Kalawan Site

A Buddhist period archaeological site, locally known as Kalawan or the Caves because of presence of three small caves in the hill side used by the farmers for preserving their hay and grains. The age of the buildings at Kalawan by the type of their masonry combined with other evidence, is indicated to be the early Kushan period. The Stupas and monastic quarters arrayed with varying sizes and dimension look with prominence among the other celebrated Buddhist monuments around Taxila. Kalawan has a vihara monastery, which is the largest in northern India. An inscription, recording the enshrinement of relics as a gift to the Sarvastivadin School, was found in a chaitya hall mentioning the date of "the 134th year of Azes," which corresponds to 77 CE.The Kalawan monastery, together with the Dharmarajika display an original kind of architectural arrangement in which an image shrine is built opposite the entrance.