BAMYAN PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

Bamyan also referred to as the “Shining Light” and “Valley of Gods” is one of the oldest cities in central and South Asia. Inhabited since the third century BC, Bamyan is located in the central highlands, known as the peaceful Hazarajat or Hazaristan, Afghanistan. Bamyan lies at the heart of ancient silk road, once connecting Chinese commerce with Europe and the broader Mediterranean region. It brought languages, believes and tradition together and home to world’s tallest standing Buddha statues, carved into the red rock cliffs on the north side of Bamyan town.

The ancient Buddha figures, along with thousands of man-made caves in the cliffs, surrounding the site, have made Bamyan one of the biggest and most ancient archeological sites in the region, historically and contemporarily. Bearing hardships and over-lasting different regimes and civil wars, the Buddha statues were destroyed by the Taliban in early 2001. UNESCO have included Buddha statues along with many other historical sites in Bamyan in its list of Cultural Heritage in 2003.

Buddha status: A UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site

The two Bamyan Buddha statues, each standing at 55 meters and 35 meters tall, once finished, were decorated with fine clay plaster and painted with oil, making them and their surrounding caves, where the monks settled, some of the oldest oil paintings in the history of human-kind. According to UNESCO, the cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley represent the artistic and religious developments which from the 1st to the 13th centuries characterized ancient Bakhtria, integrating various cultural influences into the Gandhara school of Buddhist art. In several of the caves and niches, often linked by galleries, there are remains of wall paintings and seated Buddha figures. In the valleys of the Bamyan's tributaries are further groups of caves including the Kakrak Valley Caves, some 3km south-east of the Bamyan Cliffs where among the more than one hundred caves dating from the 6th to 13th centuries are fragments of a 10m tall standing Buddha figure and a sanctuary with painted decorations from the Sasanian period.

UNESCO noted the Bamiyan Valley is the most monumental expression of the western Buddhism. It was an important centre of pilgrimage over many centuries. Due to their symbolic values, the monuments have suffered at different times of their existence, including the deliberate destruction in 2001, which shook the whole world. The artistic and architectural remains of Bamyan Valley, an important Buddhist centre on the Silk Road, are an exceptional testimony to the interchange of Indian, Hellenistic, Roman and Sasanian influences as the basis for the development of a particular artistic expression in the Gandharan school. To this can be added the Islamic influence in a later period.

BANDI AMIR LAKES:

The natural aquamarine blue coloured lakes of Bandi Amir are located at 75 kilo meters west of Bamyan town. The area beside inhabiting hundreds of families in 14 villages around it, is the country’s first internationally known national park. Each summer, thousands of national and international tourists come and visit Bandi Amir and enjoy their time at a firmly welcoming touristic environment, packed with local foods and locally-made handicrafts. Bandi Amir has mostly two seasons, with cool weather starting from May to end of August, while the cold weather runs the entire times of the year, with frozen lakes capped with huge snow. It is said that Bandi Amir is one of its only seven kinds in the world, due to its sky-blue waters and naturally made thin-walls from live limestones that reserve the waters in 7 separate small bodies of water. The water for the lakes mainly originates from natural springs, located at an altitude of 3000 meters above sea level, mixing with rain-water and snow melts, finally pouring into the lakes that are at about 2600 meters above sea level, respectively.   

Bamyan today:

Bamyan is one of the safest parts of Afghanistan and it is a pioneer in girls’ education and sports including its famous ski at the magnificent snow-capped mountains of Hindu Kush. There are many hotels and women owned shops that sell beautiful handcraft and embroideries. The Bamyan city is surrounded by stunning terrain and a cave network of monasteries including the colossal buddha statues that were destroyed by the Taliban once towered over the valley. Bamyan had the first ever female Governor, Habiba Sarabi and the people of Bamyan are known for their hospitality, love for art and civil and cultural creativity, which are tangible signs of civilization heritage.  

There are hundreds of public and private schools open in Bamyan that both girls and boys are studying. There are many international organizations in the province including prominent civil society and women rights group. At the heart of the city, there is the Bamyan University, which is growing each day as hundreds of students specially girls are studying different subjects. Bamyan is among the lowest ranking cities in violence and street harassments for women in the country. Girls enjoy both public dormitories and privately rental houses, where the people are very cooperative and peaceful, making everyone feel home. In addition, Bamyan is among the very few cities where women are freely allowed to do different kinds of businesses. For example, there are three women owned cafes within the city, providing a peaceful environment for families. There is also a small women owned Bazar, known as the “Little Bazar of Art”, consist of about 30 shops run by women and selling locally made handicrafts; from embroidered male and female clothes,  to creatively designed table clothes and wallets, and from woollen coats, waistcoats, socks, gloves to indoor woollen shoes, this little bazar is a glimpse of the creativity of Bamyan women’s arts and micro-business.

 Geography:

Bamyan is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, led by a governor, who is the direct representative of the President, along with a chief of police who represents the ministry of interior. Bamyan City, a valley crammed between the Koh-i-Baba and the Hindu Kush mountain ranges, serves as the province’s capital, which has another seven districts, each led by a district governor. Bamyan is located in the central highlands’ region and just 140 kilometres north of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. This province raises up at an altitude of 2,500 meters from the Bamyan River lines and 2,900 meters above the standard sea level.    

Important Places and Occasions:

Aside from its known Buddha statues, Bamyan is home to some magnificent sites and ruined cities such as:

• Afghanistan’s first national park, Band-i-Amir and third national protected area, the Shah Foladi Protected Area are located in Bamyan. During winter, when the temperature drops far below zero, skiing boasts in Bamyan, the only skiing site in the country with an established ski club, which holds international ski competitions every year.

• Red City, or Shahr-e-Zohak, a 1500 years old fortress built at the confluence of two rivers, which was trashed by the Persian army in 14th century;

• City of Sighs, or Shahr-e-Ghologhola, an ancient city destroyed by Genghis Khan in his 1221 siege of Bamyan, after his grandson was killed;

• Cheheldokhtaran (forty girls), an ancient fortress built for the forty servants of the princes;

• Chehelborj (forty towers), an ancient stronghold with forty towers, said to have fully guarded the ruler king, and

• You can find thousands of other ancient forts and pointed caves in Bamyan.