Jehanabad area of Swat valley of Pakistan was engraved on the granite mountain in the 7th century, in the currency of Kamal Asana, Buddha's statue was. This statue was blown away by the Taliban in 2007 by the dynamite on the lines of Bamiyan Buddha of Afghanistan. This statue has been restored by establishing an example of tolerance in the area affected by the trauma of violence.
For many years Pakistan's Swat Valley was occupied by the Taliban. During this time, he left no stone unturned in this area's historical identity and culture. From this, people like Buddhism expert Parvesh Shahin suffered a lot in Swat. During a conversation with a news agency, Parvesh Hashmi says that it felt like he attacked my father, my culture and history. Now the area is being protected with the help of Italian archaeologists.
Around 20 feet high this statue, about a decade ago, the extremists climbed up to it and put explosive material. This caused damage to the upper part of Buddha's face, while another statue has been fragmented. According to Shaheen, this statue is a symbol of peace, love and brotherhood. We do not hate any person, any religion. Nothing is more than stupid to hate anyone. But other local residents of Swat, who are not familiar with the history and cruelty of the Taliban, express their happiness on this incident of 2007 and argue this statue being anti-Islam.
Read it: Buddha's 1700-year-old statue found during excavation in Pakistan
Just like in neighboring Afghanistan, Pakistani Taliban extremists terrorized the whole population with radical Islam. He banned all the art forms of the past in the Swat Valley by treating them as non-Islamic. During the long period of violence in Swat valley, thousands of people were killed and nearly 1.5 million people became homeless. Which ended in 2009 after the Pakistani military's serious intervention.
Pakistan's Swat Valley was not always as it is today. This area has been a pilgrimage for people who have faith in Buddha since centuries. It has been a sacred place for the Vajrayana branch of Buddhism, from where their faith begins. Until the 20th century, Vajrayana Buddhists came to this area, but after partition of India in 1947 the border was pulled and it became difficult for them to come here. Buddhism ended in the Sw
at Valley around the 10th century. His place was taken by Hindus and Islam. This area is considered to be the golden age for Buddhism from second to fourth century. Then there were more than a thousand Buddhist monasteries and stupas in the valley.
Completing this statue completely was not an easy task. This work, which started in 2012, was completed in several phases. This work was done with the help of old photographs and 3D techniques. This repair work is completed in 2016. Italy's archaeologist says that the statue does not look like before at all, but it has been deliberately done so that it can be seen that it has never been tried to harm it. Italy's government invested 2.5 million euros in five years to save the cultural heritage of Swat Valley. Local people also helped in this work. People expect that this will increase the chance of tourism in the area.
Following the ousting of Taliban from Swat Valley, the situation has improved greatly. Domestic tourists have also started going there. But the death of 11 soldiers in an extremist attack in February this year shows that the danger is not yet completely overturned. Many people in Swat believe that Buddha will help increase religious tolerance. Journalist Fazal Khalik says that due to education and social media, the threats to present cultural heritage have been reduced.
A museum has also been built in Mingora where the historical heritage of the area has been preserved. Its curator Faiz-ur-Rehman says that the clerics who love Buddhism are welcome here. According to them, "this was our religion before Islam."
For many years Pakistan's Swat Valley was occupied by the Taliban. During this time, he left no stone unturned in this area's historical identity and culture. From this, people like Buddhism expert Parvesh Shahin suffered a lot in Swat. During a conversation with a news agency, Parvesh Hashmi says that it felt like he attacked my father, my culture and history. Now the area is being protected with the help of Italian archaeologists.
Around 20 feet high this statue, about a decade ago, the extremists climbed up to it and put explosive material. This caused damage to the upper part of Buddha's face, while another statue has been fragmented. According to Shaheen, this statue is a symbol of peace, love and brotherhood. We do not hate any person, any religion. Nothing is more than stupid to hate anyone. But other local residents of Swat, who are not familiar with the history and cruelty of the Taliban, express their happiness on this incident of 2007 and argue this statue being anti-Islam.
Read it: Buddha's 1700-year-old statue found during excavation in Pakistan
Just like in neighboring Afghanistan, Pakistani Taliban extremists terrorized the whole population with radical Islam. He banned all the art forms of the past in the Swat Valley by treating them as non-Islamic. During the long period of violence in Swat valley, thousands of people were killed and nearly 1.5 million people became homeless. Which ended in 2009 after the Pakistani military's serious intervention.
Pakistan's Swat Valley was not always as it is today. This area has been a pilgrimage for people who have faith in Buddha since centuries. It has been a sacred place for the Vajrayana branch of Buddhism, from where their faith begins. Until the 20th century, Vajrayana Buddhists came to this area, but after partition of India in 1947 the border was pulled and it became difficult for them to come here. Buddhism ended in the Sw
at Valley around the 10th century. His place was taken by Hindus and Islam. This area is considered to be the golden age for Buddhism from second to fourth century. Then there were more than a thousand Buddhist monasteries and stupas in the valley.Completing this statue completely was not an easy task. This work, which started in 2012, was completed in several phases. This work was done with the help of old photographs and 3D techniques. This repair work is completed in 2016. Italy's archaeologist says that the statue does not look like before at all, but it has been deliberately done so that it can be seen that it has never been tried to harm it. Italy's government invested 2.5 million euros in five years to save the cultural heritage of Swat Valley. Local people also helped in this work. People expect that this will increase the chance of tourism in the area.
Following the ousting of Taliban from Swat Valley, the situation has improved greatly. Domestic tourists have also started going there. But the death of 11 soldiers in an extremist attack in February this year shows that the danger is not yet completely overturned. Many people in Swat believe that Buddha will help increase religious tolerance. Journalist Fazal Khalik says that due to education and social media, the threats to present cultural heritage have been reduced.
A museum has also been built in Mingora where the historical heritage of the area has been preserved. Its curator Faiz-ur-Rehman says that the clerics who love Buddhism are welcome here. According to them, "this was our religion before Islam."
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