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Kargah Buddha: Relics of Buddhism or Yatchini?
A gateway for traders from India, China, and Central Asia during the ancient Silk Routes, Edward Frederick Knight rightly titled his fascinating travelogue “Where Three Empires Meet” referring to the geostrategic importance of this place. A place with more than 50 peaks higher than 7,000 metres, the world’s three longest glaciers, the Baura, Baltoro, and Biafo, as well as a meeting point for the three mightiest mountain ranges in the world—the Karakoram, the Himalaya, and the Hindu Kush. A place with a vast range of habitats and abundant flora and fauna that is home to many different types of animals, including the Ibex, the Markhor, the Snow Leopard, and many other animals. A region that has produced brave people who have made world records with their resilience and heroism like Nazir Sabir, Ali Sadpara, Samina Baig, and Ahsraf Aman. As John Biddulph mentioned in his book ‘Tribes of the Hindoo Koosh’ in the times of immemorial this place was called Sargin, with time another name Gilit became popular among the ancient dwellers of this region. It is pertinent to mention that the Sikh and Dogra vanquishers coined a new name Gilgit by altering the existing name Gilit. Interestingly, the name Sargin-Gilit or Gilit is still popular among the dwellers. He further accentuated the existence of primitive structures in the region of Gilgit-Baltistan.
However, this place is known for its vibrant lakes, snow-clad mountains, green-carpeted valleys, and cascading waterfalls, even the inhabitants have a modicum of knowledge about the rich historical and archaeological splendour. Owing to the significance of history Robert Heinlein stated that “A generation which ignores history has no past and no future”. Given that let’s explore one of the most fascinating historical sites of GB named Kargah Buddha, a statue of Buddha carved on a mountain which is approximately 150 feet from the ground and 9 Kilometres (Km) away from the main city of Gilgit. It is posited that the statue of Buddha has been carved during the 4th century AD. Nonetheless, archaeologists discovered and excavated karagah Buddha during 1938-39. The sculpture of Buddha vividly depicts the message of peace, Buddha’s hand on his chest symbolises harmony, goodwill, and tranquillity. Archaeologists discovered three stupas and a Buddhist monastery which entails Sanskrit manuscripts and chronicles. As per the findings of John Biddulph, Buddhism spread in this region more or less 300 years after the nirvana of Buddha or around about 150BC. Buddhism originated from Hinduism and spread across the world. Historical records have revealed that in the year 563 BC a son was born to suddhodana who was given the name Siddhartha. Over the years Siddhartha turned the page of history and became Gautama the Buddha. A young, ambitious ruler of the Mauryan Empire Ashoka adopted Buddhism as his religion and proclaimed Buddhism as the official religion of the Subcontinent. Several Stupas and monasteries were erected during the reign of Ashoka, meanwhile, carvings on the colossal rocks also became popular. It was the period of influence of Ashoka when the route between Kashmir and Gilgit opened.
Eventually, the region of Gilgit became the religious hub of Buddhism. It was the Silk Route which played a crucial role in spreading Buddhism from India to China, at that time China was ruled by emperor Ming-Ti, and under the command of the emperor, several envoys were sent for garnering information regarding the origin of Buddhism. In the same vein, several pilgrims and Buddhist monks made their way toward India via the Silk Route for gleaning information from historical annals, chronicles, holy sites, and scriptures of ancient Buddhism. Some studies have demonstrated that pilgrims who were in the search of early sources of Buddhism journeyed through Karakoram and Pamir passes to reach Gandhara. This place is the second holiest place for the followers of Buddhism. Adding on, an erudite archaeologist Sir Aurel Stein highlighted the significance of conducting in-depth research on the ancient roots of the region, he voyaged through unspoiled lush green valleys of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan whilst his odyssey to Central Asia and China. In the reports of his four voyages, he pinpointed famous ancient sites. He jotted down infinitesimal details about his travel and expedition in the areas of Gilgit, his list encompasses ancient sites such as Kargah Buddha which locates in Gilgit, Stupas in Naupur, Taj Moghul knoll in Jutial, ruined hummocks in Gilgit, and around 20-feet high Stupa in Nagar. It is worth mentioning that he discovered ancient trinkets, engravings, and inscriptions while voyaging through the enthralling parishes of Yasin valley. In the year 1931, he discovered ancient manuscripts in Naupur near the main city of Gilgit. These ancient sites attract a number of Buddhists from diverse parts of the world like Korea and Japan. Particularly, Kargah Buddha has got much credence and attention from the admirers of Buddhism. On the flip side, there is a legend of Yatchini which is emblazoned on the board at the entrance of the Kargah Budhha site, in the olden days, there lived a fiend woman named the Yatchini, she was accustomed to devouring men who vamoosed to fetch wood, if two men set off for fetching wood she spares one man’s life while the other man becomes her meal. Bit by bit, she devoured nearly all the dwellers of the countryside. To save the lives of other men the inhabitants from surrounding areas put forth apt solutions to kill the ogress. They all agreed to seek help from Daiyal Khimito to bind Yatchini. On the request of the dwellers Daiyal Khimito bound the ogress, he told them to entomb him at the foothills of the rock where the ogress was bound.
