Buddhism
Swat is thought to be the probable birthplace of Vajrayana Buddhism. There are many archaeological sites in the district and Buddhist relics are common testimony to their skills as sculptors and architects. It is said that Swat was once filled with fourteen hundred imposing and beautiful stupas and monasteries, which housed as many as 6,000 gold images of the Buddhist pantheon for worship and education. The Jehanabad Buddha (7-meter high) was considered the second most important Gandhara monument after the Buddhas in Bamiyan, Afghanistan. In November 2007, the Taliban tried to blow up the statue and were successful in defacing it, as shown below
The Taliban effect
There were more than 400 Buddhist sites covering an area of 160 km in Swat Valley before the Taliban's rise to power, but these historical heritages are being systematically targeted by the Taliban and it is feared that their intolerance will not allow for the survival of any traces of Buddhism in Swat
When Buddha died, his relics (or ashes) were distributed to seven kings, who built stupas over them for veneration.This is the Butkarha stupa in Swat, built on order of King Asoka.
The besieged Swat museum, which houses pre-Islamic heritage, mainly Buddhist artifacts and Buddha statues of the Gandhara era. It is said to have the footprints of Buddha which were found in the Swat Valley.
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