HINDU ART IN PAKISTAN A STUDY BASED ON MUSEUMS COLLECTION
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Date
2007
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of Archaeology
Abstract
Hinduism mayloosely be defined as a major religious and cultural tradition of the
South Asian subcontinent, which developed from Vedic religion. It is practised
primarily in India (Bharata), Nepal and to someextent in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
It comprises a diverse family of devotional and ascetic cults and philosophical
schools, all sharing a belief in reincarnation. In general it involves the worship of one
or more ofa large pantheon of gods and goddesses, including Brahma, Siva and Visnu
(incarnate as Rama and Krsna), Kali, Durga, Parvati and GaneSa.
The polytheistic religion, which the Aryan invaders brought into the subcontinent,
was one, whichfit their warlike, pastoral society. Manyoftheir deities resembled the
gods of their cousin Aryans, the Greeks and the Romans. These in all probability
mingled with deities and practices of Harappan origin and most certainly with nature
gods and goddesses of Dravidian culture, which paved the way for what cameto be
known as Hinduism.
Hindu India absorbed elements that challenged its pattern of existence, not all of
which, like Buddhism, were of internal origin. Many invaders and rulers left their
mark on India, but none destroyed the resilient culture. From these pressures and
compromises there emerged Hinduism, which becameidentified with the core of
Indian culture. One major exception was the religion of Islam, which, having
penetrated India, first early in the eighth and then more vigorously in the eleventh
century AD,refused to blend with Hindu culture. The result was the partition of the
subcontinent in 1947 into Muslim Pakistan and Hindu India (Bharata). The present
study is mainly concemed with the remnants of Hindu art found in Pakistan.
Antiquity robbers through clandestine diggings brought a major portion of this
cultural heritage — mainly sculptures — to light. How much of it went abroad is
difficult to say. That which has remained in Pakistan now lies scattered in different
museums and private collections. Only a small portion of this material comes from
proper excavations.