THE valley of Taxila, once known as “Takshasila” lies about thirty-two kilometres north-west of Islamabad. It is located in the vicinity of Margalla spur and is about forty minutes drive from the capital city.
In ancient times, this land remained victim of foreign invaders. New civilizations emerged over the debris of old one. Though several signs of ancient civilizations have been swept away by the sands of time, the ancient remains at Sirkap, Sirsukh and Bhirmound still stand their testimony.
Alexander the Great invaded this land in 326 BC and with them came Greek Culture in this land. It is here that the Gandhara School of Buddhist Art flourished and reached its zenith.
Gandhara is the geographical name for the region that, once, extended from Taxila to Jalalabad and included Peshawar, Bannu, and modern districts of Rawalpindi, Jehlum and Mianwali. And the art that developed here came to be known as Gandhara Art.
In the 2nd century BC, Buddhism was adopted as the state religion which lasted for one thousand years. As the Gandhara Art developed during this period, the statue of Buddha became the central figure of this art.
According to Professor Ahmed Hassan Dani, Director of Taxila Institute of Asian Civilization, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, “The art died in the seventh and eighth century AD. However, it was in the 18th and 19th centuries that with the advent of British in the subcontinent, this art was revived when they exhibited their interest in this art.”
The Gandhara School of Buddhist Art that produced sculptors in ancient times, still constitute as an invaluable asset of this land. The work is done in two mediums stone and clay. And it is easy to work in the latter than the former. The zenith of this art is the “Fasting Buddha” which was first copied by a local sculptor, Zardad Khan in the 1960’s, using stone.
Now-a-days the master artisans of Taxila make different art pieces using stone from the hills of Taxila and make exquisite carving on them. The individual and inborn talent of these local sculptors exhibits vitality of expression in their work. Unfortunately, few individuals are keeping this art alive despite various impediments. They create artistic work with bare hands which is indeed a very difficult task. They have made a variety of stone products ranging from ashtrays, jewellry boxes and tables. This work is done without any kind of support from the concerned authorities.
It is also worth mentioning the names of those few artisans who are keeping this art alive. They include: Ustad Latif, Zardad Khan, Ustad Akram, Ustad Babu Khurshid, Yousuf, Mustafa and Waheed.
Ustad Latif, a seventy-year old master artisan of this work says, “I started this work in 1961. My teacher was Ustad Fazal Ahmed, I went to Lahore with him to do the repair work on Yadgaar-e-Pakistan and used to get Rs 8/- per day at that time.”
He is a person with rich imagination and creativity. He says, “When I carve a piece of stone and make an engraving on it, I just think for a a few moments. The whole design comes to my mind. And I start my work without making any sketch of it.”
So a simple and valueless piece of stone become invaluable piece of art and adores houses of many art lovers.
Ustad Latif is willing to transfer this art to others but says that students quit this work because “mali lehaz sey tassali buksh nehein hai.”
Shakeel, among his children learned this art, while the youngest one, Bakhtawar, is now doing his Masters in English Literature. The whole family supports him financially. He is reluctant to learn this art as he says, there is no “surparasti” of this art.
If one visits the Taxila Museum, one can see these artisans sitting in a row under the shade of trees along the Khanpur Road, Taxila, commonly called Dhibian.
Mostly they make mortars and work on theka under the local thekedars which costs them financially. Moreover, they become bound to work with them and can not work with their own free will and choice. They make three or four mortars in a day and earn about Rs 2,500/- per month. While the thekedars take away the profit. These mortars are being sold throughout Pakistan.
When morning comes to the town, they leave their homes to the place of their work. The seasons meet and depart but they toil under the shade of the trees indifferent to these seasonal changes. This is another lamentable aspect of these creative artisans.
Taxila that once had been the meeting place of ancient trading routes and according to Sir John Marshall in his 'A Guide to Taxila' says, “In earliest Buddhist literature.... Taxila is frequently mentioned as a university centre where students come and get instructions in almost any subject, religious or secular, from veda to mathematics and medicine, even to astrology and archery”. A few years earlier, as a result of unremitting efforts of a renowned personality, there was a plan to revive Jaulian University. But, later on, it was shelved. Had the plan been translated into action, it would certainly have gone a long way towards revival of city’s forgotten ostentation.
It could also have brought bright social and economic prospects for the people of Pakistan in general and Taxila and its artisans particular.
THE valley of Taxila, once known as “Takshasila” lies about thirty-two kilometres north-west of Islamabad. It is located in the vicinity of Margalla spur and is about forty minutes drive from the capital city.
