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Archeologists discover missing Relic Casket, tooth of Buddha in Pakistan
By Tahir Ali
Archeologists claim finding a missing tooth of Buddha, the founder of
Buddhist religion in Dir Lower. A Relic Casket, a box for the ashes of
Buddha, is discovered from Shalkandai Jandol area which according to
experts having a tooth of Buddha Skakyamuni that was missing in
Gandhara.
The casket is placed in Dir Museum at Chakdara and
archeologists from all around the globe are agreed that this is the
missing relic casket in Gandhara which contains the tooth of Buddha.
Talking to Asiadespatch Zainul Wahab the curator of Dir Museum
said during excavation I found the casket in 2003, scholars from
around the world visited us and said that it is the casket that having
a tooth of Buddha inside. The box was taken to an international
exhibition at Germany and almost all the scholars gathered there said
the same story.
Mr. Wahab further said, All the historians and archeologists are
agreed upon that a relic casket having Buddha tooth was missing in
Gandhara; this casket is a very sacred thing for the followers of
Buddha and luckily we have found it. It is a valuable asset for
Pakistan.
Dir, from where the casket relic is discovered, is historically and
culturally very rich. The history of Dir goes back to 2nd millennium
BC, which is testified by the excavations of numerous burials of
Aryans, dating from 18th to 6th century BC. The Aryans were followed by the Achaemenians, who were ousted by the invasion of Alexander in 327 BC. After the Greeks, the area witnessed the Gandhara Civilization, which achieved great fame. Dir Museum, Chakdara, offers a fine and unique collection of Gandharan Art.
The museum has a total collection of 2161 objects, with more than 1444 Gandharan pieces. The collection of this section includes the themes of Buddhas pre-birth and life stories, miracles, worship of symbols, relic caskets and individual standing Buddha sculptures. The most represented pre-birth stories or Jatakas are Dipankara, Maitryakanyaka, Amara, Syama and Visvantara Jatakas.
According to Zainul Wahab the casket relic has added much to the
importance of the museum. We had already a number of valuable relics
in this museum but this souvenir is a source of great honor for us,
he added. Due to militancy in the area the foreign visitors are
avoiding going to Dir otherwise, in past, this historical site
attracted a number of visitors from all around the world.
By Tahir Ali
Archeologists claim finding a missing tooth of Buddha, the founder of
Buddhist religion in Dir Lower. A Relic Casket, a box for the ashes of
Buddha, is discovered from Shalkandai Jandol area which according to
experts having a tooth of Buddha Skakyamuni that was missing in
Gandhara.
The casket is placed in Dir Museum at Chakdara and
archeologists from all around the globe are agreed that this is the
missing relic casket in Gandhara which contains the tooth of Buddha.
Talking to Asiadespatch Zainul Wahab the curator of Dir Museum
said during excavation I found the casket in 2003, scholars from
around the world visited us and said that it is the casket that having
a tooth of Buddha inside. The box was taken to an international
exhibition at Germany and almost all the scholars gathered there said
the same story.
Mr. Wahab further said, All the historians and archeologists are
agreed upon that a relic casket having Buddha tooth was missing in
Gandhara; this casket is a very sacred thing for the followers of
Buddha and luckily we have found it. It is a valuable asset for
Pakistan.
Dir, from where the casket relic is discovered, is historically and
culturally very rich. The history of Dir goes back to 2nd millennium
BC, which is testified by the excavations of numerous burials of
Aryans, dating from 18th to 6th century BC. The Aryans were followed by the Achaemenians, who were ousted by the invasion of Alexander in 327 BC. After the Greeks, the area witnessed the Gandhara Civilization, which achieved great fame. Dir Museum, Chakdara, offers a fine and unique collection of Gandharan Art.
The museum has a total collection of 2161 objects, with more than 1444 Gandharan pieces. The collection of this section includes the themes of Buddhas pre-birth and life stories, miracles, worship of symbols, relic caskets and individual standing Buddha sculptures. The most represented pre-birth stories or Jatakas are Dipankara, Maitryakanyaka, Amara, Syama and Visvantara Jatakas.
According to Zainul Wahab the casket relic has added much to the
importance of the museum. We had already a number of valuable relics
in this museum but this souvenir is a source of great honor for us,
he added. Due to militancy in the area the foreign visitors are
avoiding going to Dir otherwise, in past, this historical site
attracted a number of visitors from all around the world.
