Takht-i-Bahi

Takht -i - Bahi ( Urdu تخت بھائی, Takht -i - Bahi, " Throne of the source ," " Throne of origin "), even Takht -i - Bahai, called the extensive grounds of a Buddhist monastery ruins, spread over several hill in the ancient region of Gandhara extends.

Geography

The main ruins of the monastery are located about 15 km northeast of Mardan on a 152 m high mountain in today's Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The place is located at the entrance to the Malakand Pass, leading into the Swat Valley.

History

Unfortunately, the first scientific excavations of DB were Spooner not compared with each other on behalf of the Archaeological Survey of India and by H. Hargreaves at the beginning of the last century and coordinated so as to gain important insights into the evolutionary history. Nevertheless, one can assume that the monastery was founded in the first century BC. Currently Kanischkas experienced its greatest prosperity. In this time of " Courtyard of the many stupas arose during the stupa and the great court of the third and fourth century AD date. The latest building dated to the 6th and 7th century AD. , Like the other Buddhist monasteries also enjoyed Takht- i- Bahi the patronage protect the Kushan rulers. your construction and often also their maintenance financed by wealthy merchants.

Nearby was a settlement of the Parthian king Gondophares whose name is mentioned in an inscription found in the monastery. The Apostle Thomas to be passed on his way to India here.

Architecture

The early monasteries of the Indian subcontinent were publicly available. The monasteries of the Gandhara culture, however, joined with strong walls to the outside and the entrance was bent away at Takht -i - Bahi from the axis. From the archaeological evidence it is apparent that the monastery ( Vihara ) consisted of many individual buildings. These included the living and sleeping quarters of the monks ( Bhiksu ), the refectory ( upasthāna -SALA ), the kitchen ( aggi -SALA ), a bath room with hot water ( janthāghara ), a well house ( udapāna -SALA ) and other utility rooms. In the center of the monastery was the sacral region, a large courtyard from 36 to 15 meters, surrounded by meditation cells, 35 stupas or niches with only partially -than-life statues of Buddha. In the south, then come to another farm. Here the main stupa stood on a platform ( 4.5 m square ), which was accessible by stairs. This farm is also surrounded by chapels. The side facing the courtyard adorned pilasters with Corinthian acanthus capitals. The side - stupas and the many statues were plastered with lime, whereupon bright colors, especially gold was applied. The monastery walls shone colored. So the monastery had extremely ornate.

Transition with monastic cells

Yard with stupa

Buddha, Gandhara, Takht -i - Bahi, the Museum Dahlem

Not far from Tahht -i - Bahi, the ruins are the fortified city Sahra -i - Bahlol from the early 1st century. Both sites are registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980.