Dr Harmeet Singh Soodan
harmeetjnu@gmail.com
A small village in Baramulla has suddenly stepped into the archaeological spotlight. Zehanpora-long known only for its orchards, river breeze, and undulating farmland-has revealed a buried heritage that could redefine Kashmir’s ancient history. Drone surveys conducted by archaeologists have confirmed what villagers had suspected but could never prove: the large mounds scattered across the landscape are not natural formations but ancient man-made structures. Beneath them lie stupas, monastic buildings, and architectural remains dating back to the Kushan era. This site of Zehanpura, located on the right bank of the river Jhelum approximately 12 km downstream from Baramulla, is submerged in layers of history, myth, and cultural memory of this area. Its identity has evolved over centuries, from a possible Vedic settlement to a Buddhist centre and, finally, to a site of mythic secrecy among the local population. To understand Zehanpura’s true significance, one must trace both its historical etymology and the mythical narratives that have surrounded and earthed inside the large mounds of soil. The importance of Zehanpura is also because of its geostrategic location, as it lies on the ancient trade and pilgrimage route from the North-West Frontier Province (Gandhara) into the heart of Kashmir. This location undoubtedly contributed to its prominence as a cultural and religious node in antiquity. This project of unearthing this Buddhist site is the joint venture held between the Department of Archives, Archaeology, and Museums (DAAM) and Kashmir University’s Central Asian Studies (CCAS) department. For the excavation and coding of records, an MOU has been signed by the Director of Archives, Archaeology, and Museums and the Registrar of Kashmir University.
As excavators begin to peel back the layers of soil, Zehanpora is emerging as one of the most important Buddhist sites ever discovered in the region. The evidence points not only to a vibrant religious settlement but also to a possible connection with Huvishkapura, the capital of the Kushan emperor Huvishka, whose reign marked one of the great expansions of Buddhist culture. Further, the discovery ties Kashmir more firmly to the vast Gandhara Buddhist network that once linked South Asia with Central Asia and China.
This moment is not simply a triumph of archaeology. It is a reminder that Kashmir’s past is deeper, more diverse, and more interconnected than contemporary narratives acknowledge.
Unearthing a Lost World
The Zehanpora story begins not with excavation tools, but with drones. For years, locals had noticed the unusual mounds but assumed they were remnants of past settlements or simply geological features. Drone-based aerial surveys changed everything. From above, the mounds revealed symmetrical circular and rectangular shapes-patterns unmistakably man-made. What followed was a methodical ground exploration. Brick foundations emerged, forming what appears to be a stupa base. Adjacent sections showed monastic structures: cells, platforms, and pathways that mirrored the layout of Buddhist monastic complexes found across the Gandhara region. The discovery was so precise that even the layering of construction matched known Kushan-era patterns. In an interesting twist, the findings also corroborate early archaeological notes made in 1869 by colonial-era explorers. Their observations, largely forgotten, mentioned structural remnants near the area that bore resemblance to Gandhara architecture. But lacking modern tools, they could only speculate. Today, their marginalia stand vindicated. Zehanpora is thus both a rediscovery and a realisation: a heritage overlooked for more than a century has finally spoken.
The Kushan Imprint on Kashmir
To understand the importance of this discovery, one must place it in the larger historical canvas of the Kushan Empire. Between the 1st and 3rd centuries CE, the Kushans ruled a vast territory stretching from Central Asia to northern India. They were among the greatest patrons of Buddhism, nurturing its institutions and facilitating its spread along the Silk Routes. One of the most influential Kushan rulers was Emperor Huvishka, who is believed to have shifted part of his administrative and religious activity to Kashmir. Ancient coins, inscriptions, and historical accounts point repeatedly to a royal centre named Huvishkapura, whose location has long remained a mystery. Scholars have proposed several sites, but none have been definitively proven. Could Zehanpora be part of this elusive capital’s landscape?
