Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 17: The members of Central Govt Pensioners’ Welfare Association (CGPWA) today urged Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to visit the ancient Buddhist site at Ambaran at Akhnoor and order its development as a cultural and tourist place.
A group of 22 CGPWA members today visited this important anthropological site, located on the right bank of river Chenab, nearly 30 km from Jammu, and was impressed by its panoramic view.
Speaking on the occasion, the General Secretary, CGPWA, K B Jandial said that studies after excavation have revealed the site’s linkage with four cultural periods of Kushan, Gupta and Post-Gupta periods which ranged from first century to sixth century. From the photographs available there, it revealed that grey wares potteries and terracotta heads were also found. Terracotta heads represented Buddhist worshippers and princely figures which are influenced by the Gandhara art of Taxila and Gupta age. Other important antiquities found in excavation included iron and copper objects, various shapes of red ware potteries, copper coins of Kushan rulers. A gold gasket containing some relics were found within a silver casket which was kept in a copper reliquary along with gold and silver foils, pearl beads and copper coins in the central part of the Stupa. All these antiquities and artifacts have been taken to Delhi and kept in an ASI’s museum and a few artefacts’ of lesser importance are kept at the site for want of security. To meet this deficiency, their pictures have been kept here.
“With such a significant site available in Jammu, people of UT are not aware of it. It has a great tourist and cultural potential. This site is devoid of any facility for tourists and even the small length of approach road to the ancient Buddhist site is full of potholes, not befitting for such an important site,” he said.
“The Buddhist Spiritual leader Dalai Lama had visited the site on November16, 2011 which reaffirmed Ambaran’s rich historical and cultural importance. There is no qualified guide to explain the importance of the site. There is need that this place be developed as a cultural and tourist place,” he asserted.
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