Youssef Kohzad recalls the first time he saw the 175-foot-tall Buddha of Bamiyan, constructed in the 5th century AD by the Kohsan Empire, "You see this artistic statute and cannot fathom how this figure has been carved in a mountain."
Kohzad explains that within the statue's chambers, where monks resided, many beautiful frescos were painted on the walls and the ceilings. One of those frescos was the "Women Musicians of Bamiyan," painted on the ceiling
of the main chamber located in the head of the giant Buddha. Its colors were still vibrant, resisting sixteen
centuries of bleaching sunrays and natural corrosion.
The Taliban obliterated the Buddhist statue in March of this year because they do not
allow for tolerance of other religions, art or culture. Kohzad calls the annihilation "an act of disgrace."
He says, "No government in the world has the right to destroy the culture and heritage of their people."
Kohzad's interpretation of the ancient mural debuted this summer in the Endangered Art of Afghan Exhibit in
Palo Alto, Calif.
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