Mohra Moradu Site (Taxila)

The Mohra Moradu site is located in a small valley between Sirkap and Jaulian. This archaeological site comprises of stupa and monastery. The stupa is in well preserved and many of the stucco reliefs. The monastery connected with these stupas is not less interesting than the stupas. Many coins of the Kushan Kings, Huvishka and Vasudeva were discovered on the floor of the monastery. Among the other minor antiquities found here was one remarkably fine Gandhara statue of the Bodhisattva Maitreya in almost perfect condition, several terracotta images of the Buddha and a massive steatite seal of the Gupta period have been reported. It was heavily damaged by treasure-hunters who split apart the main stupa hoping to find gold inside. The lower portions of the stupa were protected, however, as earth covered most of the site before excavation began under the auspices of John Marshall earlier in the 20th century. A Buddhist shrine, the monastery was once a place of meditation in the rural areas outside of busy Sirkap. The stupa is famous for the many bas-reliefs of Buddha that adorn its base. The monastic cells around the stupa are badly damaged, but yielded such treasures as the stone stupas shown in images 5 and 7.