, Assistant Director Local Government and Rural Development, remarked that despite huge funds no tourist facilities like proper rest areas are available. He was also unhappy with the dilapidated condition of the 2 kilometres road leading from the Takht Bai bazaar to the site. Site attendants guide and facilitate tourists and look after the site. Amjad Ali, a site attendant, said: “the number of tourists has declined since 9/11. Before that 10 to 20 foreign tourists would daily converge on the site but now only a few turn up in months.”
Although repair work is on, but much still needs to be done for the restoration, conservation and maintenance of these precious and rare archaeological remains. An increased commitment, funding and attention on the part of the NWFP and Federal government and UNESCO are required to save the relics from further damage.