The Indian Legacy in Afghanistan

[civfanatic]

"Remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall"

- Mahatma Gandhi




The Bamiyan Buddha statues, largest Buddha statues in the world before their destruction by the Taliban in 2001.

A smaller statue:

Other artifacts:

Oldest oil painting in Afghanistan, possibly depicting the Buddha:

More ancient statues:

 

[Nonynon]

That's one ridiculously big statue.

 

[Oracle]

/\/\/\ Okay that's not cool coming out from you.

 

[civfanatic]

More Buddhist artifacts:

 

[civfanatic]

Some coins from the Hindu Shahi dynasty, which ruled Afghanistan from the 6th to 10th centuries C.E.

 

[civfanatic]

Everyone loves statues, so here's some more:


Lord Surya, from Khair Kaneh, Afghanistan

Lord Ganesha. Gardez, Afghanistan.

Shiva and Parvati. Tapa Skandar, Afghanistan.

Some Boddhisattvas:

Vaikuntha, a form of Lord Vishnu:

 

[civfanatic]

The Edict of Kandahar, dating from the reign of Ashoka. It is written in both Greek and Aramaic.

It reads:

"Ten years of reign having been completed, King Piodasses (Ashoka) made known the doctrine of Piety to men; and from this moment he has made men more pious, and everything thrives throughout the whole world. And the king abstains from killing living beings, and other men and those who are huntsmen and fishermen of the king have desisted from hunting. And if some were intemperate, they have ceased from their intemperance as was in their power; and obedient to their father and mother and to the elders, in opposition to the past also in the future, by so acting on every occasion, they will live better and more happily"

 

[Nonynon]

/\/\/\ Okay that's not cool coming out from you.

I didn't mean it in a bad way. Its just so fu**ing huge!

 

[AOE]

I agree with Nonynon, it is a huge statue.

Of course one question that does come up is what has happened to much of the archaeological evidence of the ancient Indian presence? There used to be many ancient Buddhist/Hindu temples and schools, many of which vanished after the coming of a certain other religion.

 

[amoy]

Quite similar to neighboring Xinjiang, lots of Buddhist relics, before the advent of Islam. Some also vandalised. Still many such big statues in China.

 

[civfanatic]

Quite similar to neighboring Xinjiang, lots of Buddhist relics, before the advent of Islam. Some also vandalised. Still many such big statues in China.

What are some examples? Can you post some pics from XInjiang?