Type: Archaeological Site - Buddhist
Province: Gilgit-Baltistan
District: Shigar
Period: Historic
Relative Chronology: 1st - 5th Century CE
Description: The ruins of Buddhist monastery and stupas are clearly visible. These ruins consist of four ruined stupas; two of them are on the west of the chain of hilltop. The monastery with small cells, ablution tank and a big hall and boundary walls of a Buddhist festival ground on the east at the foot of the hillock and the rock art site and mountain ridge on the east are visible. The existence of the ruins of the monastery, stupas and petroglyphs and inscriptions, suggest the importance of this place as a great Buddhist center. This probably the only Buddhist Centre in the whole of Baltistan where we have clear evidences / ruins of Buddhist establishment. It may also be recoded that the Buddhist were always careful in selection of sites for establishment of stupas and monasteries. The monastery had already existed in the 6th century CE. The present site too is away from the nearest settlement, of a secluded valley with fresh water springs nearby, a sizeable cultivable land and of course a very peaceful and quite atmosphere to much needed for meditation. All these conditions were available and even today the site of the monastery is the most peaceful and secluded in the entire Shiger valley. The monastery with monastic cells measured 39.6 m east west and 18.2 m. north south direction. The hall measured 15.2 x 9.7 m. The suspected ablution tank measuring 15.5 m east west and 14.6 m. north south. Above the monastery towards west on the hilltop remains of two stupas overlooking the Shiger valley and the Monastery. East of the Stupas are traces of steps laid with well-dressed stones, climbing up to a rock shelter. All around the monastery most of the smooth surfaced boulders/ rocks preserve hundreds of carvings and inscriptions in Kharoshti and Brahmi scripts. Inside the rock shelter well-dressed stone walls are found. The history of the Buddhist presence in this region is as old as the history of present form of Buddhism (Mahayana) in Ladakh. It extends as far as the great Buddhist saint Padmasambhava, whom the predictions of Mahayana Buddhist worship as the second Buddha. Just like the Monastery of Shiger, many other monuments that represent unexplored cultural and historical documents have emerged as a result of archaeological object surfacing from illegal excavations. It is permanent to mention that these monuments that still go unexplored are deeply endangered. Attention has to be paid to the protection of the unique archaeological heritage.
Latitude: 35.496450950
Longitude: 75.677134766
Ownership: Private
Legal Status: Not Protected
Title of Publication: Tourism, Sports, Culture, Archaeology & Museum Department Gilgit-Baltistan
Published In: Miscellaneous
Year of Publication: Miscellaneous
Bibliography/Reference: Anonymous
