Team News Riveting
Islamabad, November 21
A Hindu temple of Sri Vishnu believed to be 1,300 years old has been discovered on a mountain by the archaeologists in northwest Pakistan.
The temple remains are found in Swat district at Barikot Ghundai. Archaeological experts from Pakistan and Italy had carried out the excavation.
On Thursday (19 November), Fazle Khaliq of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Department of Archaeology said that the temple discovered is of Lord Vishnu and was built during the rule of the Hindu Shahi dynasty. During the excavation, the archaeologists also found traces of cantonment and watchtowers, and a water tank near the temple site. It is being claimed that devotees used to bathe there before worshipping in the temple.
The Hindu Shahi or the Kabul Shahi dynasty ruled the Kabul Valley (eastern Afghanistan), Gandhara (modern-day Pakistan-Afghanistan), and present-day northwestern India till the 11th century CE. The next few centuries saw Muslim invasions and destruction of the temples etc.
Khaliq said that Swat district is home to ancient archaeological sites and the traces of the Hindu Shahi period have been found for the first time in Swat. Dr Luka, the head of the Italian archaeological mission, said this was the first temple of the Ghandhara civilisation that was discovered in the district.
President of Italy’s Archaeological Mission, Dr Luca said that this is the first temple of Gandhar civilization found in Swat district. There are many places of Buddhism in Swat district too. There are about 20 such places in Swat district where a large number of tourists visit every year.
