Bamiyan: Challenge to World Heritage

Divrse cultural influences-Persian, Hellinistic, Roman, Indian, Central Asian and Mongol have all contributed to the rich and variegated cultural heritage of Afghanistan. The destruction of ancient Bamiyan Buddha statues and historico-cultural heritage by the Taliban in Afghanistan caused irreversible loss to the heritage of the Afghan people and also to world heritage. It brought into focus and need for safeguarding world heritage and for promoting cultural pluralism, inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue. The Bimiyan demolition evoked universal condemnation and also trigerred general mobilization for preserving, restoring and even recreating such cultural objects. It also underscored the need to develop appropriate mechanisms to deal with such cultural crimes and to ensure safety of world heritage sites. This book, based on scholarly papers contributed by eminent art historians, academicians and area specialists from India, Canada, France, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Netherlands, U.K. etc. provides rich insight into the art-history, cultural importance of Bamiyan and the cultural linkages between Afghanistan and Western Himalayas. It dilates on the need for dialogue of religions and cultures and also to meet the challenges of globalisation to indigenous culture. While discussing the role of Taliban in fanning religious extremism and bigotry, the book provides an international law perspective to help in protecting and safeguarding the tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Inclusion of relevant international conventions, UNESCO resolutions etc. and rare photographs of Bamiyan Buddhas before, during and after their destruction, make the book an indispensable reference source on the subject.