Re: Gandhara Civilization
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Re: Gandhara Civilization
Amazing pics Ali. Let me raise some queries :p
Re: Gandhara Civilization
Yes sure...
Re: Gandhara Civilization
John Marshal did a lot of work for ancient sites in sub-continent. I think he was also behind the excavation of Moen Jo Daro. He did all this in 1920 ( almost a century ago) and after hundred years and introduction of new technologies, we don’t see major excavation instead destruction of old excavations. such a pity.
Re: Gandhara Civilization
John Marshal did a lot of work for ancient sites in sub-continent. I think he was also behind the excavation of Moen Jo Daro. He did all this in 1920 ( almost a century ago) and after hundred years and introduction of new technologies, we don't see major excavation instead destruction of old excavations. such a pity.
You are right, there are no excavations during the past century. If you see the mountains of taxila near the excavated sites, there seem to be more undiscovered treasures. The guide told me that the shephards keep on discovering coins and beads of Greek times from the area near Sirkap. I hope at some stage more work would be done to excavate the sites.
Re: Gandhara Civilization
I respect Ahmed Hasan Dani, as he had done a lot of work on the history of the areas forming Pakistan now. I have finally bought his book "History of Pakistan: Pakistan through ages", I havent read it yet. Will open up a thread after going through it. He has done his research and coroborated it with the details as mentioned by various travellers/historians and kept in view the topographic impacts. Like one interesting thing I found out from the preface is that in Punjab "the land of five rivers" as we know it, the dialect changes within a "doab".
Re: Gandhara Civilization
Interesting thread. Wonderful pictures. Why are the heads of statues broken? Was it the taliban?
Re: Gandhara Civilization
Interesting thread. Wonderful pictures. Why are the heads of statues broken? Was it the taliban?
I think nature played like Taleban before statues were excavated :D
Re: Gandhara Civilization
Which era was it? It is Ashoka’s contribution? Is the language Pali or some other?
Re: Gandhara Civilization
Jayapala was the last king of Gandhara. Ghazni destroyed it. Al Biruni says: Fire and sword havoc and destruction, marked his course everywhere. Gandhar which was styled the Garden of the North was left at his death a weird and desolate waste. Its rich fields and fruitful gardens, together with the canal which watered them (the course of which is still partially traceable in the western part of the plain), had all disappeared. Its numerous stone built cities, monasteries, and topes with their valuable and revered monuments and sculptures, were sacked, fired, razed to the ground, and utterly destroyed as habitations. ..... God be merciful to both father and son ! Maḥmûd utterly ruined the prosperity of the country, and performed there wonderful exploits, by which the Hindus became like atoms of dust scattered in all directions, and like a tale of old in the mouth of the people. Their scattered remains cherish, of course, the most inveterate aversion towards all Muslims. This is the reason, too, why Hindu sciences have retired far away from those parts of the country conquered by us, and have fled to places which our hand cannot yet reach, to Kashmir, Benares, and other places. And there the antagonism between them and all foreigners receives more and more nourishment both from political and religious sources. ,,,,, This explains what happened to all the kingdoms intellectuals. They fled carrying their precious knowledge and that region was an educational powerhouse no more,
Re: Gandhara Civilization
The statues which are in good condition have already been shifted to various museums including the one in taxila. I don't know why their heads are broken, as this area has never been under the influence of taleban.
Re: Gandhara Civilization
Which era was it? It is Ashoka's contribution? Is the language Pali or some other?
I don't know about the language, I don't think it has been deciphered. The taxila ruins clearly depict influences of Greek, mauryans and indo Greek periods.