Kargah Buddha

The Kargah Buddha stands three meters tall, carved directly into a cliff face near the junction of Kargah and Shukogah streams in northern Pakistan.

During excavations in 1931, researchers discovered a Buddhist monastery and three stupas containing Sanskrit manuscripts approximately 400 meters upstream from the rock carving.

The raised right hand of the Buddha sculpture displays the Abhaya gesture, symbolizing protection and the absence of fear in Buddhist religious traditions.

The carved figure sits approximately 10 kilometers south of Gilgit town, requiring visitors to travel through mountain roads to reach this archaeological location.

Local residents refer to the carving as Yʂhani, connecting it to tales of a witch who terrorized villagers before a saint transformed her into stone.

Location: Gilgit Tehsil

GPS coordinates: 35.91111,74.26278

Latest update: March 2, 2025 21:25