Tours

One of the seeming miracles in the story of man is the spread of ideas, across the barriers of formidable mountains, vast oceans and national boundaries. The warm acceptance of concepts from distant lands goes to underline the deep similarity of human nature and aspirations everywhere. One of the greatest examples of the dissemination of philosophic and artistic ideas is the spread of Buddhism from the Indian subcontinent to the many countries of Asia. We must remember that these ideas spread entirely without the use of the sword. Buddhism has a great vision of the eternal harmony of the world. This faith, with its message of compassion, spread far and wide and shaped the culture of a continent. This is a culture of peace and gentleness which continues, even in the midst of the materialistic world of today.

Just across the border from Afghanistan, the town of Termez has the sites of two major stupas, dated between the 1st and 3rd century AD—Kara-Tepe and Fayaz-Tepe. The ruins show that both were major monastic centres.

Kara-Tepe has vast and extensive ruins and must have housed a large number of monks. This is the same period of time when the great Indian Pandit Kumarayana would have traveled on the Silk Route, from Kashmir past here to Urumqi (now in China), where he married Princess Jiva of Kucha. Their son Kumarajiva went on to become the greatest name in Buddhism in China. Travelling through Uzbekistan reminds one of the great romances of the exchange of philosophic and aesthetic ideas in the ancient times.

The trade routes that ran from northwestern India to northern China made possible both the introduction of Buddhism to Central Asia and the maintenance, for many centuries, of a flourishing Buddhist culture there. Indie faiths were never a missionary movement. However, Buddha’s teachings spread far and wide on the Indian subcontinent, and from there, throughout Asia. In each new culture it reached, the Buddhist methods and styles were modified to fit the local traditions, without compromising the essential philosophical points of wisdom and compassion.

When Buddhist merchants visited and settled in different lands, members of the local populations developed interest in their beliefs. Such a process occurred with Buddhism in the lands along the Silk Road in Central Asia during the two centuries before and after the
common era. As local rulers and their people learned more about this Indian religion, they invited monks from the merchants’ native regions as advisors or teachers and, in this manner, eventually adopted the Buddhist faith.

Buddhism in the south of Uzbekistan arrived from North Western India. Some scholars date the corning of Buddhism in Uzbekistan to the time of the Kushana King Kanishka (the first half the 2ncl century AD) Others date the beginnings of Buddhism here to an earlier period. Greek coins of the 2nci century BCE found in this region have Indie deities and motifs. The Buddhist Stupas in Termez are of fundamental importance in the study of the history of Buddhism in Uzbekistan. From the excavations of the early stupas of this area begins the study of Buddhist monuments in Central Asia.

There is a fine Shiva head, a few Buddhas, and some remains of mural paintings in the National Museum at Tashkent, which preserve memories of the culture of ancient Uzbekistan, as well as its links with India.

Though identified with the Persia, the Zoroastrism probably originated in Bactria or Sogdiana. Today most Zoroastrians live in western India and are known as Parsees ("from Persia"), though there are also small communities of Parsees in Iran. Many distinguished scholars share an opinion that Zoroastrianism had originated in the ancient Khorezm. Indeed, today in the world there were found 63 Zoroastrian monuments, including those in Iran, India, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Thirty-eight of them are in Uzbekistan, whereas 17 of these monuments are located in Khorezm.

Born in the ancient Khorezm, Zoroastrianism was the state religion of the three great Iranian empires, which existed for over 13 centuries, up to the 7th century A.D. Zoroastrianism was a dominant religion almost everywhere in Central Asia and the Middle East.

For thousand years Zoroastrianism was widely spread in Khorezm, Sogdiana and Bactria. In the lower reaches of the Amu Darya River, three kilometers off the town of Khojeili, there was found a unique archeological complex - Mizdakhan. The complex stands on three hills. In its eastern part there remained a lot of sepulchral chambers for assuaris. The complex is what remained of a town that used to be a trade and crafts center of the Khorezm state. One of the branches of the Great Silk Road ran through this town. Not far from Mizdakhan stands Chilpik - a well-preserved ancient cult Zoroastrian construction. According to the legend it was the place where Zoroaster wrote the first lines of Avesta. The strong walls of the fortresses Ayaz-Kala, Toprak-Kala, Kuy-Krilgan-Kala, Burgun-Kala, Dev-Kala are still the integral part of Khorezmian landscapes. While examining these great monuments, the archeologists found the remains of fire temples, household articles, ceramic objects and sculptures - all relating to Zoroastrianism and Avesta characters. In the interior of Toprak-Kala, for example, there were found fragments of wall paintings and sculptural decor. Some Zoroastrian customs and traditions can be traced in the present life of the local people; for instance, duels of fighting rams, typical Khorezm dance Lyazgi, which is believed to be the fire-worshippers' ritual dance.

On Afrosiab hills, which hide the ruins of the ancient Sogdian capital Marakanda, there can still be found statuettes of the Zoroastrian goddess of fertility - Anakhita. According to the legend, one of the oldest Bukhara mosques Magoki-Attari was built in the 11th century on the foundations of Zoroasterain shrine. The last mention of Zoroaster followers in Samarkand and Bukhara dates back to the period when Islam was spread in the area. After the Mongolian conquest, there probably left no more Zoroastrians here. The Central Asian Jews, or Bukhara Jews, so far have been studied very little, though this very ethnic group has preserved many customs and rites closely connected with Zoroastrianism.