Bhallar monastery, (near) Taxila, Punjab, PK

Raw data

139-017 Buddhist remains around Bhallar stupa, Punjab, Pakistan
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/139/multiple=1&unique_number=153

References to Bhallar monastery (Samad 2011, pp. 110, 152, 161)
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=PMEd8Cqh-YQC&pg=PA110#v=onepage&q&f=false.

Situated on the hills, northern bank of Haro river, near Usman Khattar village - Samad (2011:110)

Usman Khattar Lat 33.7944 Long 72.8236 http://www.fallingrain.com/world/PK/04/Usman_Khattar.html

"Bhallar stupa is situated on a route from Mechanical complex to Haripur, having a commanding position on the top of the Sarada Hill, a little beyond the Haro River. This is the tallest stupa in Taxila.
This was visited by the Chinese pilgrims, Fa Hien [= Faxien] and Hiuen Tsang [=Xuanzang], and they identify it with the spot where Buddha offered his head. This was built in the "medieval period" i.e. post-Hun period. It consists of a tall stupa, surrounded by votive stupas, other shrines and a monastery. 
Here the Buddhist monk Kumaralabha [= Kumaralata] composed his treatise. The main stupa, which is broken on the northern face, stood on a lofty oblong base, approached by a fight of steps on the east. It consists of a plinth base, a drum, a dome and originally umbrellas. The drum is divided into six or seven tiers and divided into six or seven tiers and is decorated with Corinthian pilasters, freezes and dental cornices." - http://www.buddhistravel.com/index.php?id=61,262,0,0,1,0 (citing Dani 1999-2004, Chpt IX, http://www.heritage.gov.pk/html_Pages/chapter-IX.htm)

Input by: tmciolek, July 13, 2012

Final data (and their sources)

Last updated: 27 Dec 2012

Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 200 m from the point defined by the coordinates below.

Location of Bhallar monastery, PK.

General location of the Bhallar monastery, PK.
Lat 33.8135 Long 72.8254
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2012.


Google Map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=33.8135+72.8254+(Approx.%20loc.%20of%20the%20Bhallar%20monastery,%20PK)&ll=33.8135,72.8254&spn=05.0,05.0&t=k&hl=en


Final data - explanatory notes

1. Monastery's name


2. Monastery's modern country & province

  • Pakistan: Punjab

3. Monastery's alternative/historical names

  • [missing data]

4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates

  • Approx., Lat 33.8135 Long 72.8254 - based on the visual identification of the site in satellite imagery, http://maps.google.com/ - tmciolek, 19 Jul 2012.


6. Ancient name of the known nearest city, town, or village


7. The settlement's alternative/historical names


8. The settlement's coordinates

  • Taxila Ruins of Sirkup, approx., Lat 33.755 Long 72.829 - based on the visual identification of the site in maps, http://maps.google.com/ - tmciolek, 13 Jul 2012.

9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition

  • [missing data]

10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition

  • [missing data]

11. Date-early

  • [missing data]

12. Date-intermediate

  • MBM chrono-tag <=0200 0200-32p 0233-66c 0267-99c 0300-32c 0333-66c 0367-99c 0400-32c 0433-66c 0467-99c 0500-32c 0533-66c 0567-99c 0600-32c 0633-66c 0667-99p dated-x - tmciolek 27 Dec 2012

13. Date-late

  • [missing data]

14. Details of contacts with other monasteries

  • [missing data]

15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery

  • archaeological, architectural

16. Additional notes

  • [missing data] (incl. details of the size of the monastic population)

17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by

  • [missing data]

18. Known monks and nuns associated with this monastery


19. Available Printed Literature

  • [bibliographical details of the Book/Article 1]
  • [bibliographical details of the Book/Article 2]
  • [bibliographical details of the Book/Article 3]

end of page

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License