Giant Buddha statue discovered in Bamiyan, Afghanistan

by Sanjay Jha | September 9, 2008 at 01:50 am

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During the short tenure of Taliban rule in Afghanistan, all the important non muslim religious structures were demolished. They even blew up two giant standing Buddha statues on the ground that they were offensive to Islam. Now Archaelogists have found another giant Buddha statute.

Archaeologists have discovered a 19-metre Buddha statue along with scores of other historical relics in central Afghanistan near ruins of giant statues destroyed by the Islamist Taliban seven years ago.

The team was searching for a giant sleeping Buddha believed to have been seen by a Chinese pilgrim centuries ago when it came upon the relics in the central province of Bamiyan, an official said.

"In total, 89 relics such as coins, ceramics and a 19 metres statue have been unearthed," Mohammad Zia Afshar, adviser in the information and Culture ministry, said.

He said the idol, in sleeping posture, was badly damaged. The other relics dated back to the Bacterian era and from Islamic and Buddhist civilisations. In 2001 the Taliban blew up two giant standing Buddha statues carved into a cliff face saying they were offensive to Islam.