THE MONUMENTS OF SWAT: 8.THE SEATED BUDDHA

The huge image of a seated Buddha carved into a high rock face of reddish colour that rises on the hillside to the southwest of Janabad (Shakhorai) village. It is situated at a distance of 5km to the N-E of Manglawar. This huge image of the Buddha can also be visible from the road, on the right side when one is on the way to Malamjaba.

Description:

Due to its high position above the narrow terrace, it is well preserved except the nose seems to have been damaged by the vandals. The Buddha figure is about 7 meters in height and is certainly the most impressive piece of sculpture to be seen in Gandahara region.

This excellent figure of the Buddha is seated on a high throne in the attitude of mediation. The snail shell curls of this Buddha are very carefully rendered. His eyes are more than half closed, there is a prominent Ushnisha and long ear lobes. The folds of the robe are stringy, with a planned alteration of high and low ridges. Though the figure exhibits the Gandahara style in the drapery with pleats and the hair, the rather solemn, powerful form of the torso and representation of the folds of the robe are in agreement with the usual form adopted in the area for the other figures of the Buddha.

Some scholars point to the strong influence of the western style but such similarities are not so close. Hence the image of the Buddha carved on the rock at Jehanabad may probably be dated to the 7-8th century A.D, when a large number of other rock-carvings of similar workmanship in Swat are dated to the later centuries of the 1st millennium A.D.

It may be stated that a vast number of Buddhist images in ancient Udyana were destroyed by the people in ignorance and there remains a small number of such rock carvings to be now seen. The few figures that have survived in the valley over the centuries should be preserved from the cruel hands of vandals and must be shifted to the museum for security and preservation. It is fear that such beautiful carved images shall perish into oblivion, and posterity will be deprived the cultural heritage of the past times.( www.valleyswat.net)