4
When it came to
controversy, or the matters of faith and pride, last three centuries saw a
shift of geographical favoritism to the central Asia. Bamiyan had become the Jerusalem of the east. It
was hotly contested by various faiths and nations. Its development over the
other greater cities of central Asia like Kabul ,
Samarkand , Tashkent
or Kandahar
could be chiefly contributed to the symbolic presence or absence of the giant
Buddhas there. So intriguing was their effect that every community in the world
tried to make its presence felt in Bamiyan; turning it into a mixed and shortly
even the most inflammatory city in the world.
The city was
initially in control of the Arab s, who built the white mosque with its blue
onion dome. Towards the end of the twenty first century the predominantly Shia
Iranis captured the city and established a higher centre of Shia spiritual
learning that centered on the Farsi Mosque. The Farsi Mosque and the Farsi University Iran , Bamiyan fell into Jewish
hands. The Jews replicated the Temple
of the Rock at Bamiyan as the easternmost outpost of their influence and developed
it as a seat of the Rabbi of the orient. The Christians were still conspicuous
by their absence from the city. It was not till the Russians ousted the
Americans and Israelis from the city that the first church was built. It was
the Russian Orthodox Church of Jesus the Apostle which was later upgraded to
the status of Archdiocese with the reigning Archbishop of Bactria. There was a
brief re flourishing of the Buddhists with the coming of the Chinese whom
Russians recruited in a large number in order to have a greater control over
the city. The Chinese brought back Buddhism with them and reconstructed the
lost Buddha of Bamiyan and built the Pagoda to Avalokiteshwara the Bodhisattva.
By the end of the
twenty fourth century the Hazars and Pathans from Bamiyan and the surrounding
parts of Afghanistan had
approached India
so that the power could be restored to the natives.
In year 2374, Indian
forces crossed the Suleiman and captured the city of Kabul . By the end of the year the united
Baloch and Indian forces entered Iran and toppled the western forces at Yazd in
the middle of Dasht – e – kavir. By the end of the year two armed groups were
marching towards Mazar-e-Sharif. The Chinese forces got no re-enforcements from
the Russians.
The Russians,
who were always wary of the Chinese had entered into a secret treaty with the
Indians at Baku whereby they would not reinforce the Chinese military and let
the natives ovetake Mazar –e- Sharif,
and later Bamiyan with the help of Indian forces, if the Indians could
ensure that the Christians and the Archdiocese remain safe, and that the
Russian companies, and traders were given a special status. In fact they offered
help to India in case China
starts any military operations on the Indian borders.
By the year
2376, the Chinese had retreated from Afghanishtan and Bamiyan had fallen into
combined Indian and Afghan forces. An Indian cantonment was constructed at Bamiyan
and two great Indian style mosques were constructed – The Akbari Mosque in the
east and Jama Masjid in the south. In the north-eastern corner of the city a
new Indian enclave was constructed in the traditional Mandala design and was
named Somapuri as Afghanistan
was considered the traditional land of the Soma and the temple
of Somnath was built – the largest Hindu
temple outside of India .
This made the religious diversity of the city complete. By the year 2377, the
Indian army had moved back and Afghanistan
was rendered a republic with Bamiyan having a special status and the Bamiyan
Assembly representative of all the communities taking care of its legislature.
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