Mankiala Stupa
مانکیالہ اسٹوپا
An ancient Kushan-era stupa on the southeastern outskirts of Rawalpindi. According to Buddhist legend, it marks the spot where the Buddha in a former life sacrificed himself to feed a tigress.
Mankiala Stupa is in Mankiala village in Rawalpindi District, about 35 km from Islamabad's city centre. It is said to date from the Kushan dynasty under Kanishka (around the 2nd century) and is one of the larger stupas in the Gandhara region. In Buddhist legend, the Buddha in a former life as Prince Mahasattva sacrificed himself here to feed a tigress. In 1830, the European general Ventura, serving the Sikh kingdom, excavated Kushan and Roman coins and other relics here. The surviving hemispherical stupa rises several dozen metres, surrounded by farmland, and visitors are few. Entry is free and there are no fixed opening hours, so daytime visits are best. Reaching it requires a car or hired vehicle along the Grand Trunk Road (GT Road), and it can be scheduled separately from Taxila and Rohtas Fort.
Opening hours
Open all day (daytime visits recommended)
Nearby sights
- Pakistan Army Museum
- Raja Bazaar
- Rawal Lake
- Shakarparian
- Pakistan Museum of Natural History
- Lake View Park
- Lok Virsa Heritage Museum
- Pakistan Monument