Manthal Buddha Rock is one of the famous tourist spots as well as historical and archaeological heritage of Baltistan region which needs to be declared a national heritage to attract more and more foreign tourists.

Located in Manthal village near Sadpara Dam the grand rock has a huge sculpture of Buddha carved on it with his two vicegerent (Mitriya) standing on either side surrounded by 20 disciples. At the bottom of the rock there are some Balti inscriptions.

According to a late Balti elder, who was able to translate the written sentences, the inscription “Lonchay Skesa la sperbi ott” meant light igniting on the birth place of Lontchay, a local Raja.

It is believed that there used to be a palace in front of the rock in which a local Raja Lontchay had been born. Later, the palace was washed away by floods caused in the famous Hargisa River which still flows on its route.

It is believed that the rock was carved during the reign of Raja Lontchay, because according to Bhudhist tradition, they used to ignite light in the evening daily after a baby was born. The fireplace is still intact on top of the rock in the form of a four-inch long and wide platform.

On the other side of the rock, archaeological experts say, there is Manthal Buddha Rock called ‘Mandala’ - the assembly place of Buddhas. The rock carvings were done in the 8th century when the whole region followed Bonism and Buddhism.

Richard A Engelhardt — Unesco Regional Adviser for Culture in Asia and the Pacific — says that these inscriptions seem to have been engraved way back in around the second or third century, because this carving depicts the earliest doctrine of Buddhism.

Gurkha soldiers believed to have destroyed the Buddhist scriptures from the Sadpara Dam site sometime before 1913. The historic Buddha Rock contains many images and ancient Tibetan (Balti) inscriptions as evident from the site. On the eastern side of the rock, there exists a platform for offering religious prayers and the rear side was being used for providing medical facilities by the Lamas/Amchees (physicians) etc.

It is believed that Buddhism flourished in Baltisan and Kashmir in 4th century AD before it gained its foothold in Ladakh and Tibet.

During Palolashahi Kingdom monasteries like Chaqchan Gompa in Khaplu, Skyurlung Gampa in Shigar and Gompa Skardu were built. These were their wholly places of worship. The Tibetans made Skardu their capital. The Manthal Buddha Rock was also their worshiping place which remained till 13th century.

AH Francke in his book History of Western Tibet (1907), calls people of the area ‘people of rock-art’. Over the centuries various structures have been designed and developed to respect the nature in order to create harmony between the built structures and landscapes.

Traces of the cultural impact of Tibetan Buddhism and art from the 8th to 12th century are found throughout the region attaching thereto a number of values making them tangible and intangible cultural assets.

Published in Dawn January 22nd, 2017