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Taxila / Jaulian
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Unless otherwise indicated,
pictures on this page © Marco Prins and Jona Lendering. Photos can
be downloaded and used for non-commercial purposes, but you have to acknowledge
Livius. |
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Taxila
was the ancient capital of the western Punjab, the country between the
rivers Indus
and Hydaspes.
The site consists of several parts, which belong to three periods:
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Far away from the noise of the city of Taxila-Sirsukh,
the monastery and university of Jaulian was situated on a mountain top
that rises some 100 meters above the surrounding country - on a cool and
dustless site. This picture shows part of the central court. In front of
the cells must have been a verandah. |
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The entrance, leading to the central court. Like other monasteries
in
Gandara
and the Punjab, the cells surrounded a rectangular central court with a
bathroom (jantâghara), an assembly hall (upasthâna-sâlâ),
a store-room (koshthaka), a kitchen (agni-sâlâ),
a refectory (upâhâra-sâlâ), and a latrine
(varchah-kutî). There was no well at Jaulian, but there were
sources at the foot of the hill.
Jaulian does not really differ from the settlement at Mohra
Moradu, which is just over a kilometer away.
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The settlement had been restored briefly before it was abandoned, after
the invasion of the White Huns at the end of the fifth century. Therefore,
the decorations are better preserved than those at Mohra Moradu, but unfortunately,
they are of a poorer quality. This picture shows the outer wall of the
building - well preserved. |
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The main stupa is badly damaged, but is surrounded by twenty-one beautifully
decorated votive stupas, which look as if they are just carelessly stored
away in a museum depot. Of course, this is not the case. |
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Other votive stupas... |
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... even more of them ... |
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and a very beautifully decorated votive stupa... |
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... of which this picture shows just one detail. |
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Another detail. Notice the Corinthian column. |
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A teaching Buddha. "Their feet are naked for walking and they cut their
garments to resemble the exomis," writes the Greek author Philostratus
in his vie romancée of the Greek philosopher Apollonius
of Tyana, who is reported to have visited Taxila (Life
of Apollonius, §3.15).
An exomis is a Greek mantle that leaves a shoulder and an arm uncovered. |
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A meditating Buddha. |
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An atlant in a rather contorted posture. |
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Finally, a splendid dreamy Buddha. |
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