A Walk Through Taxila
The ancient remains in Pakistan represent a glimpse into the history of two of India’s major religions
- By Ria Misra and Alexis Matsui
- Smithsonian.com, December 22, 2010
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(Ria Misra)
In 1980, the ancient city of Taxila was named a UNESCO World Heritage site for its architecture and statues, and for the many different cultures that influenced its development. The ruins of numerous Buddhist complexes, showing Persian, Greek and Central Asian influences, can be seen at the site.
Note: Reporting for this piece was funded by a grant from the South Asian Journalists Association
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Comments (3)
I think the previous comment reflects a bias, a self-conscious bias amongst certain Indians of a recent vintage (Sanjay Subramanhyam might approve). A perceived slight where none is present or intended.
I think the Smithsonian and Stuart Cary Welch have been at the forefront of examining, researching, exhibiting and disseminating art from the sub-continent. India's influence all over S East Asia, China, Japan through Buddhism is well known as is the extension of this toward the North West, viz the Bamiyan Buddhas (sadly disfigured recently).
Greek influence, such as it was, between the 6 century BC and 2nd century BC, is what it is. The text mentions this clearly between 2nd C BC and 2 C AD.
Posted by sumeet sood on August 18,2011 | 03:44 PM
awesome
Posted by shaii ford on February 7,2011 | 02:25 PM
I can't believe how ingrained are the biases in the institutions like Smithsonian. Taxhashila was an Bharatiya Institution, that had predominantly builders and teachers from Hindu and Buddhist background. And yet the mention of Persia and Greek is expressed dominantly over here and Hindu is not even mentioned. That Greek has to be present every where, since European Euro centrism thinks world world would be a dark place without the light of the Greeks. Clearly the subjects taught in this institutions were also those developed within Indian domains. A predominantly Hindu Nation (including Buddha himself). But that won't do. I am highly disappointed with Smithsonian. Whose subscription I stopped because of this reason some time ago. Ravindra
Posted by Dr. Rabinder Kumar on January 12,2011 | 12:24 PM