Today's North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in Pakistan, which is now known to the world as a haven for religious extremists, was once home to the high point of Buddhist art and culture.
Called Gandhara, it exerted seminal influence on the Buddhist world.
A lot of people I met in Pakistan were curious to know why a Dubai-based newspaper [Gulf News] was interested in the Gandhara civilisation. My answer was that we wanted to tell the world about the 3,000-year-old Gandhara civilisation which attracted Alexander the Great from Macedonia in 326 BC, who in turn brought significant elements of Greek culture to this part of the world.
From Taxila to Peshawar, Dir and Swat, the Gandhara region is dotted with excavated monasteries and statues of the Buddha. Records of the Gandhara civilisation, discovered in the 20th century, were found in the archaeological sites spread across Taxila, Swat and other parts of the NWFP.
Taxila, situated 35km northwest of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, was the centre of the Gandhara civilisation and the seat of Buddhist learning. The world's first university was also established in Taxila, where subjects like mathematics, science, astrology, astronomy and religion were taught. The physician who treated Buddha was also from Taxila. The world's first grammarian, Panini, who wrote the rules of grammar for Sanskrit, was a teacher at Taxila.
Heritage in peril
Today, Buddhist sites in the NWFP are under threat from religious extremists. However, the Pakistani government is trying its best to protect these sites. It has launched a massive project to conserve the existing sites in addition to carrying out more excavations.
Illegal trade in artefacts and relics from these Buddhist sites is also a big challenge for the government. Recently, it foiled an attempt to smuggle a huge consignment of relics and artefacts through Karachi port.
"Today, Pakistan is an important place for Islam. But earlier, it was the most important place for Buddhism," said Dr Ahmad Hassan Dani, chairman of the Taxila Institute at Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad. He is considered an authority on the Gandhara civilisation and Buddhism.
"The first image of the Buddha was made here in Taxila and then copied in India, China and other countries. It was made here on the basis of Greek art after Alexander the Great conquered Taxila. The Greeks ruled here for 200 years and the Taxila or Gandhara art form was influenced by them. The first Buddha sculpture was made here during the reign of Emperor Ashoka," Dani said.
Taxila, Swat and Peshawar were of great religious importance for Buddhists. But Taxila was the centre of learning for them because the main form of Buddhism developed here, he said.
The history of Gandhara dates back to the 6th century BC. Taxila came into prominence when in 326 BC, Alexander, after subduing the Persian Empire, pushed his way into the Gandhara region. He invaded Taxila, and Raja Ambhi, king of Taxila, surrendered and offered him a battalion of soldiers mounted on elephants, thus strengthening his force for his onward military expeditions. Before his departure, Alexander established a Macedonian garrison in Taxila.
In the 2nd century BC, Buddhism became the predominant religion under the rule of Emperor Ashoka, who after witnessing the bloodshed in the Kalinga war, converted from Hinduism to Buddhism and established it as the state religion. During his rule, Buddhism flourished for over 1,000 years until the 10th century when Muslims came to dominate the area.
Today, Gandhara sculptures occupy pride of place in the museums of England, France, Germany, the US, Japan, Korea, China, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and many private collections. Buddhism left a significant legacy of art and architecture in Pakistan, much of which is still visible. Gandhara art was the earliest form of Buddha image-making. Often described as "poetry in stone", it is a form of sculpture, mainly in schist stone, which depicts the Buddha and vignettes from his life.
Taxila was an important meeting place of three great routes between India, Western Asia and Central Asia.
The savage onslaught of the White Huns, who rose from Central Asia in 5th century AD like a thunderstorm, spread terror and destruction as they plundered one region after another. The destruction of the Buddhist establishments is generally attributed to them. Taxila never recovered from their onslaught.
The Huns also stormed the northwestern part of the subcontinent and swept away whatever traces of civilisation they encountered. The first documented excavations at Taxila were carried out between 1913 and 1934 by Sir John Marshall, then director general of the Archaeological Survey of British India.
These excavations unearthed the ruins of the fortified cities of Bhir Mound, Sirkap, Sirsukh. The main sites are located in the valley of Peshawar, Dir, Swat, Bajaur, Mohmand, Taxila and Kabul.
Information courtesy: Ministry of Tourism, Pakistan.
