Harwan

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (Retd.)

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Harwan Garden, Harwan , Srinagar

Harwan is an ancient historical village located 3 km away from the Shalimar garden in the city of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir.

Variants

• Harwan garden
• Harwan Monastery
• Harwan Srinagar
• Harwan Garden
• Harvan Bal (Lord Shiva’s hill)
• Harvan (Lord Shiva)

Location

Harwan is 21 kilometers away from Srinagar, northeast of Srinagar.

Origin

• Harwan is name of Shiva

Jat clans

• Harwadiya (हरवाड़िया)

History

Harwan is a historic place where people can find various monuments. The broken toes and fingers of terra-cotta figures are found in this historic place. It has a number of temples, gardens and lakes.

It is not known exactly when the Harwan monastery was built; though excavations reveal archaeological remains dating from 1st to 6th century CE.

A major Buddhist shrine at Harwan was built during the period of Hephthalite rule.

Harwan Monastery

Harwan Monastery: On the outskirts of Srinagar in Harwan, lie the ruins of an old Buddhist Monastery. It is hard to imagine the importance of the site from its ruins. But this ancient monastery played a pivotal role in the history of Buddhism. It is here, that the 4th Buddhist council of the Mahayana (Sarvastivada) school of Buddhism was held sometime in the 1st or 2nd century CE, on the orders of the Kushana emperor Kanishka I. It was also the home to one of the greatest Buddhist masters of his time, Nagarjuna (150-250 CE) , who propounded the theory of ‘Sunyata’ or ‘Emptiness’ which went on to revolutionize Buddhist thought. Sadly, the significance of the site seems to have been lost somehow in the modern times. As has the significance of Kashmir, in the history of Buddhism.

Buddhism flourished in Kashmir during the 1st century CE when Kashmir was a part of the Kushana Empire. Its greatest Emperor, Kanishka I was a great proponent of Buddhism and ruled over a vast Empire which stretched from Western Afghanistan to Pataliputra in the south and from Central Asia and Tarim Basin in China, to Central India. Kashmir was a part of the Empire as well and lay at the eastern end of the Gandhara Region which served as a nursery for the growth and spread of Buddhism further afield.

Buddhism continued to be the main religion in Kashmir from the time of Kanishka well into the 8th century CE when it was gradually replaced by a revitalized form of Hinduism. For a few centuries, both co-existed in a syncretic existence until Buddhism all but disappeared, with the arrival of Islam to Kashmir.

It is not known exactly when the Harwan monastery was built; though excavations reveal archaeological remains dating from 1st to 6th century CE. During this period, numerous Buddhist monasteries dotted Kashmir, with the ones at Harwan and Ushkur (Baramulla district) being the most prominent. Even the present Pari Mahal, near Srinagar, was once the site of one such Monastery.

Sadly today, few tourists visit the ruins of the Harwan monastery. To get there, you have to take the road to Harwan village, located around 7 miles northeast of Srinagar. A small board , just off the main road marks the site. The Upper Tier of the monastery lies on the edge of the Dachigam National Park.

There were many exquisite terracotta tiles which were found here as well, but they have since been shifted to the Shri Pratap Singh Museum in Jammu . Some of the exquisite tiles excavated from the site date back to the 4th Century CE. The upper tier also had a temple type round structure and a courtyard which was once covered with the same terracotta tiles found here. Behind this upper tier, lies what seems to be remains of more structures that are still to be excavated. It appears that the whole complex was once spread over the whole hillside. The Harwan Monastery site holds great significance in the saga of the spread of Buddhism as it traveled into all directions from the place of its founding and Kashmir itself played a major role in it. A role which nowadays seems to have been forgotten.

Source - Prashant Mathawan for Live History India

Fourth Buddhist Council at Harwan in Kashmir

The Fourth Buddhist Council of the Sarvastivada tradition is said to have been convened by the Kushan emperor Kanishka (r. CE 78 to CE 105), perhaps at Harwan, near Srinagar, Kashmir. The Fourth Council of Kashmir is not recognized as authoritative for the Theravadins; reports of this council can be found in scriptures which were kept in the Mahayana tradition. The Mahayana tradition based some of its scriptures on (refutations of) the Sarvastivadin Abhidharma texts.

It is said that for the Fourth Council of Kashmir, Kanishka gathered 500 monks headed by Vasumitra, partly, it seems, to compile extensive commentaries on the Sarvastivadin Abhidharma, although it is possible that some editorial work was carried out upon the existing canon itself. The main fruit of this Council was the vast commentary known as the Mahāvibhāṣā ("Great Exegesis"), an extensive compendium and reference work on a portion of the Sarvastivadin Abhidharma.

Tourism

Tourists can visit Harwan by taking a taxi. The Harwan garden is a large and an impressive tourist spot in Srinagar. This garden has green grass lawns and attracts the tourists to this place. It is surrounded by chinar trees and lakes.

Harwan Garden

Harwan Garden, situated in Harwan Village (19 km) from Srinagar is an impressive, large and admired tourist spot. A canal, beautifully bordered with Chinar trees and blossoming flower beds, starting from a lake just behind the garden, flows through the middle of the garden.

The major draw of the Harwan garden is its natural loveliness and charm. With greenery in the backdrop of snowy environment, this garden has big green grass lawns and attracts visitors virtually towards this place.

Reachable by taxis within half an hour, the garden is perfect place for picnics and excursions, also an ideal place for natures walk. It is the gateway to Dachigam National Park‎.

Unlike the Mughal Gardens of Kashmir which are famous for their exquisitely designed terraces and beautiful fountains, the Harwan Garden relies on its pure natural beauty and mesmerizing charm to attract and delight tourists. It boasts a neat and clean concrete pathway with arched gates that are adorned with roses. A magnificently built canal, fed from a lake just behind the garden, passes through the center of the garden. This further enhances the Garden's enticing appeal and angelic charm. An ideal spot for picnics and excursions, the Harwan Garden is also considered as the gateway to the Dachi Gam Wildlife sanctuary. This place is also the base point for trekkers going to the Mahadev Mountain peak.

Other Harwan villages

• Harwan is Village in Sopore Tahsil in District Baramulla of Jammu and Kashmir.

References

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