Manikyala Stupa

The Manikyala Stupa is a Gandhara-era Buddhist stupa near the village of Tope Mankiala in Pakistan's Punjab province, approximately 35 km from Islamabad. Built during the reign of Kushan emperor Kanishka (128-151 AD), it commemorates the Jataka tale of Prince Sattva sacrificing himself to feed hungry tiger cubs. Discovered by Mountstuart Elphinstone in 1808, it was excavated by Jean-Baptiste Ventura in 1830, who found gold and copper artifacts including Kushan coins at depths up to 19 metres. The relics are now housed in the British Museum. A 2024 Pakistan-South Korea joint excavation revealed meditative cells and passages.