The evidence is suggestive. The sheer scale of the structures, their chronological placement, and their artistic affiliations align with the Kushan architectural footprint. The presence of stupas-monumental symbols of Buddhist patronage-adds weight to the idea that Kushan influence here was not peripheral but central. If Zehanpora was not the capital itself, it might well have been a satellite settlement, a monastic extension, or a spiritual hub within the capital’s broader domain. What is certain is that this discovery strengthens Kashmir’s position in the history of early Buddhism, revealing a valley deeply engaged with the currents of Kushan-era culture, politics, and spirituality.
It was Menander who came under the influence of Buddhism; the credit goes to the Nagasena for having defeated Menander in religious discussion. This discussion was held at a place near Kashmir. The Milindapanho is the best source of information on the history of early Buddhism in Kashmir. It informs that Menander built Milinda Vihara and joined the Sangha as a monk and finally attained Arhathood. The Milindapanho was written in Kashmiri but later was translated into Pali. The Indo-Greeks appear to have accepted the doctrine of Buddhism. The Kharoshti inscriptions found at Swat, Taxila and Lolab in Kashmir prove the existence of Buddhism during the third century B.C.E. These kings erected Stupas, constructed Viharas and installed images of Sakyamuni.
Kashmir and the Gandhara Highway of Ideas
Perhaps the most exciting dimension of Zehanpora’s emergence is its link to the Gandhara Buddhist network. In that time the Buddhist monks used to travel Afghanistan’s Bamiyan and beyond by following this path, and Zehanpura was the centre of excellence and rich cultural space for Buddhism where Buddhist intellectuals settled and wrote. The Buddhist travellers used to take rest and shelter from this site. This ancient cultural sphere-spanning present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan-was one of the great centres of Buddhist learning, sculpture, and architecture. Its iconic Greco-Buddhist art, its stupas, and its monasteries influenced the evolution of Buddhism across Asia and parts of Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmir’s historical connection to Gandhara is often referenced in texts; the Nilamata Purana is an ancient Sanskrit text which gives us detailed information about the pilgrimage spots, rituals and ceremonies observed by people of Kashmir. This text informed about the origin of Kashmir. The details obtained from the Nilamata Purana help us to reconstruct the social and religious history of ancient Kashmir, but the visible archaeological evidence within the Valley has been comparatively limited Zehanpora changes that notion also.
The architectural features uncovered so far-circular stupa bases, brick patterns, rectilinear monastic cells-mirror those found in key Gandharan sites such as Swat, Taxila, and Takht-i-Bahi. Additionally, the site’s strategic location would have placed it directly along ancient routes linking Srinagar to Gandhara via Baramulla and onwards to the passes of the northwest. This route was not merely a road. It was a cultural artery. Monks, traders, sculptors, and pilgrims traversed it, carrying ideas and images that helped shape the Buddhist world. Zehanpora, in this light, was not an isolated community. It was a part of a thriving exchange system-a place where ideas blossomed, where teachers debated, and where scriptures may have been copied, translated, or composed. For Kashmir, the discovery is a reaffirmation of its historical role as a meeting point of civilisations, not just a frontier zone.
Reclaiming the Silence of Centuries
What makes the Zehanpora discovery profoundly meaningful is not simply its age, or its architectural value, or even its link to the Kushans. It is the reminder that Kashmir’s story is not one-dimensional. It is a tapestry woven from diverse civilisational threads-Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, Persian, Central Asian, and local Himalayan. For too long, the valley’s early Buddhist period has been overshadowed by later chapters. This discovery reopens that chapter with clarity and urgency. The stupas rising out of Zehanpora were once centres of teaching, reflection, debate, and devotion. The monks who walked its pathways might have contributed to Buddhist philosophy, art, and pilgrimage long before the great monasteries of Ladakh or Tibet emerged. And the links to Gandhara and Huvishkapura suggest that Kashmir was not only influenced but also influential. As the stones return to light, they ask us to widen our imagination of Kashmir’s history. They ask us to listen-to what was lost, to what is being uncovered, and to what must now be preserved. Zehanpora has broken its silence. It is up to us to ensure it is not buried again.
(The author is HoD Political Science, GDC Katra)
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