Although for the general tourists, Pahalgam is a treasure of natural heritage where in a pleasant climate, it offers them the wonderful expeditions to its thick glaciers, gushing Nallahs, pine trees, evergreen forests and vast meadows.
But for the tourists of intellectual taste Pahalgam valley offers something more in terms of its art, archaeology and architecture. And very few people are aware about the archaeological significance of this valley.
In fact archaeologists widely believe that the earliest evidences of human civilization of Kashmir actually have emerged from this beautiful valley. Geologists and archaeologists have come across the first ever stone tools of the first stage of Paleolithic ages.
Pahalgam as everybody knew is the most significant tourist resort of south Kashmir situated at the upper course of Nallah Lidder. It is also the main centre of the historic valley of Nallah Lidder known as Lidder valley which is spread on the either banks of this Nallah. Literary the term Pahalgam consists of two local words Pahal and Gaam, Pahal in local dialect means Shepherds and Gaam as village, so the term Pahalgam means village of shepherds.
In fact in this 21st century there are a considerable number of shepherds and other nomadic tribes with their respective herds putting up in the lower and upper reaches of its green forests and vast meadows.
It is the first place of Kashmir where from geologists and archeologists have found the earliest evidences of human civilizations. The historical records say that the first archeological survey of this valley was undertaken in 1928. It was a European traveler called, Dr.Gruniton a German national. He during his explorations of the valley came across a handmade boulder identified as stone axe used for chopping of wood.
This traveler was followed by other European experts, Peterra and T.T. Paterson and H.De.Terra in the year 1935; they also came cross evidences of the first stages of Paleolithic ages. The famous Indian geologist prof, H.D.Samkaliya also explored this valley in 1969. He was successful when he also first time discovered the Paleolithic evidence, consisting of a massive flake and a crude hand axe from a stratified layer at Pahalgam.
The Pahalgam valley proved more historic in the year 1979, when the local historians Fida Mahammad Khan Hassnain with his associate Mohammad Hassan Makhdoomi, first time found the remains of a terracotta settlement of Kushan era dated to first century AD. The discovery was made on the left bank of Nallah Lidder in a forest plateau ` called locally Hionar adjacent to village Liddru.
Prof.S.I. Shali in his monumental book, Kashmir history and Archeology through the ages writes about this site. “Though none of the remains have been excavated probably from the surface or from the exposure of the pavement around these stupas, some molded terracotta tiles have been recovered. The tiles carry motifs and forms of expression which are of for reaching implicating so far as the motifs on such tiles of Harwan are concerned. The human figures, animal and other motifs are crude, devoid of luster and skill which takes the site earlier than the known and famous site of Harwan”.
The motifs stamped on these tiles, besides charka (wheel of law), the symbol of Buddhist philosophy, the other motifs being unique in their character are the human beings in their usual Kushana dress and in their Jovial mood with hands raised up in token of their happiness over the hunt which includes the running deer after it has been struck by the former. The other representation is of winged lions in combat.
During a trial dig of the site the tiles and a pavement were recovered at the site. The site was identified as a Buddhist site, built here during the period of Kanshika the famous Kushan king.
The modern researches conducted suggest that this Buddhist site has been perhaps burnt down by Huns who followed Kushans. As these people in Indian history are recorded as aggressors who spread a regime of terror in their entire domain which they held. They damaged Buddhist Stupas and monasteries. The numismatic evidenced recovered from this area suggest, that like other parts of their kingdom, they did not spared this glorious valley. Archeologists very earlier besides the stone tool deposits and terracotta settlements have come across evidences of ancient coins of Tormana, the Hun king at Ashmuqam. The finding of Tormana copper coins from Pahalgam valley suggests their influences of this valley.
One another either Scythian or kushan era site was found at Daradkote on a forest plateau few miles below Liddru near the glorious hamlet of Hutmur. It was in year 1986 that state archeology department under the supervision of Prof Dr. Abdul Ahad the reputed historian of Kashmir, discovered an ancient terracotta settlement on this elevated plateau. The experts during a trial dig in a terrace exposed a pavement. The pavement was found laid out in concentric circle formed of baked tiles. The centre of the pavement was occupied by a full blown lotus carved from one of the baked tile. These tiles which carried various human, mystical and floral motifs were laid here in a proper and geometrical sequence. The pavement after discovery was again covered with the soil to protect it from the common human vandalism.
The entire site as one can see is spread over different leveled terraces. I could also see these terraces demarcated by a low some small wall which at few spaces has been disturbed. The small pebbles are visible. It looks that this demarcation line had been formed of small pebbles. The site has been attributed to some ancient Buddhist shrine by various scholars; however I could not understand the purpose of its builder. Among the excavated tiles, one of the tile which is concave shaped depicts the bunches of grapes and lotus petals with kharoshti numerals, another tile is divided in three panels, depicting in one man with torch, another man with tail in dancing pose and animal headed body. One another tile carries the geometrical designs with kharoshti numerals. .
Apart from ancient stone tools, ancient coins, terracotta tiles, the Kushan era evidences have also been found from Mamal and Donipathar sites of Pahalgam valley. The evidences of ancient stone sculptures have also come from this area.
Surprisingly , the excavated pavements have been refilled with soil layers and no remains of the wonderful terracotta settlements are visible anywhere in this valley. The tourists visiting these sites have to return without having any glimpses of those magnificent terracotta settlements. In fact the wonderful artifacts acquired from the archaeological sites of this valley, have been lifted from this glorious valley and most of those are these days showcased at SPS Museum in Srinager.
Apart from this terracotta art and culture, Lidder valley also showcases wonderful architectural and mystic cultural heritage, the grand ruins of Martand Temple at Kheerbal, the mysterious Cave temple at Bumzu , Malmaleshwar temple at Mamal, the Reshi shines of Baba Bamu Ud din and Baba zain Ud Din at Bamzo and Ashmuqam respectively are few most significant archaeological and mystic sites found in this valley.
Heritage lovers say that the artifacts which included ancient stone tools, terracotta tiles and ancient coins shall be preserved and showcased at Pahalgam by setting of a site museum at its any of the archaeological site so that tourists of the intellectual nature could understand the art and archaeological value of this glorious valley. And terracotta pavements discovered in the valley should also be left open for these tourists.
(The writer is a senior archaeologist and author. He can be reached on: [email protected])
