Historic footage of Bamiyan statues

[bartacus1]

It is nice to see a record. Destruction of antiquity and our shared cultural heritage is perhaps the greatest crime humanity inflicts on itself.

[Mayortwilleger]

@bartacus1 Humanity? Didn't Muslims destroy the statues?

[witwanggibon]

@Mayortwilleger Yes, humanity. By saying something like that you actually imply that Moslims arent humans

[Dambis0]

CURSE OF THE BAMIYAN BUDDHA

Once Lord Buddha asked an irate, parent of his disciple, who was cursing him.” What happens to food when you prepare a feast and the guest doesn’t turn up?” The parent replied he would wind up and eat it for himself. Then Buddha replied “You just prepared a feast for me, and I don’ eat it.”

This is exactly what the Buddha would have replied to the Taliban-and the rest you can see after a decade of destruction of the statues what happened to those who destroyed.

[nobleminge]

It was blown up to find the gold the Leprechaun hid under it.

[r3boxx]

statues are not allowed in islam so the destruction was not personal

[borneo215]

peace to my ancestors i love you with all my heart you spent your life making these monuments you make me proud i will never forget my ancestors and buddhism they are afghanistans backbone history and roots but when muslims came they destroyed everything and brainwashed my people what have we become from the days where the sky was blue the grass green now look at what they did to my ancestors sacred grounds

[anu123km]

@borneo215 u an Afghan???

[unanimous300]

Thank you Hal, Halla, and David Linker for preserving our world heritage on film.

[DRAGONKINGOFTIBET]

BEING A BUDDHIST . I WOULD PRAY LORD BUDDHA FORGIVE THESE SOULS . WE RESPECT ALL RELIGION , BUT I WONT WEAR A SUICIDE BOMB VEST AND ASK EVERYONE TO ACCEPT BUDDHISM . MUSLIMS WOULD HAPPILY SAY ME - BURN IN HELL . WHILE A BUDDHIST WOULD SAY - ILL STILL PRAY FOR U TO BE FORGIVEN BY LORD BUDDHA AND ATTAIN NIRVANA . I DONT HATE U , UR STILL MY BROTHER . BUT MUSLIMS WOULD KILL ME TO GO TO HEAVEN , LORD BUDDHA WOULD SAY LAY UR OWN LIVES IF IT BE TO SAVE SOME ONES PRECIOUS LIVES.

[Denmarkpwns]

@DRAGONKINGOFTIBET you arent a buddhist, and you dont pray to buddha, buddha isnt a lord. buddha doesnt forgive anyone since he never judged anyone. stop saying you are something you arent.

[paulmccartneyrocks]

@DRAGONKINGOFTIBET I'm not sure why you are speaking like this, but I just wanted to let you know that one, it isn't fair or right to use the term Muslims in a general way like you do, assuming that all Muslims believe in and practice "jihad" and condemning the "infidels", etc. Also, I don't know what kind of Buddhist you are, but in no way does Buddhism involve a "Lord Buddha" or praying to any. And, like a previous poster stated, Buddha doesn't forgive because he doesn't judge. (cont'd)

[paulmccartneyrocks]

@DRAGONKINGOFTIBET (cont'd) Like previous poster Denmarkpwns said, the Buddha wouldn't need to forgive anyone because he doesn't judge anyone. It might be beneficial for you to read some texts on Buddhism (and also Islam, while you're at it), to better understand that the 'Buddha', a.k.a. Siddhartha Gautama, was not a god, divine being, or 'lord' in any way, nor did he claim to be. I'd also suggest taking a few grammar lessons; I doubt anyone can take you seriously with the way you write.

[unanimous300]

@DRAGONKINGOFTIBET - "There is no way to peace. Peace is the way."

[colinbclark]

Amazing that the destruction of these priceless monuments was condoned by Afghanistan, while the burning of one Quran (of which there are hundreds of millions in print) half a world away incites violence that leads to the death of several innocents. Just sad.

[Tiesto20121]

@colinbclark Some people have longs ways to finally realize that the quran is just a book to lead in the the right path to their religion. It shouldn't symbolize ones beliefs, that comes from within.

[AryaSravaka]

Can You Imagine How much devotion these old buddhists must have had to create a such great creation. We are talking about Digging, carving and painting inside a rock here...to me it is unimaginable. In Srilankan Buddhist Scripts says that Afganistan used to be a Major Buddhist country with Arhats. One of the Main teaching of buddha is Impermanence,Non Self. If you wanna see similar creations visit Srilanka. After destroying Nalanda and killing monks alive,..Cant imagine Y people do these things

[raahulworld]

@AryaSravaka visit srilanka,why? To see innocent tamilians being killed?Srilanka is not a buddhist state..Buddha never advocated ethnic cleansing!

[imilkdude]

i really don't get why they use that 'god is great' saying for atrocious acts :| it just gives a wrong impression to their religion same with the kkk's. extremists.... :\ i'm losing hope on humanity

[privatepinkbits]

its like burning your own house down, buddha bless the Taliban they are just children totting AK-47s and holding sticks of dynamite like lollypops

[PlasticBeach666]

You can destroy a statue. You can't destroy what it represents.

