Seminar on Gandhara civilization held

Rawalpindi : A seminar was organized in the Punjab Arts Council on Gandhara's culture and civilization, narratives, history, and art on the eve of the Gandhara Festival 2023.

Dr. Ghaniur Rahman presided over the seminar while Dr. Zubia Sultana performed the duties of the host in the seminar. Dr. Ghaniur Rahman said that Pakistan came into existence on the basis of civilizations that are thousands of years old.

It was an ancient kingdom mentioned in the Vedas and Buddhist scriptures. It was established in the 6th BC to 11th centuries AD and extended to present-day KP, Punjab, and Potohar.

When Ashoka came here in 230 BC, People converted to Buddhism in great numbers. It was a modern civilization where there were monasteries, places of worship, educational institutions, and commercial centres were being set up. Its architecture came from the confluence of Greco-Iranian and local cultures. You are an example of engraving on sculptures and vessels found under Gandhara art, he added. Prof. Dr. Saadeed Arif, Prof. Dr. Abdul Hameed Chitrali, Dr. Tahir Saeed, Dr. Darial Chan while addressing the seminar shed light on the various periods of Gandhara civilization, history, and art.

The seminar discussed the religious, cultural, and archaeological aspects of the Gandhara civilization. Addressing the participants of the seminar, he emphasized restoring the lost importance of the national heritage of Pakistan, especially the centre of Gandhara civilization, regarding Buddhism. At the end of the seminar, a question and answer session was also held.

A large number of students from different cities participated in the seminar. At the end of the seminar, Mehfil-e-Sama was organized with Imran Aziz Mian. Imran Aziz Mian presented Dum Ali Ali, Yeh Hai Mekda, Allah Hi Jaane Koon Bishar Hai, Nabi Nabi, and Tera Jalwa and got a lot of applause from the gathering. The festival will continue till February 4.