Sayyed Mirza Hussain - Life between the Buddhas

During the course of history, the 750 caves hewn into the vertical rock face in Bamiyan like a honeycomb initially served as prayer grottoes and dwelling for pilgrims and monks. Today, many of these caves are still occupied - by refugees. Several dozen Hazara families cook, sleep and live on the cliff side. These are modern cave-dwellers. They keep domestic animals, bake bread and bring up their children. One of

Sayyed relates how the Taliban initially attempted to hack away at the Buddha and the frescoes adorning the niches. And then how they attacked the statues with tanks, grenades and anti-aircraft missiles. But even these attacks resulted in a lot less damage than was expected. Finally in a fit of pique the Taliban placed large quantities of mines, grenades and bombs at the feet and shoulders of the statues and ignited the whole lot. The torso of the giant figure, however, remained intact. Only after around 20 days of senseless attacks at the beginning of March 2001, were specialists flown in to blow up the two giant Buddhas professionally.

For Sayyed Mirza Hussain, it was as if he had just witnessed an execution.

Following the destruction of the Buddhas the world suddenly began to take an interest in the remote Bamiyan valley. The "liberators" arrived, journalists and charity organisations and, once again, life on the cliff face took a dramatic turn.

Since spring 2004, the caves and grottoes on the cliff face have been abandoned and are now empty. Sayyed Mirza and the other families have been resettled and live in a sterile village of huts on a high plateau, at least two hours walking distance from the bazaar. A windy place, without water and devoid of any social cohesion. What had happened?

The governor of Bamiyan and a French charity were of the opinion that the cliff and the Buddha niches are now part of UNESCO's global heritage and dwellers were no longer welcome. UNESCO was outspoken in its protests. They had always been firmly against any resettlement plan for the cave-dwellers since, according to UNESCO, people have been living on the cliff in Bamiyan for centuries. After all, the residents would protect the frescoes in the caves from looting. But the protests were in vain.

The cave-dwellers of Bamiyan are now forbidden from living on the cliff.

Taysir Alony - Witness to the destruction

Taysir Alony was in Afghanistan for years as a correspondent for "Al Jazeera". During this time he was responsible for capturing the most spectacular 'scoops'. He enjoyed close relationships to Taliban officials, to Mullah Omar and al-Qaeda. He was responsible for organising interviews with bin Laden and he was also responsible for making the famous video footage of the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas.

"I had very close contacts with the local Taliban who were very sceptical if not downright opposed to the destruction", declared Taysir Alony. The burning question was "why did the Taliban resort to such measures?" "They felt that the world had cheated them" countered Taysir Alony. "They realised that nobody was interested in the disastrous consequences of the economic blockade. Internationally, the Taliban were completely isolated. I believe that with the destruction of this symbol of Buddhism they wanted to set a political agenda. And I also think the international appeals and protests regarding the Buddhas made the Taliban ruthless. The world showed little interest in the fact that hundreds, yes even thousands of children in Afghanistan suffered from malnutrition or were maimed as the result of mines. Now, because of two old stone figures, the world reacted with cries of horror."

During shooting in September 2003, Taysir Alony was arrested in his house in Granada in Spain, as he was about to attend a Peace Congress. In spite of not being in the best of health the star reporter

Xuanzang - The search for the truth

Xuanzang was a pilgrim, monk, scholar, translator, searcher of the truth and a popular Chinese hero. Born in 602 AD, the stately and good-looking man already turned to Buddhism as a teenager.

In 629 AD, Xuanzang wanted to leave Changan, the former capital of China, to discover the truth about Buddhism in India. However, the Emperor put a stop to the journey. Nonetheless, the young monk set off from his home on foot in a cloak-and-dagger operation, on the 16,000 kilometre journey. He crossed the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts, the snow-covered mountains of Pamir and the Hindukutch. Robbers, demons and thousands of dangers were always lurking.

Xuanzang took 16 years to reach his destination. His "Buddhist Records of the Western World", Si-yu-ki is a Chinese classic. His legendary journey is filled with countless traditional stories and fables.

Xuanzang was also a meticulous documentarist. He was very painstaking when writing down everything he saw and experienced. Thus in the film, he is treated as a real, living figure. Cinematographer Peter Indergand retraces Xuanzang's footsteps through sand dunes and snow plains and off the set we are able

Sometimes, a type of singing and whistling could be heard, sometimes cries of agony. Looking around and listening carefully, there is a feeling of total bewilderment and disorientation."

