Buddhist Sites
-| Parhaspora | -
Location: District Baramulla (J&K) - Lat 34º 8'N, Long 74º
38'E
The site of Parhaspora is located about 25 kms. north-west of Srinagar distt.
Baramulla in J & K state. The ancient Parihasapura has been identified as
the capital of King Lalitaditya between the marshes of Panzinor and the village
-Haratrath of Baramulla district. Three Buddhist edifices have been excavated
at this site - the imposing base of a stupa identified with Chankuna's stupa,
a monastery believed to be the Raja vihara of Lalitaditya and a temple.
The base of the stupa with angular projections in two tiers. The tops of these
tiers served as processional path. Both of them were provided with a flight
of steps in the central projection facing the cardinal direction. The front
flanking walls of the stairs had a square panel with a placid figure of a bejeweled
atlantes, while the moulded sites have elephants with long foliated trails (pathway).
The stupa was enclosed by an oblong compound wall.
The monastery to the south of Stupa presents the normal quadrangular plan, with
twenty - six cells including the entrance porch, fronted by a running veranda.
The cell in the centre of the back wall is larger in site plan than the rest
and was probably used as a shrine. The monastery bears traces of subsequent
repairs.
The square sanctum of the temple, situated further south in the centre of a
spacious enclosure, stands on a double platform and is surrounded by a pradakshina-path.
The sanctum is preceded by a vestibule, its entrance capped by front foliated
arch within a triangular pediment. The stupa giving access to the top of the
platform was originally decorated with atlantes. The platform had moulded pilasters
at corners and a cornice with a string course of Kiritimukha, each capped by
a floral motif, alternating with trefoil arches.
Parhaspora - Buddhist, Archaeology
in India
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