Insight Guides Pakistan (Travel Guide eBook) by Insight Guides

Author:Insight Guides
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Travel, Pakistan
Publisher: Apa Publications
Published: 2019-09-25T16:00:00+00:00

Taxila Museum.

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THE MUSEUM

Situated between Sirkap and Bhir Mound, Taxila Museum H (Apr–Sept 8.30am–noon, 2.30–5.30pm, Oct–Mar 9am–4pm, closed first Mon of the month; charge) houses a fine collection of Buddhist sculptures and stupas, as well as other items such as coins and ornaments, found on the site.

Inside Taxila Museum.

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VANDALS

One of the most enduring memories of a visit to Taxila is the cruel gash in the crown of Dharmarajika. Locals refer to this grand monument, possibly the first stupa to be built in Pakistan, rather irreverently as “Chir Tope”, or Split Stupa. The problem of protecting ancient art from unscrupulous treasure seekers is not new. One local man, by the name of Nur from the nearby village of Shah Deri, made a living during the 1850s by hacking into stupas and passing priceless relics into the greedy hands of streetwise officials and Rawalpindi antique dealers.

Without records of these artefacts, they are effectively lost to the world. Across Taxila, Buddhist statues, crudely decapitated, decay like elephants slaughtered for their tusks. Perversely, at Mohra Moradu monastery, some heads were removed by well-intentioned archaeologists in a desperate attempt to preserve them from butchers’ cleavers. They rest in the local museum. Today, small boys may gather around you as you gaze at the once-gilded Dharmarajika to offer you the spoils of their latest destructive assault on Taxila’s fragile archaeological layers. Anyone who barters for them, however, not only cheats Pakistan of her cultural heritage but also cheats themselves: the export of antiques from Pakistan is today strictly forbidden.

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