TRACES OF A BUDDHIST PAST: STUPA ENGRAVINGS IN THE ROCK ART OF KARACHI

Abstract

This paper discusses representations of Buddhist stupas in the rock art of Karachi, focusing on sites I documented during fieldwork in Gadap Taluka, Malir District. It presents and analyses stupa engravings from several sites, with particular attention to their forms, architectural features, stylistic variations, and current state of preservation. The study is based on direct field observation, field notes and photographic documentation. The engravings are also compared with Buddhist rock art reported from Khirthar, Gilgit-Baltistan, Swat and other parts of Pakistan to identify similarities and differences in their form and style. The documented stupas vary considerably in appearance and include multi-storey, tower-like, oval-shaped and triangular forms. Their architectural features include platforms, domes (andas), harmikas, finials and streamers. Comparative and stylistic analysis of these engravings, along with related examples from elsewhere in Pakistan, provides a basis for a tentative chronology. The study contributes to our understanding of Karachi's Buddhist past and the wider Sindh-Kohistan region, and it highlights the deteriorating condition of many of these engravings due to weathering and human damage.