Save the Buddhas in Afghanistan

(photo:  wikimedia )

To the Northeast of the royal city there is a mountain, on the declivity of which is placed a stone figure of the Buddha, erect, in height 140 – 150 feet. Its golden hues sparkle on every side, and its precious ornaments dazzle the eyes by their brightness. ---- Hsuan Tsang 632 AD

Afghanistan is the name of two entities. One belongs to the angel, and the other goes to the demon. The angel owns the snowcapped Hindu Kush Mountains, and a 5000-year cultural heritage that shapes Greek, Buddhism, and Muslim history, while the demon possesses a curse of repetitive foreign invasions and civil warfare.

Standing at the crossroad of East Asia, the Middle East, and as pathway from Russia to India, Afghanistan is the melting pot of Greek, Roman, Persian, Chinese, and Indian culture.

In March 2001, two of the world’s largest standing Buddhas, the Bamyian Buddhas, were blown up by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Also destroyed were over a dozen smaller Buddha statues in the National Museum of Afghanistan. In the past century, non-Islamic cultural heritage in Afghanistan has been under constant threat of demolition from war, negligence, or harsh weather.

Afghanistan’s Buddhist cultural heritage is especially vulnerable because of its scale and significance. Buddhism was a major religion in the country in the pre-Islamic era. It came to Afghanistan around 300 BCE and only started fading with the arrival of Islam around 600 CE.

Now, even with a Muslim majority, Afghanistan remains rich in historically important Buddhist heritage. Among them are the aforementioned UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Bamyian Buddhas, the 5000-year-old Buddhist town Mes Aynak, and the monolithic underground Stupa of Takht. 

Unfortunately, Buddhist cultural heritages are also the easiest targets of the Taliban and victims of conflicts. In February 2001, the Taliban government ordered the destruction of all non-Islamic statues. After the fall of the Taliban, archaeological preservation resumed for a brief period until around 2013 when the war intensified and later when the ISIS entered the country. Now, local archaeological organizations strive to operate but can only do so in a limited scale.

Though merged in wars almost all the time, this war-torn country never runs short of international attention on its cultural heritage. DAFA (French Archaeological Delegation in Afghanistan) was established in 1922 and has been active in Afghanistan for a century. Indian and Japanese archeologists came to Afghanistan 60 years ago. German architects were also involved in the reconstruction efforts in the Bamiyan Buddhas and Darulaman palace. In 2018, Chinese archaeologists visited Afghanistan as an organization for the first time.

Despite decades of destruction and looting, much remains to be explored. As the former Deputy Minister Of Culture And Information of Afghanistan said, Afghanistan’s rich cultural heritage is still largely buried under the ground.

In Afghanistan, the demon and the angel cohabit. One has never won the fight against the other. Afghan cultural heritage, the crown jewel of the angel, will continue to shine during the nation’s darkest hours.