A beautiful reminder of Kashmir’s Buddhist past was discovered in the early 20th Century, almost by accident, as local workers dug pipelines to access water.

The Harwan archaeological site, lying on the slope of a mountain 5km from Shalimar, includes the remains of a Buddhist monastery and stupa, which corresponds to the stupa courts of Gandhara.

The whole structure is located within an open quadrangle, and you will see the remains of pebble walls. Buddhist monks who had returned from Central Asia held the 3rd or 4th International Council here in the year 200/300AD when Kashmir was included in the Kushan Buddhist Empire under the reign of the great King Kanishka.

The great Buddhist Council was presided over by two eminent scholars of the day, day-Asvaghosha and Vasumitra, and was attended by 500 monks from all over India. It was said that during this time, the teacher Nagarjuna – Bodhisattva, great philosopher of Buddhism, and also an original descendant from Kashmir’s first tribe, the Nagas-serpent worshippers, lived at Harwan.

The best way to enjoy Harwan is to take a sumo or bus from Gate 1 of the Dal (it will take about half an hour), bring a picnic, and enjoy and explore this lovely, quiet, and meditative place. Domestic tourists or locals rarely visit here, it is probably the only place in Srinagar where you will be left alone for a while. But, ladies, please don’t go alone.

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