Mankiala Stupa and Rawat Fort: A Heritage Trip Near Islamabad

Mankiala Stupa and Rawat Fort represent two very different periods of Potohar’s history. Mankiala is an ancient Buddhist monument associated with the Gandhara period, while Rawat Fort reflects the later history of the Gakhars and the strategic routes passing through northern Punjab.

Located south of Rawalpindi, the two monuments can be combined into a short heritage trip from Islamabad or Rawalpindi. Mankiala offers an introduction to the region’s Buddhist past, while Rawat Fort tells the story of trade, conflict and political control along the historic route now followed by the Grand Trunk Road.

Rawat Fort forms part of the wider network of historic forts across Pakistan, while nearby Mankiala Stupa preserves the region’s much older Buddhist heritage.

Mankyala Buddhist Stupa Location

Mankiala village, 30 Kms from Rawalpindi on GT road.

This is the site where Sher Shah Suri’s son punished the local Gakhar Chief Sultan Sarang Khan for staying loyal towards Humayun, the routed Mughal.

That incidence just about ended 700 years of Gakhar domination over the vital crossing of Rawat.

The Gakhars’ principal stronghold was Pharwala Fort near Rawalpindi, which survived as their last major bastion in Potohar.

History of Rawat Fort

Rawat Fort stands beside the historic route connecting Punjab with the northwestern regions of the subcontinent. The surviving structure is generally associated with the Gakhars, a powerful clan that controlled parts of the Potohar Plateau during the late medieval period.

Despite its modern name, Rawat Fort resembles a fortified caravanserai more than a major defensive fortress. Its enclosure contains gateways, rooms built into the perimeter walls, a mosque and several graves.

The site is particularly associated with the conflict between the Gakhar chief Sultan Sarang Khan and the forces of Sher Shah Suri during the sixteenth century. However, individual graves and structures should not be assigned confidently to named historical figures without archaeological or documentary evidence.

What was Rawat Fort used for?

Rawat occupied an important position near routes connecting the plains of Punjab with Kashmir and the northwestern frontier. Its enclosed rooms and central courtyard suggest that it may have provided accommodation and protection for travellers, traders and their animals.

Its fortified design would also have allowed the local authorities to monitor movement along the route. However, Rawat was much smaller than major military fortifications such as Rohtas Fort.

 

 

The history of Rawat is closely connected with Pharwala Fort, another important Gakhar stronghold in the Potohar region.

Military significance of Rawat Fort

There are no natural protections to this fort, therefore, it can’t be accorded the same importance as the Rohtas fort of Sher Shah, which had purely military purposes.

Rawat Fort is right on GT road, smack in the center of Rawat city, overlooking this vital trade and invasion route towards the rich plains of India.

Description of Rawat Fort

In the center of the fort is the grave of the Brave Gakhar who was flayed alive along with his 12 sons’ killed by Sher Shah’s son.

All along the thick boundary walls are rooms for visitors that may be doubled as barracks too. On one side is the VIP accommodation, probably for the royals. Mughal Humayun is said to have been in the area after his return to power. 

The central piece is the mausoleum of some unknown notable. Its construction is unmistakably Mughal.

 

Mankiala Stupa near Rawat

Mankiala Stupa—also written as Manikyala or Mankyala—stands near the village of Tope Mankiala, south of Rawalpindi. The monumental Buddhist structure is one of the most prominent surviving stupas in the Potohar region.

Mankiala is separate from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Taxila and should not be presented as one of its official component monuments. It nevertheless belongs to the broader Buddhist heritage of ancient Gandhara.

15 kms from Rawat Karawan serai is Mankiala or Manikpur village and it’s Buddhist Stupa.

It is believed to be one of the 84 stupas’ that had the ashes of Buddha buried in its top dome by Asoka.

History of Mankiala Stupa

IMankiala Stupa is generally associated with the Kushan period and is often dated to approximately the second century CE. Some accounts connect its construction with the reign of Emperor Kanishka, but the attribution should be presented cautiously rather than as established fact.

The monument was recorded by the British diplomat Mountstuart Elphinstone during his journey through the region in 1808. Jean-Baptiste Ventura excavated the stupa in 1830 and recovered several relic deposits from chambers inside the structure.

Objects originating from Ventura’s excavation—including reliquaries, coins and other deposits—subsequently entered the British Museum’s collection.

Colonial excavation practices caused significant disturbance to many South Asian monuments. At Mankiala, the opening created during the search for relic chambers remains part of the monument’s modern history.

The Buddhist tradition associated with Mankiala

Mankiala is traditionally associated with the story of Prince Sattva, an earlier incarnation of the Buddha described in Buddhist literature. According to the tradition, the prince sacrificed his body to feed a starving tigress and her cubs.

The story expresses the Buddhist ideal of extraordinary compassion and self-sacrifice. It should be presented as a religious tradition associated with the monument—not as a historically verified event that occurred at an established date.

Mankiala can be compared with the Dharmarajika Stupa in Taxila, although the two monuments have different archaeological contexts. Another comparatively secluded Buddhist monument near Islamabad is Ban Faqiran Stupa.

How to visit Mankiala Stupa and Rawat Fort

Rawat Fort is situated close to the Grand Trunk Road in Rawat, while Mankiala Stupa lies farther south near Tope Mankiala. The two sites can be visited during the same half-day trip from Islamabad or Rawalpindi.

Begin with Rawat Fort and then continue towards Mankiala. Check the current route through Google Maps and confirm the final approach locally because road conditions and access arrangements may change.

Visit during daylight and carry drinking water. Facilities at Mankiala may be limited. Respect nearby homes and agricultural land, and do not climb the stupa or remove stones from either monument.

Final thoughts

Visiting Rawat Fort and Mankiala Stupa together reveals the historical depth of the Potohar Plateau. Within a relatively small area, travellers can encounter both the Buddhist heritage of ancient Gandhara and the later political history of the Gakhars.

Neither monument needs elaborate commercial development. Accurate signs, concise historical information, basic maintenance and responsible visitors would do far more to protect their character.