A few decades ago, it was a common practice among women to articulate this folklore to their kids as a lullaby when the kids refuse to sleep. I was taken aback by harkening to this horrible folktale from the natives. To give another specimen of the Yatchini folklore, DLR Lorimer, a former political agent of the British who was stationed in Gilgit between 1920 AD and 1924, gleaned the oral traditions and penned the Yatchini narrative in his renowned book “Gilgit, Chitral, and Yasin.” Though it is quite intricate to agree upon this mythology, viewpoints vary from person-to-person. Folklore is an integral part of portraying historical events that are not recorded in historical annals and traditional stories should be passed down from generation to generation to comprehend history from varied perspectives. Moving forward, as per the stats of the Tourism Department of Gilgit-Baltistan released during 2018-19, marginally over half a million tourists visited Gilgit to travel around Kargah Buddha. The tourism industry significantly contributes to the economy of Gilgit-Baltistan, according to a ballpark estimate nearly around 50% of tourists visit Pakistan to see sighting Gilgit-Baltistan.
Given that, the significance of ancient sites and picturesque places cannot be undermined. Especially, historical sites such as Kargah Buddha needs special attention from the local government particularly, the archaeological department of Gilgit-Baltistan should have to take corrective measures for the restoration and preservation of the aforementioned valuable historical site. The statue of Buddha needs to remain unspoiled and unblemished so that future generations can see the relics of Buddha. To take some palpable actions for the preservation of this archaeological site is the need of the hour; it should be made accessible for residents and tourists. One of the major pitfalls is the security and protection of holy sites of minorities, stringent laws should be enacted to mitigate the security risk for minorities and their sacred places. The site should be repaired and made accessible for both local and foreign tourists by the local administration and community members working together. If not the site seems to disappear into oblivion.
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PM Shehbaz Sharif Visits Gilgit-Baltistan, Honors Martyrs, and Launches Development Projects
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif embarked on a one-day official visit to Gilgit-Baltistan, where he was warmly welcomed upon arrival by children dressed in traditional attire, presenting him with bouquets of flowers.
During the welcoming ceremony, Chief Minister Gulbar Khan presented the Prime Minister with a traditional Chugha and cap.
A key highlight of the visit was the Prime Minister’s stop at the Martyrs’ Memorial, where he paid homage to the sacrifices of Gilgit-Baltistan’s heroes who liberated the region from Dogra rule in 1947. He laid a wreath at the memorial and stated, “The sacrifices of the brave soldiers of the Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts in the 1947 Liberation War against Dogra rule, along with their continued efforts to maintain peace and protect lives and property in the region, will never be forgotten. The Federal Government remains committed to the development, prosperity, and well-being of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.”
Separate meetings were held with Governor Syed Mehdi Shah and Chief Minister Gulbar Khan. They expressed their gratitude to the Prime Minister for initiating and inaugurating various development projects in the region and assured him that these projects would be expedited to benefit the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also inaugurated a model village to provide housing for the people of Bubar Village in Gilgit’s Ghizer district, who had lost their homes due to the 2022 floods. The model village, covering 110 kanals, includes homes with two bedrooms each, as well as water supply, solar power, and road connectivity. The Prime Minister, after distributing allotment certificates, directed authorities to immediately build a school, dispensary, and playground for the village. He specified that the dispensary should be equipped with first aid, ultrasound, X-ray, and maternity care facilities.
He further called for third-party validation of the project to address potential shortcomings and suggested adding chimneys to the houses to prevent incidents during winter.
In addition to the model village, the Prime Minister inaugurated several major infrastructure initiatives, including the Naltar Expressway, the Greater Water Supply Project in Hunza, and a 54 MW hydropower plant at Attabad Lake, as well as the Harpo hydropower project.
Speaking to the media in Gilgit, former Chief Minister Hafeez-ur-Rehman mentioned that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has committed to a 100 MW solar power project for Gilgit-Baltistan. The Prime Minister also pledged an endowment fund of Rs. 1 billion for talented students at Karakoram International University (KIU) and Baltistan University, aiming to support needy students. Additionally, he assured judicial reforms and other initiatives to accelerate development in the region, along with a third-party audit for the Ghizer-Shandur Expressway project.
