Neil visited Afghanistan in July-August 2009 to research his current novel. You can be a part of this exciting journey by following his blog which can be found on this website (Blog-i-stan).
Neil's primary area of interest is Bamiyan in the mountainous region of Central Afghanistan. This town was on the ancient Silk Route that led from Rome to China. It was here in the 6th century that giant Buddhas were cut into the cliffs above the town. They were hewn from the rock, their faces covered with wooden masks that had jewels for eyes. Fires were lit behind these masks and, as monks chanted, the light shone from them onto the devotees below.
The valley has known invaders since early times. Genghis Khan stormed through in the early 13th century and put all living things to the sword in revenge for the slaying of his grandson. The native Hazaras of this region claim to be descendants of this Mongol army.
The giant Buddhas managed to survive Ghengis but the Muslims from the west gradually gained a foothold and, as the wane of Buddhism began to occur, the statues and the surrounding monastic caves went into decline. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb did great damage to their faces in the 17th century and a century later Nadir Shah hacked off the largest Buddha's legs.
But the statues remained a part of the Hazara heritage. They called them Salsal and Shamana or the Father and Mother. They lived beneath them and in the caves surrounding them. People would come from far off countries to marvel at their construction. When the Taliban took control of Bamiyan in 1998 they persecuted the local Hazara population. In 2001, Mullah Omar, the Taliban chief, ordered the destruction of the statues. At first, the local Taliban refused but eventually 'experts' from Pakistan were brought in and the carnage commenced. It took two weeks of tanks, mortar fire and finally, explosives, to complete the job.
Check out what happened in this video (the commentary is not in English):
The giant Buddhas managed to survive Ghengis but the Muslims from the west gradually gained a foothold and, as the wane of Buddhism began to occur, the statues and the surrounding monastic caves went into decline. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb did great damage to their faces in the 17th century and a century later Nadir Shah hacked off the largest Buddha's legs.
But the statues remained a part of the Hazara heritage. They called them Salsal and Shamana or the Father and Mother. They lived beneath them and in the caves surrounding them. People would come from far off countries to marvel at their construction. When the Taliban took control of Bamiyan in 1998 they persecuted the local Hazara population. In 2001, Mullah Omar, the Taliban chief, ordered the destruction of the statues. At first, the local Taliban refused but eventually 'experts' from Pakistan were brought in and the carnage commenced. It took two weeks of tanks, mortar fire and finally, explosives, to complete the job.
Check out what happened in this video (the commentary is not in English):
In the time of the Taliban many Hazara people fled Afghanistan and arrived in places like Australia. Here they were welcomed by a hostile refugee program and interred in prison-like detention centres in remote areas. Neil's latest novel tells the story of one such asylum seeker and his long and perilous journey to suburban Melbourne where he meets a young Australian man struggling with his own demons.
During his 2009 research trip Neil will gather the colour and authenticity needed to finish this story. Apart from Bamiyan he will visit:
Kabul - the nation's capital and home to some of the fiercest fighting in recent history.
Band-e Amir - a collection of six lakes with mythical properties high in the Koh-e Baba (the Grandfather of Mountains).
Darya Ajdahar - the Valley of the Dragon, blocked by the petrified remains of a dragon that terrorised the local inhabitants before being slain by the heroic Hazrat Ali.
Shahr-e Gholghola - the City of Screams, named after the attack by Genghis' hordes.
Shahr-e Zohak - whose inhabitants murdered Genghis Khan's grandson.
Schools and individuals can keep track of his journey by logging on to his website and reading his blog. They can follow his trail using Google Earth and other web research tools. When he arrives home in September he will be available to talk at schools about his travels and the process of converting real-life experience into fiction. He will also be able to conduct workshops relating to his adventures and surrounding the linked themes of identity and immigration. For school bookings please contact Show and Tell Booking Agency
This is a trailer for the film The Boy Who Plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body. 