MINGORA: The cultural activists and history lovers in Swat welcomed the initiative of Italian Archaeological Mission of restoring an important rock carving of Bodhisattva Padmanpani and placing it in Swat Museum after it was blasted in 2007 in Jahanabad, Manglawar.

The Bodhisattva Padmapani or Avalokitesvara according to Dr Luca Maria Oliveri, head of the Italian Archaeological Mission, was originally located in Jahanabad closer to the main Jahanabad Buddha.

“It belongs to seventh century CE. It was part of the Jahanabad Buddhist complex along with inscriptions, the Buddha, caves, staircase and other ruins. The complex was mentioned as ‘the temple of Indrabhuti’ by renowned Tibetan monk Orgyanpa in his travelogue to Uddiyana, Swat,” he said. He added that the carving was blasted in those days when Jahanabad Buddha was defaced by militants.

The archaeological piece was destroyed by militants in 2007

“It was drilled at two points in the top and was blown up with explosives. Who knows? It might have been used as a training test before trying to destroy the big Buddha,” said Dr Luca. He added that luckily its fragments were recovered in 2015, assembled, and then restored.

Usman Ulasyar, a cultural activist in Saidu Sharif, appreciated the move and said that people of Swat were indebted to the Italian Archaeological Mission for restoring the important chapter of Swat history and putting it on display in the museum.

“Rock carving is one of the important chapters in the history of Swat. In the past there were far more than the now surviving 200 rock carvings. Unfortunately majority of them have been defaced and destroyed, others were personally saved by Giuseppe Tucci in the 60s and brought to the Swat Museum,” he said.

Mr Ulasyar said that archaeology department and Italian Archaeological Mission should work jointly to bring all the endangered rock carvings to Swat Museum and display it in the open air gallery. “This way, not only our rich cultural heritage will be protected but it will also provide an opportunity to people to see and study them in detail,” he added.

Anna Filigenzi, the author of a comprehensive study on the Buddhist rock sculptures of Swat, also appreciated the action taken by the Italian Archaeological Mission and the museum.

“Restoring the sculpture and giving it a prominent place in an open air gallery is not only a matter of enhancing the museum’s collection, it is a symbolic re-appropriation of the community cultural wealth. The rock carvings, in particular, shed light on a still little-known period and bear precious witness to the formation of momentous visual traditions, which we see in full blossom in the later Himalayan art, but evidently had in Swat its original cradle,” she said.

Faizur Rehman, the Swat Museum curator, said that by placing the Avalokitesvara carving in the front lawn of the museum was an important step for the cultural heritage and history of the valley.

“Bringing broken parts of the carving to Swat Museum and then its restoration remind me the harsh days of Swat when militants not only targeted the innocent people but also tried to demolish the art and cultural heritage of the valley,” he said.

Mr Rehman said that after placing the rock in an open air display, Swat Museum became first of its kind in the country to have an open air gallery. “Soon we will declare the front lawn of the museum as “Uddiyana Garden” and will try to bring other rock carvings located in different areas of Swat that are crumbling so it will be an open air gallery,” he added.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2018