By Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ashraf Khan
“Gandhara” literary meaning the land of fragrance was the ancient name of the tract of country on the west bank of the Indus River which comprises the Peshawar valley and the modern Swat, Buner and. Bajaur. It was a country with rich, well-watered valleys, clear-cut hills and a pleasant climate. Situated on the borderland between India and Western Asia, Gandhara belonged as much and as little to the one as to the other. In the sixth and fifth centuries B.C. E. it formed part of the Achaemenid empire of Persia. In the fourth it was occupied for a brief period by the armies of Alexander the Great.
Cooperation between Japan and Pakistan in the field of Buddhist archaeology dates back to the late 60s when Archaeological Mission of Kyoto University, Japan, in collaboration with the Department of archaeology & Museums, Government of Pakistan, carried out archaeological excavation and explorations on Buddhist sites in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from 1959 to 1992.
Thereafter it was conquered by Chandragupta Maurya, but after a century of local rule the West again asserted itself, and in the second century B.C. E. Greek dynasties took the place of Indian. Then came, early in the first century BC. the victorious Sakas or Scythians, to be followed, after yet another century, by the Parthians and Kushans. And even then, the tale of foreign conquest was not ended.
For in the third century C.E. Gandhara again reverted to Persia, now under Sassanid sovereigns, and was again re-conquered by the Kidara Kushans in the fourth. Finally, the deathblow, .to its prosperity was given by the Hephthalites or White Huns, who swept over the country about C. E. 465, carrying fire and sword wherever they went and destroying the Buddhist monasteries.
With such a history behind them it is not surprising that the people of Gandhara were thoroughly cosmopolitan in their culture and their out-look. The common speech of the people was an Indian Prakrit, but the script they used for the writing of this vernacular was Kharosthi a modified form of the Aramaic of Western Asia, which had been adopted for official use throughout the Persian Empire during Achaemenid times.
Nevertheless, it is true to say that Gandhara took its everyday speech from India and its writing from the West. This intimate fusion of widely divergent elements was equally apparent in the religious life of the people.
Nevertheless, it is true to say that Gandhara took its everyday speech from India and its writing from the West. This intimate fusion of widely divergent elements was equally apparent in the religious life of the people. As each successive conqueror added his quota to the local galaxy of deities and creeds, the number and variety went on growing.
The impetus given to Buddhists by the Mauryan Emperor, Asoka, and the artistic impulses emanating from the Bactrian Greeks in Central Asia led to the fruition of the Gandhara Art under the patronage of the Kushans and their successors. The period from 1st Century C. E. to 4th Century C. E. is a remarkable period in the history of Pakistan when the sculptural art becomes a hand maiden to spiritual zeal. Initially, the medium of sculptural art appears to have been the grey schist in Taxila, Peshawar, Mardan, Malakand, Dir , Swat and Buner regions, but then other kinds of locally available stones like phyllite, soapstone, green schist, chlorite, etc. were also used for carving sculptures along with the more plastic stucco to fulfill the insatiable demand of Buddhist devotees who filled the innumerable monasteries and stupas thickly dotting the whole Gandharan country of that time.
While, Graeco-Roman impulse was responsible for initiation and development of Gandhara art, the local talent made it what it looked like the representation of the true society of the elite and the religious monks who roamed about with an aura of spiritual dignity.
Besides sculptures, the architecture of Gandhara also has a marked characteristic of its own composition in nature and scope lending towards Ionic and Doric style of Classical Greeks. The city plan of Sirkap in Taxila, the remains of religious establishments Stupas and Monasteries at Jaulian, Mohra Moradu, Dharmarajika, Jinan Wali Dheri, Badalpur, Bhamala, Bhalar Top, Piplan etc. around Taxila, and those at Takht-i-Bahi, Jamal Garhi, Pushkalavati, Sehri Bahlol in Peshawar Valley, Zar Dheri in Hazara district are remarkable ensemble of the dissemination and blending of foreign and local traditions of the art of building. Besides, Butkara, Panr, Udegram, Nimogram, Chat Pat, Andan Dheri, Saidu Stupa, Shingardar Stupa, Thokardara Stupa, to name only a few, are some of the famous sites in Swat and Dir area which provide ample evidence of the extent of this religious cultural phenomenon.
Decline of the Buddhist Art of Gandhara started with Sasanian and Hun invasions which resulted in mass destruction of the cities and religious establishments of the area. The society and its norm were annihilated, while the art and architecture adversely affected when monumental buildings, both religious as well as secular, were put to fire. The havoc was faced throughout the areas which are now Pakistan. The Chinese Pilgrim Hun-Tsang’s account of the ruined monasteries, stupas and other secular buildings that he saw everywhere in the region is an awesome but accurate description of the horrible desolation of these once flourishing centers. However, the Buddhist faith was not wiped out completely from these areas. We come across its manifestation at many places especially in today’s Sind and in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and rock art of Gilgit Baltistan along the Silk Routs.
Introduction of Buddhism in Japan
After the inception of the Buddhism in the 6th or 5th Century BCE, the Buddha ordered his monks to “wander forth for the welfare and weal of the many out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, welfare and weal of gods and men”. This command initiated one of the greatest missionary movements in world religious history, a movement that over the next millennium disseminated Buddhism from the shores of the Caspian Sea in the west, to the Inner Asian steppes in the north, the Japanese isles in the east, and the Indonesian archipelago in the south. The Buddhist missionaries typically followed long-established trade routes between the geographical and cultural regions of Asia, arrived in China through Gandhara by at least the beginning of the 1st millennium CE and reached to Japan through Korea in the 6th century C.E.
