Kargah Nala Buddha

The Kargah Nala Buddha is a rock-carved standing figure, roughly seven metres tall, cut into a cliff face about 10 km southwest of Gilgit town. Dating from the 7th century CE, it is one of the most significant surviving examples of Gandharan Buddhist art in northern Pakistan and a striking reminder that these valleys were once on the Silk Road's Buddhist pilgrimage circuit.

Getting there requires a short drive and a brief walk up the nala (gorge). The carving is well-preserved and surprisingly powerful given its age and remote setting. The Old British Cemetery is nearby — a collection of graves from the colonial era, when Gilgit was a British Agency and the Great Game was being played out in the mountains around it.

things to do sight museum
A story
The Kargah Buddha, carved into a cliff face around the 7th century CE, is a remnant of the Buddhist era when the Silk Road passed through these valleys and Gilgit-Baltistan was a major centre of Gandharan culture. Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang passed through this region in 632 CE and described Buddhist monasteries and stupas across the highlands. By the 10th century Islam had replaced Buddhism entirely, yet the carved figure survived — local legend recast it as a demon or man-eating giant, which may have contributed to its preservation.

Other places in Things to Do