Kunala Buddhist Stupa- Pakistan

Address

Kunala Buddhist Stupa- Taxila, Taxila Tehsil Punjab, Pakistan

Diety

Buddha

Introduction

Kunala Stupa is a Buddhist stupa and monastery complex to the south-east of Taxila, on a hill about 200 meters just south of Sirkap, Punjab, Pakistan, thought to date to the 2nd century CE. It is located on a hill overlooking the ancient Indo-Greek city of Sirkap. Buddhist pilgrims with eye impairment came to the stupa with the hope of being cured.

Puranic Significance

Its name comes from Kunala, a son of Ashoka. Kunala, the legitimate heir to the throne had been blinded by one of Ashoka’s queens, Tishyaksha, due to jealousy for his beautiful eyes. After years of wandering, Kunala reunited with his father Ashoka, and was treated by a doctor from Taxila Buddhist pilgrims with eye impairment came to the stupa with the hope of being cured. The Kunala stupa was visited by the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang,