TAXILA: The Punjab Department of Archaeology and Museums has initiated a project for the conservation and restoration of the Kunala Stupa from Ashoka’s time near the Sirkap City, also known as the second city of the ancient Taxila Civilisation.

According to conservation engineer Ali Gohar, the department has allocated Rs1.1 million for the restoration and preservation of the site.

A path to the site will also be established and the stairs to the stupa will be renovated.

He said the project is expected to be completed by January 2017.

The stupa dates back to the second century BC and has importance in Buddhist history and the Gandhara civilisation, according to Department of Archaeology and Museums (DOAM) Deputy Director Mohammad Irshad Khan. He explained that the stupa was named after Emperor Ashoka’s son, Kunala, who was heir to the Mauryan Empire and the stupa marks the place where Kunala was blinded by a step mother.

He said the site was in bad condition and could not be easily approached due to overgrowth.

Mr Irshad said some conservation work had been carried out on the site by the Federal Department of Archaeology and Museums in 2006 and that no conservation work had been done since.

“It was important to carry out preservation work on the site as soon as possible to save it from decaying,” he said, adding that after the work was completed, the site will attract more tourists as well.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2016