Bhamla Stupa in Pakistan, Bamiyan SAARC Cultural Capital

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1. Anagarika Dharmapala (1864-1933) 2. Buddhist Sites in News

1. Ghantasala’s Smiling Buddha Idol 2. Pakistani Buddhist sites 3. Bamiyan: SAARC Cultural Capital (2015)

3. Mock Questions

Anagarika Dharmapala (1864-1933)

He was the founder of Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism, even participated in Sri Lankan freedom struggle against British Raj.

Revived Buddhism both in India and Sri Lanka. Restored Buddhist control over Bodh Gaya temple. Associated with Theosophical society (Ceylon), Maha Bodhi Society

(Colombo) SriLankans revere him as a “Bodhisattva”.

1893: World Parliament of Religions at Chicago, USA

Swami Represented what?

Vivkanand Hindus, India. On his 150th Birth Anniversary, Sri Lanka issued stamp a postal stamp.

Anagarika Dharmapala Southern Buddhism (Theravada Buddhism), Sri Lanka India reciprocated by issuing Stamp in his honour, in 2014, October.

Buddhist Sites in News

Ghantasala’s Smiling Buddha Idol

In news 2014, November

Where? Penneramma mound at Ghantasala village, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh

Age Between 2-3AD or 6-7AD

Sect Hinayana Buddhism

Color Pure White

Material Dathepalli limestone

 

Pakistani Buddhist sites

In news 2014, December

Where? Bhamala mound, near Haro river, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. Bhamala is already a UNESCO heritage site.

Age During excavations in the 1930s, John Marshal claimed this site is from 12th Century. But this new discovery proves its far older than that- from 4th or 5th Century AD.

What was discovered?

A Stupa with shape similar to Aztec Pyramids. Precious coins of Kushana period. Terracotta sculptures.

SAARC Cultural Capital Bamiyan (2015)

BAMIYAN AFGHANISTAN: SAARC’S CULTURAL CAPITAL FOR 2015

Timeline: Cultural capitals of SAARC

2001 Taliban blow up Buddha’s two ancient statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan.

2015 Bamiyan will become SAARC Cultural capital from April 2015 onwards.

2016 Dhaka will become SAARC cultural capital.

Bamiyan: Background theory for MCQs

Bamiyan is the valley between hindu kush and Koh-i-baba mountain ranges.

It is located on ancient silk route, and part of Kushana empire (till 1st century AD), then under saffarids and Ghazani (in 11th century AD)

Bamiyan was the Capital of Huns in 5th AD and Cultural city of Hazara ethnic people..

Notable sites at Bamiyan are: Buddha cliffs, caves of monks and shar-i-gholghola (city of sighs)

Buddha’s cliff Monks’ caves

There were 3 Buddha’s statues engraved in the cliff (6th century AD) Style: Gandhar school. One of them was world’s tallest standing statue of Buddha.

Located behind those statues. The world’s earliest oil paintings, Buddhist statues and manuscripts found here. Taliban used these caves to store their weapons.

Mock Questions

Q1. Correct statements about Anagarika Dharmapala?

A. He was a Hinyana Buddhist monk from SriLankaB. He was a contemporary of Dadu Dayal.C. Both A and BD. Neither A nor B

Q2. In 2014, a smiling Buddha idol was excavated at Ghantasala. Find correct statements about it

1. Ghantasala is a sacred site in Telangana2. This idol belongs to Theravada Buddhism.3. This idol is made of Lapis Lazuli imported from Afghanistan.

Correct statements are

a. Only 1 and 2b. Only 2 and 3c. Only 1 and 3

d. None of them

Q3. Correct pairs

A. Bamiyan: SAARC Cultural capital for 2015B. Bhamala: Aztec Pyramid shaped Buddhist stupa.C. Both A and BD. Neither A nor B

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