SAARC Special Lecture by Prof. Ghani-Ur-Rahman

SAARC Special Lecture (Virtual Mode) titled Hindu-Buddhist Influences on the Muslim Art and Architecture in Ancient Gandhara, Pakistan was held on (Monday), 11th November 2024, 3:00 pm (Sri Lanka Standard Time) at the SAARC Cultural Centre (SCC), Sri Lanka. The speaker of the SAARC Special Lecture Series was Prof Ghani-Ur-Rahman, Director of the Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations (TIAC), Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.The lecture delved into the rich history and cultural exchange that took place in the ancient Gandhara region. The ancient region of Gandhara located in present-day Pakistan holds a significant place in the history of South Asia. Because of its unique location, it has been a centre of vibrant cultural exchanges, particularly in the realm of art and architecture. The lecture explored the Hindu-Buddhist influences in Muslim art and architecture that can be seen in the symbolic motifs, architectural styles and religious iconography present in the ancient structures of Gandhara. He further elaborated how these signs and symbols of Hindu-Buddhist origin continued in today’s Muslim art and architecture, mostly for decoration purposes, but the process has inevitably preserved the cultural continuity in Pakistan.