Gandharan Buddhism played a vital role in establishing culture relations with the South-East Asian countries particularly Japan. The advent of Buddhism was of special importance for binding ties with these countries as the devotees of Buddhism with in few hundred years after the death of Lord Buddha spread out toward north and south-east i.e., Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Korea, Japan etc. The Gandhara School of art developed in the northern Pakistan on the most natural lines perfecting in anatomical details in engraving stone and sculpturing in stucco.
Cooperation between Japan and Pakistan in the field of Buddhist archaeology in late 60s when Archaeological Mission of Kyoto University, Japan in collaboration with the Department of archaeology & Museums, Government of Pakistan carried out archaeological excavation and explorations on Buddhist sites in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from 1959 to 1992. The Mission unearthed many important Buddhist religious establishments and added a large number of relics to our collection. The work done by the Mission was indeed very useful in bringing to light the hitherto unknown remains of Gandhara Civilization. As a result of these excavations important sites of Mekha Sanda, Thareli and Chanaka Dehri and Ranigat are now well known to the scholarly circles both within the country and abroad. Renowned Japanese archaeologist Prof. S. Mizuno and Prof. Koji Nishikawa had led the Mission during these years.
Gandharan Buddhism played a vital role in establishing culture relations with the South-East Asian countries particularly Japan. The advent of Buddhism was of special importance for binding ties with these countries as the devotees of Buddhism.
A team of Tokyo National Museum, Japan had worked at Zaro Dehri a Buddhist site in Shinkiari, Hazara Division from 1991-99 under the leadership of Mr. Yashuhiro Nishioka, Director, Tokyo National Museum, Japan. During the archaeological explorations in Hazara Division, the Mission in collaboration with the Department of Archaeology & Museums, Government of Pakistan has brought to light a number of new archaeological sites in Hazara Division, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Since more than last three decades, the Department of Archaeology & Museums, has sent many Exhibitions on Gandhara and Indus Civilization to Japan. These Exhibitions were held successfully in various cities of Japan and attracted a large number of visitors and had proved a big success in cementing the already existing close relation between Pakistan and Japan in the field of Culture. Besides, N.H.K. Japan is holding another grand exhibition on “Indus Civilization” from Pakistan was mounted in various cities of Japan during the year 2000-2001 under the title “Four Greatest Civilizations of the World”.
Collaboration and cooperation between the Government of Japan and Pakistan in preservation and promotion of the Buddhist Heritage of Gandhara is growing with the passage of time.
The Government of Japan have been providing cultural grants to the Government of Pakistan from time to time for improvement of our Museums, Laboratories and archaeological sites. The grant for the first time was provided in the year 1984 totaling 98 million Yen for the reorganization of Allama Iqbal Museum and Lahore Fort Galleries. Another grant of 50 million Yen was provided in 1984 for the reorganization of Quranic Galleries in the National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi. In the year 1993-94 the Government of Japan offered Cultural Grant-in-Aid of 46 million Yen (Rs. 0.137 million) for the development and reorganization of Swat Museum with 63 specially designed glass cases and wall panels, spotlights, audio visual aids, burglar and fire alarm systems and equipment for documentation have been provided to the Museum.
The Government of Japan offered Cultural Grant-in-Aid of US$ 500,000/- through Japanese Trust Fund, UNESCO for the preservation of Gandhara monuments. In this connection, a PC-I was prepared by the Department of Archaeology & Museums, in collaboration with Japanese expert. The same was approved by the Government of Pakistan in June 1995. This project is helping in proper preservation, presentation and protection of archaeological sites of Gandhara region. The project has also enhanced the technical capability of the staff of the Department of Archaeology & Museums through workshops organized by Japan Trust Fund.
Moreover, the Government of Japan had provided scientific equipment for establishing Archaeological Conservation & Research Laboratory at Taxila during 1996-97 consisting of 50 million Yen. The newly established Laboratory at Taxila is now functioning effectively. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been offering training for the officers of the Department of Archaeology & Museums, in a Group raining Course on “Cultural Assets Preservation and Restoration Technology” since 1993. A number of Pakistani junior officers have been trained under this program.
The Government of Japan have been providing cultural grants to the Government of Pakistan from time to time for improvement of our Museums, Laboratories and archaeological sites.
Collaboration and cooperation between the Government of Japan and Pakistan in preservation and promotion of the Buddhist Heritage of Gandhara is growing with the passage of time.
Photographs of the Buddhist Religious Sites in Gandhara, Taxila and Japan
Buddhist Monastic Complex, Takht e Bahi, Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Bukara Stupa, Saidu Shareef, Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Shingardar Stupa, Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Buddhist Stupa Shinkiari, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Buddhist Stupa, Jinan Wali Dheri, Taxila Valley
Buddhist Monastic Complex, Jaulian, Taxila Valley
Bhalar Stupa, Taxila, Pakistan
Todaiji Temple, Nara Japan
| Writer is former Director, Taxila Ins?tute of Asian Civilizations, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. President, Archaeological Association of Pakistan. |
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