So far in my previous posts, we have visited many monuments of great historical, religious, and cultural value of the Gandhara Civilization. But Jandial Temple is very different from all those sites. It is also located in Taxila, but it is unique in the sense that, unlike other sites of Taxila, it is not a Buddhist stupa or monastery. It was a temple dedicated to fire worship by the followers of Zoroastrianism. Its Greek architecture also sets it apart from other buildings and monuments of Taxila. Only one of its kind has yet been discovered in Pakistan. Even in the whole of South Asia, there is no other example of a similar building, a Zoroastrian temple built in the Greek style of architecture.
The temple is located at 33°45'52.1"N, 72°49'43.7"E, about 650 meters north of Sirkap city and 2.5 kilometers from the Taxila Museum. Like other monuments of Taxila, it is also included in UNESCO's list of world heritage sites. It was probably built in the 2nd or 1st century BC. The famous Greek philosopher Apollonius of Tyana visited and stayed here in 44 AD. He described it in detail and highly praised its design and architectural beauty.
The board at the site informs that the temple was excavated by Ghulam Qadir in 1912–13, under the direction of Sir John Marshall. It measures 158 by 85 feet, thus occupying an area of about one-third of an acre. It was constructed on an artificial mound and has all the characteristics of a Greek temple, such as front columns, a porch, an entrance hall, a sanctuary, and a back chamber. Around the temple runs a passage of uniform size, with windows placed at regular intervals for air and light. The back chamber is entered through a back door. Limestone and kanjur (a porous sedimentary stone) were the main materials used in the construction. The walls were once covered with plaster, but it fell away long ago. The pillars and columns were made of sandstone.
I strongly suggest that if you ever plan to visit Taxila, to see its marvels, make sure that you do not miss it. It is very easy to reach and the beauty of the surroundings will make the visit more pleasant and memorable.
Tariq Amir
December 17, 2021.
Islamabad
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