GANDHAR (KANDHAR)

In the past decades a lot of excavation has been done in ancient Gandhar (Kandhar), from which many things belonging to the Buddha period are been found like old cloister, dagoba, idols etc. Sir Orelstin and Dr. Leacock has obtained many curtains, pictures, coins, furnishings and idols through excavation from the area of Takala Makan of Khotan and Gobi regions of Chinese Turkestan. This establishes that that was the main road of traders and pilgrimers of China. THE ARYAN ERA OF AFGHANISTAN The Aryans were residing in Afghanistan since the Rugveda period and the ancient name of it was Gandhar. The mother of Kauravas', Gandhari was from Gandhar. Prior to the rise of Buddha religion, the sixteen Mahajana Pads were popular. Kamboj and Gandhar were among of them. In 350 B.C. great grammar expert Panini's birth was in a village of Gandhar. Many mythological Buddha stories have taken place in Afghanistan. Takshashila was then great Vidyapith (University) and students from far regions were coming over there for higher education. According to the ‘Vinay Pitak' written in ‘Pali' language, ‘Jivak' of the Magadh region went to Takshashila to learn ‘Vaidak' (Medicine Science) from the great and world-famous ‘Vaidraj' (medicine expert) over there. After getting graduation from Takshashila, ‘Jivak' became ‘Raj Vaidya' (king's medical expert) of the king ‘Ajatshatru', and later became the ‘Vaidya' (medicine expert) for the entire Buddha followers.