Located in the Punjab province of Pakistan, Mohra Muradu is home to an ancient Buddhist stupa and monastery nestled in a peaceful valley with magnificent views of the surrounding mountains. Offering a tranquil setting for meditation, the monastery is a mere 1.5 km from the 2nd century CE city of Sirsukh, which was renovated in the 5th century.
The ruins, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1980, are made up of three distinct parts – the main stupa, a votive stupa and a monastery from Taxila.
Who Excavated?
Under the guidance of Sir John Marshall, Abdul Qadir unearthed the ruins of Mohra Muradu in 1914-1915. The site consists of a Buddhist monastery and two stupas. The larger one is built on a foundation more than 4.75 meters tall, with a smaller one behind it.
27 Rooms for Students in Monastry
The monastery includes 27 rooms, both for teachers and students, arranged around a courtyard with a magnificent pool. This pool is large, square-shaped, and around half a metre deep. It’s used for ritual washings, and access to it is provided by stairs on all sides.
Food Area
The monastery had a kitchen and a well, which still work today, and the rain water is collected into the pool from the roof through wooden extensions. You can find statues of Buddha all over the courtyard and the student rooms. Plus, there’s an assembly hall tucked away in one corner.
Two Story Building
The monastery had two stories and the stairs leading up to the top story were located in one of the rooms. The courtyard also had wooden structures that acted as connections. The sturdy walls lead us to believe that it might have had a third story as well.
Monumental votive stupa
You can find this beautiful monument in one of the monastery’s rooms, likely in honor of a former teacher who once lived there. The umbrellas were originally decorated with vibrant colors and the monument stands tall at a height of 4 meters.