Afghanistan 3: Bamiyan Cliffs

A visit to Afghanistan by Weng Hongming and Adam Smith.

The World watched in horror as the Taliban (literally meaning "students") in a public show of anger and fanaticism destroyed with a combination of dynamite and Tank fire, the two famous Buddhas which graced the cliffs of Bamiyan in Afghanistan. The Taliban rulers had been angered by some Western government's repeated refusal to recognize their rulership as legitimate, and because of sanctions imposed on their country for human rights abuses. The Taliban were also ... (more)

Memories.
Picture of one of the Buddhas intact in 2001. * Image from...

Destruction
One of the Buddha statues being destroyed in 2001.

Afghan "A La Carte".
Typical eating house scene on the way to Bamiyan. Same old bread. Same old...

Cool for Cats
Local kid in a Chaikhana (eating or tea house) checking out the latest...

Troubles
Yet another skeleton of an Afghan conflict. This one was just on the...

Descendants
Scene inside the downstairs Chaikhana of Mama Najafs Guesthouse in Bamiyan....

Back to Basics
Back to basics,as these are the common kitchen conditions in most...

Panorama
A wide panorama of a section of the Bamiyan cliffs.

HongMing
Hongming at Bamiyan town. Buddhist Cliffs in Background.

Balloons
Two local kids who followed us for a while on the approach to the Buddhist...

"War and Peace"
A wonderful photo of contrasts considering the background cliffs are...

Blue & Greens
Nice photo of the crops and women wearing Burkha (full veil). The Burkha has...

Impressions.
One of the Niches and UNESCO signs. On closer inspection, a kind of shadow...

Stone Arches
Inside one of the caves.

Attic.
A local fella in one of the high caves within the Bamiyan Buddhist...

Innocence
Many of the current inhabitants of Bamiyan are re-setttled refugees from the...

Spike!!
Obviously the cult of thrash metal has made it's way to Bamiyan.

Group Photo
The bunch of kids who hijacked us on the way to the cliffs. Armed and...

Play Time
Young Afghan kid trying on HongMing's glasses. As you can see,...

False Promises?
A UNESCO sign near the rubble at a Niche base where one of the 2 Buddhas once...

Vacant!
The heartbreaking sight of the Buddha Niches. Labelled as "Idolatory and...

Patchwork
View from the Buddhist cliffs down onto the main dirt track and...

Cave Man
Me (Adam) looking out of one of the numerous caves in Bamiyan Cliffs....

Grottoes
View from the many Caves and Grottoes which pepper the Bamiyan cliffs.

Windows
A view from one of the many Grottoes that pepper the cliffs of Bamiyan.

Birds Eye
Looking back down from the peak of cliffs at the town of Bamiyan and...

Artillery.
Hongming trying out one of the abandoned artillery posts on the top of the...

On the Defensive
This must of seen some action during all the years of defending the...

Ammunition
A typical scene around the cliffs of Bamiyan. Fired and live bullets lying...

Trenches
We stumbled across this network of defensive bunkers on the top of Bamiyan...

Unusual Terrain
Example of the unusual terrain which grace the Bamiyan cliffs.

Hongming of Bamiyan
Nomad discovered wandering the Grottoes of Bamiyan.

Same Same But Different

Honey Comb Cliffs

Panorama
Glorious photo of the view surrounding the Buddhist cliffs around...

Footprints
Like a footprint in wet sand, the Buddha niches in the background with...

Shadows
Near dusk at the Buddhist cliffs of Bamiyan. The contrasting greens...

Unveiled.
Children were clearly the easiest people to photograph in Afghanistan as they...

Ethnic Mix
The mix of faces which make up the Bamiyan population thesedays.

Neon.
The Neon lights and commercial hustle and Bustle of small town Bamiyan.

Sunset
Speaks for itself does'nt it. Sunset from Mama Najafs Guesthouse...

article published 9/23/2003

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I well recall, the day when the Buddhas were blown up, wasn't it a "OH, NO!!" moment>?!! It is soo SAD, when ANY artistic treasures are destroyed, anywhere!! (sigh!)
— Eleanor Robb, January 14, 2006

Thanks for the wonderful & interesting photos!
— ellie robb, January 3, 2004

Bamiyan
I was so fortunate to have travelled to Bamiyan before the Buddhas were destroyed. My friends and I too climbed the cliffs and explored the caves and we even stood on top of the head of the tallest of the Buddhas. We stayed in a guest house too and took many photos at sunset. No artillery around in 1973 though. Then on to Band-i-amir!
— Nancy Friday, December 22, 2003

Eyewitness to history
Hongming and Adam, your images make us all eyewitnesses to the brutality and cruelty of war and the scars that it leaves on the land and on those who live upon it. Yet your pictures also reassure us that life will go on, particularly the wonderful portraits you have shared with us. The haunted expression of that child you show us in "Innocence", the children playing with your glasses, the contrast of expressions in "Unveiled" are documents that verify fact that the people of this country still survive. Thanks again for these rare visual insights into one of the most ravaged lands on earth.
— Phil Douglis, September 27, 2003

lovely shoots. what do u think for a female to travel around there?
— Ernie Teh, September 24, 2003

Finally!!!
Hi Augustinus! Even though i've seen your pictures in beijing it was a feast for my eyes to see them again! Great work my friend!
— Piotr Ptak, September 23, 2003

Very good and interesting observations. Pictures added another dimension to comments. Well done presentation. Regards, Rafal
— Rafal K Komierowski, September 23, 2003

Hi Weng & Adam,
You guys are brave! Your articles on Afghanistan are valuable for it sheds light to the current conditions there & that visiting it is now possible when all this time, the rest of the world can only see it via newspaper & magazines (e.g. Times, Newsweek, & etc.) whose pics are geared more toward military campaigns. There's virtually no other current articles on this country except yours & that's why it's really valuable. It allows us to see Afghanistan from a tourist (not political journalists) perspective. Thanks!!!
— [Eltneg], September 23, 2003

Adam,

Thanks for the great photo's and the insight into the conditions of this area.
— Ron Dunnington, September 23, 2003