Authors:

Anand Gupta

Abstract:

The study aims to explore the historical heritage of Indic civilisation in a territory which is unfortunately popular for its political chaos and its violent conflicts, particularly in the late 20^th and early 21^st century. The northern and eastern part of the current Afghanistan was once a part of a flourishing and glorious Gandharan Buddhist culture, which was an inherent part of the larger Indic civilisation during the early historic phase, termed by historians as ‘Greater Gandhara’. The recent changing dynamics of India-Afghanistan relations give us an opportunity to explore and understand the centuries-old remains of shared cultural testimonies of this cultural geography between India and Afghanistan.

The study chooses some major archaeological sites spread across the region, which was once part of the Greater Gandhara region, having a flourishing Gandharan Buddhist culture along the commercial routes. The sites such as Bamiyan, Kapisa/Begram, Hadda, Kakrak and Tapa Sardar were selected to understand their historical and cultural background in the context of Indic Civilisation. Such archaeologically rich sites have been facing severe challenges of destruction and neglect for decades. The problem of poor management, unavailability of resources and technology, and chaotic political unrest have made the condition worse.

In light of Viksit Bharat target of 2047 and India’s significant soft power potentials, the paper suggests a proactive role for India in the field of protection and preservation of these cultural testimonies of Indian Civilisation.

Keywords:

Greater Gandhara, Buddhist archaeology, cultural heritage, Gandharan Buddhism

Vol & Issue:

VOL.18, ISSUE No.1, March 2026