MEGALITHS OF ASOTA, PAKISTAN

Fig 1. A section of the ruined stone circle of Asota

The megalithic complex of Asota in Pakistan though stands ruined today, is one of the last remaining portion of a stone circle of the sub continent. Though in a ruinous state today yet one can easily perceive with how much grace and aplomb these magnificent stones once stood.

This fascinating megalithic site in Pakistan is situated near a village called Shewa. 

The monument once comprised about 32 menhirs having an average height of about 3.5 meters and the circle had a diameter of about a 17 meters.

The menhirs are found to be placed at uneven gaps, the minimum space between the menhirs is 0.67 and the maximum is 1.34 meters.

At one time when the stone circle stood with full majesty two smaller stones could have been seen positioned adjacent to each other which perhaps marked the entrance within the circle.

Fig 2. The Stone Circle from another side. 

The yellow parabola drawn on the left stone is to show the parallel lines inscribed on the stone. 

As far as I know, no funerary remains have been reported from the stone circle concluding which many scholars have surmised that the megalithic complex is perhaps non sepulchral.

Scholars therefore are utterly confused regarding the purpose of the erection of the stone circle.

PURPOSE OF ASOTA:

Megaliths all over India are sacred to the non-Hindu megalith making tribes who held them very sacred and worship them even today.

It is understandable that like many of her sister monuments in the sub-continent the intention behind the erection of the Asota megaliths must have been to serve as a burial, a memorial of the dead or even to perform as an astronomical observatory or a calendar for the non-Aryan proto austroloid megalithic tribals who once resided here in the course of their onward journey into heartland India. 

Megalith making on the dead is still continued unabated by a few of these tribes who today resides in the states of Jharkhand and Chattisgarh and even in the North East of India for over thousands of years.

As no funerary remains as bones, sarcophagus, urns or pitchers have been unearthed from here, the polished menhirs within the megalithic complex could have been implanted by the non-Aryan tribals to observe the transits of the sun, for which the stones were positioned in accordance.

Perhaps for the same reason the Asota megaliths are still known as "a Sun Temple" to the locals.

Observatories in India are still regarded as 'Maan Mandir" (Mandir refers to temples of the Hindus). 

Fig 3.

The significant peaks and notches of the encircling mountain to which the monument is aligned may not be visible today. The sunrise of the Equinoxes and solstices and other significant calendrical dates which too may not be  detectable now due to the growing houses and trees around the megalith, must be attempted to be studied. The azimuths of the positioning of the stones too should also be taken into consideration.

One of the menhirs houses about 15/16 horizontally parallel lines (Fig 2). Could they suggest that the megalithic complex may have also served as a lunar calendar? 

THE POSSIBLE BUILDERS OF ASOTA:

Scholars in Pakistan tend to believe the megaliths to be a Hindu creation, such a fallacy emerges from being ignorant of the megalithic proto austroloid Kolarian Mundari tribals;though concentrated mostly in the east of India today they have spread widely across the land . 

Their folklore speak of their stay in the region in the course of their migration into India in antiquity. Proofs of their stay in the region exist in the forms of these megaliths which they had left back and among the many names of towns, villages, rivers and hills which on contrary to popular belief is neither Sanskrit nor Urdu but austric Mundari in origin.

The megaliths of Asota like Burjhaom therefore is undoubtedly a tribal creation. 

(Megaliths of India is grateful to Mr.Nawaz Ud-Din, Gallery Assistant of Peshawar Museum for providing these spectacular photographs and to Muhammed Zahir of Hazara University Manshera, Pakistan )

©Subhahsis Das