(Xuanzang in the film "The Giant Buddhas")

Xuanzang overcame blizzards, mountain gods and bands of robbers and, finally in 632 AD, reached his destination - Bamiyan. As the exhausted traveller witnessed the valley of the giant Buddhas before him for the first time it must have completely taken his breath away. Thousands on monks live in the caves on the cliff. And each evening, the curtain covering the face of the great Buddha is slowly drawn aside. On seeing the red-painted colossus the pilgrims fall to the ground powerless, one after the other.

However, Xuanzang's fastidious report not only mentions the two standing Buddhas in their niches. Without emotion and in an almost matter-of-fact way he describes a third Buddha in Bamiyan. And this "sleeping Buddha" is more than three-hundred metres long.

Zémaryalaï Tarzi - Where is the sleeping Buddha to be found?

Zémaryalaï Tarzi has been mulling over this for the past 36 years. According to Xuanzang's report, the Buddha statue, supposedly more than 300 metres long, is buried somewhere in Bamiyan. The 65-year old professor has absolutely no doubt about the existence of the colossal Buddha statue. Tarzi is an Afghani and studied archaeology in Strasbourg. In writing a thesis about the Buddha statues of Bamiyan

"Why should a third statue, referred to in the report simply be fantasy?"

(Professor Tarzi in the film "The Giant Buddhas")

In 1973, Tarzi was the senior archaeologist in Afghanistan and head of the national preservation of sites of historical interest. Finally, in 1977, he had sufficient funds to start excavations in Bamiyan. Unfortunately, though, the Russian invasion thwarted the researcher's plans. Tarzi had to flee for his life.

Today, Professor Tarzi teaches at the Marc-Bloch University in Strasbourg. During each summer holiday he goes for his excavations in Bamiyan. And, when summer is over, he is more convinced than ever that he has at least pinpointed the monastery referred to in Xuanzang's report, or even the tips of the toes of the sleeping Buddha... or perhaps the plinth on which he is resting.

But the men earn 3 dollars a day, a princely sum in Bamiyan. As soon as a workman discovers something, he puts his pick and shovel aside and Tarzi and his archaeological team uncover the fragments carefully. With small scrapers and brushes and a lot of patience. The camera always close by...

And we are witnesses to wonderful discoveries...

Nelofer Pazira - The journey to Bamiyan

The Afghan/Canadian author and actress Nelofer Pazira grew up in Kabul at the time of the Soviet occupation. When she was just 16 years old, the family fled to Canada. That was in 1989. Twelve years later, Nelofer played the leading role in the film "Kandahar", produced by Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf. The film became a worldwide success.

Nelofer Pazira lives and works in Toronto and the first scenes show her reviewing the printers' proofs for her book "A Bed of Red Flowers - In search for my Afghanistan". Nelofer calls her father to ask him a few questions...

In his student days her father, Habibullah Pazira, like many educated Afghanis before the war, visited Bamiyan with his fellow scholars. They sat on the head of the 55 meter high Buddhas and played their instruments. Nelofer studies the photos of her father and his friends in Bamiyan. As her father proudly poses in front of the head of the great Buddha. How her father recalled the echo that reflected the voices of the singing students as if they were sitting in a circle. And her burning desire to be able to set eyes on the giant Buddhas, just once.

Nelofer flies to Kabul. The journey from the airport to the city brings back memories of her childhood: of a city with green parks, a thriving culture and a lot of poetry.

Thanks to the extraordinary courage of the museum director, Omara Khan Masoodi and his staff, at least part of the treasures could be brought to safety. But the museum was severely damaged and looted and thus became a symbol for a country that has lost its cultural past as no country before.

"A NATION STAYS ALIVE WHEN ITS CULTURE STAYS ALIVE"

(Inscription above the entrance to the National Museum)

Nelofer sets out on the journey to Bamiyan. Although the valley is only 240 kilometres from Kabul, the bumpy drive in a jeep takes a whole day. Finally she reaches Bamiyan. Devastated, she stands in front of the empty niche of the former giant Buddha. The muezzin in the nearby mosque calls the faithful to evening prayers. Nelofer observes the empty niche and the rubble inside. For a few precious seconds she has the feeling that the great Buddha, once again, is standing in the niche.