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister, Eiman Shah, provided further details, mentioning that a committee would be formed to deliberate on the constitutional rights for Gilgit-Baltistan. He emphasized that the Prime Minister’s visit marks a renewed focus on the region’s development, with an aim to improve quality of life and strengthen the region’s integration with the rest of Pakistan.
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To commemorate the 77th Independence Day of Gilgit-Baltistan, the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS) Islamabad, in collaboration with Karakoram International University (KIU), Gilgit, organized a seminar on “77th Independence Day of Gilgit-Baltistan: A Tribute to Freedom Fighters of the 1947 War” at Musharraf Hall, KIU. The event brought together academics, researchers, and policymakers to discuss the region’s historical significance, strategic importance, and the sacrifices made by its freedom fighters.
Paying tribute to the valiant freedom fighters, Ambassador Ali Sarwar Naqvi, Executive Director CISS, Islamabad, stated in his opening remarks that this day carries deep significance for the relationship between the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan. He highlighted Gilgit-Baltistan’s unwavering connection with Pakistan and its historical, legal, and cultural bonds. He paid tributes to the courage, determination, and sacrifices of those who secured Gilgit-Baltistan’s independence on 1 November 1947 and paved the way for its integration within Pakistan. He also mentioned the establishment of a CISS Center at KIU for focused research on strategic matters.
Adding to the discourse, Prof. Dr. Atta Ullah Shah, Vice Chancellor of KIU, in his opening remarks paid a fulsome tribute to the freedom fighters of Gilgit-Baltistan, honoring their bravery and sacrifice that paved the way for the region’s independence. He added that freedom is truly a divine gift. In Pakistan, we enjoy complete liberty to practice our religious beliefs, a contrast to the restrictions seen in India. He praised CISS Islamabad for its groundbreaking indigenous research on strategic matters. He also stated that there is an urgent need to counter anti-Pakistan narratives through rigorous and fact-laden research. In this regard, CISS Islamabad is playing a vital role in bridging the gap between academia and think tanks. Prof. Dr. Atta Ullah Khan further highlighted a crucial role of the newly established CISS-KIU Research Center in promoting indigenous narratives on national issues.
Offering a historical perspective, Dr Iftikhar Ali, HOD IR department KIU, stated that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan share a common history with Pakistan and dream of a bright future based on unity, resilience, and a shared destiny. The connection between Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan is not merely geographical; it is a deep bond rooted in shared values, traditions, and aspirations for a prosperous future. G-B is not just a region; it’s a symbol of courage, strength, and patriotism. Positioned at the crossroads of Asia, G-B’s strategic significance and natural beauty make it an integral part of Pakistan’s identity and defense. We must keep our hero’s legacy alive through research and academics, countering colonial narratives that marginalized them.
Highlighting the strategic importance of the region, Mr. Yasir Hussain, Associate Director CISS, explained the role of Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan’s Security Calculus and stated that Gilgit-Baltistan, covering 8.22% of Pakistan’s territory, is more than breathtaking landscapes—it’s a region of immense strategic importance, serving as a gateway for CPEC and a crucial link in South Asia’s security landscape. Gilgit-Baltistan has increasingly become a focal point for Indian propaganda against Pakistan, which seeks to destabilize the region by spreading misinformation. These tactics not only aim to create internal divisions but also to distort the region’s rich history, identity, and unity with Pakistan. In this critical context, the youth needed to counter Indian-backed propaganda. Despite the Indian-led disinformation campaigns, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan stand firm in their commitment to Pakistan. EU DisinfoLab’s “Indian Chronicles” exposed India’s propaganda, but our resilience remains unshaken.
Moderating the panel discussion, Dr. Muhammadi, Associate Director of CISS, stated that it is the responsibility of the youth of Gilgit-Baltistan to carry an immense sacrifice rendered by our war heroes. He further highlighted the geo-political and geo-strategic importance of Gilgit-Baltistan.
The seminar was attended by a large number of students and faculty members of KIU. It was also attended online by the CISS research team in Islamabad.
The seminar concluded with a renewed commitment to preserving the legacy of Gilgit-Baltistan’s freedom fighters and highlighting the region’s strategic importance. Participants emphasized the need for continued research and advocacy to counter disinformation campaigns and ensure that the sacrifices of these heroes are never forgotten. By fostering a deeper understanding of Gilgit-Baltistan’s history and aspirations, the seminar aimed to strengthen the bond between the region and the rest of Pakistan.
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