More than 50,000
rock carvings, inscriptions and engravings of Buddha can be found in Gilgit-Baltistan, which shows the presence of
Buddhists in these areas during the late
Stone Age. Unfortunately many of the rock engravings have already been damaged or defaced because
of vandalism and ignorance.
The rock
engraving on the postcard is called “Kargah Buddha”. It’s located near Kargah Nallah (10 km from Gilgit
Town)
The engraving was carved in the 7th century A.D. A buddhist monastery, three stupas and Gilgit manuscripts (some of the oldest manuscripts in the world) were also found in the vicinity in the 1930th.
The engraving was carved in the 7th century A.D. A buddhist monastery, three stupas and Gilgit manuscripts (some of the oldest manuscripts in the world) were also found in the vicinity in the 1930th.
Some people
say that the image of Buddha was carved on the rock in order to pay the faithfulness to Lord Buddha.
Apart from that there’s a local legend behind this carving. Once upon a time the villagers asked a passing saint to help them get rid of an ogress called Yakhshini who lived at Kargah. The saint succeeded in pinning her to the rock and declared she won,t bother them for as long as he was alive, however, if they buried him at the foot of the rock, she would never be free. So the villagers killed the saint and buried him below the rock.
Apart from that there’s a local legend behind this carving. Once upon a time the villagers asked a passing saint to help them get rid of an ogress called Yakhshini who lived at Kargah. The saint succeeded in pinning her to the rock and declared she won,t bother them for as long as he was alive, however, if they buried him at the foot of the rock, she would never be free. So the villagers killed the saint and buried him below the rock.
My own pictures of Kargah Buddha
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