[snuckles108]

Too bad the taliban blew up these statues it will be a great tourist attraction making the country gain some wealth from tourism. Please perserve this documentary we will never ever see this its part of the great wonders of the world just my opinion since I find buddhism statue to be more interesting.

[niceola]

This had to be magnificent and breathtaking, it surely takes a bunch of narrow-minded people to spoil such a beauty!

[bifi34]

Islam.. destroyer of cultures, human rights and minds.

[LFStentor]

@bifi34 what do you know about Islam exactly? except lies obviously

[zhukov1968]

This is not buddha. Mass media controlled by masons try to convince us of that. But this is statues of our Gods, who built pyramids, Ester Island statues, Stonehenge and others. Masons are controlled by reptoids - highly advanced civilisation which enemies are our Gods - highly advanced humanoids

[abby495]

@zhukov1968 I knew it: ) it makes sense

[MegaLondon999]

Shame on ISLAM

[LFStentor]

@MegaLondon999 Shame on you.

[paulmccartneyrocks]

@MegaLondon999 No - shame on the Taliban regime and all others who tried to destroy or vandalize these statues.

[TheKkronic420]

these type of people, the Taliban and their enablers, will never reach enlightenment.

bad people do bad things, but to get good/decent to do bad things takes religion.

[sam842002]

This is an actual evidence of Civil Human Society w/o any divine intervention being destroyed by ignorant theocratic and delusional Taliban. Shame on you and your God.

[HSFAFilmClips]

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[sabilillah]

i wish Saudi arabia would pay for the rebuilding of the buddhas which were destroyed in he name of islam

[HSFAFilmClips]

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[dantae666]

SHAME THE TALIBAN HAVE BLOWN THEM UP

[MrCusmile]

They distroyed to hide the truth. They didnt want us to see such beautiful work made by humans who paid respects to the buddha. Why esle would anyone destroy things? I know ...they dont have a history grand enough like the one they destroyed. All that piled up bombs and dynamite, not much happening in life take it out with a statue of buddha they must be bored.

[zxcvqwer84]

look how magnificent the statue is!the people r looking like ants when compared to that statue.in those years without any modern equipment people those days have dared to create something like this!!these muslim barbarians dont know the value of anything.all they know is to reproduce,bomb statues,bomb people.if this continues they will end up bombing themselves

[cliffwalkinfool]

That peek over the edge of the 175-foot statue is amazing! My grandfather taught me, "It makes no sense to be afraid of heights but it is perfectly natural to be afraid of falling!!" I've seen his pictures of the Bamiyan Valley. They worked in the Middle East for years and kept a home in Beirut. They returned for good in 1964. I am trying to track down the slides he shot of his travels. If so, I can use the Internet to identify their content; he gave his slide shows from memory.

[RJhasFLOW]

@cliffwalkinfool Good luck!

[achinthamb]

@ulfatghorzang: Don't speak on behalf of you are not aware of. It seems you have misunderstood the very fundamentals of Buddhism.

1. Buddha is not a God. He is is a human being like you and me, but with extraordinary personality and consciousness .

2. And he never thought that he can save others from their own problems.

3. He never thought he created the universe nor he thought a God created the universe.

4. Finally name a thing that isn't natural nor man-made.

[mdxndy]

Thanks so much for the upload.  Amazing

[KHMERAZN562]

Wow, its amazing how islam could be so violence.

[BadBoyKilla1234]

By blood, we are immersed in love of you.

The youth lose their heads for your sake.

I come to you and my heart finds rest.

Away from you, grief clings to my heart like a snake.

I forget the throne of Delhi

when I remember the mountain tops of my Afghan land.

If I must choose between the world and you,

I shall not hesitate to claim your barren deserts as my own.

[passssionate]

tht was a good upload, thank u.........can u guide me where i can catch the rest of Halla and David Linker's travelogue series

[indiesixtynine]

It's adorable how he calls the Buddhists "fanatics". Sure was a different time. Lovely work preserving this, by the way. So sad it's gone now. The ROP strikes again.

[nukedotmn]

wow those gers look very much like Mongolian gers. Like to know when Hazaras abandoned living in gers? Apparently, they still had ger in 1970s.

[RanjanLekhy]

Thanks for uploading clip. It is really historical footage.

[Reeckh]

thnx 4 vid.The yurt of hazara very same with our mongolian.

[DAIWANGO2]

wow thank you so much HSF for putting this clip up for all too enjoy.

Afghanistan was a beautiful country back in the 70s. nice.

[kaboomkabul]

We the Aryans/eurasians will replace all these inferior beings in Bamiyan .

[supercalifragable]

Will you be able to do it with Islam as your religion? It boggles my mind a beautiful Aryan people like the Afghans have been following this afro/middle eastern cult and have reduced themselves to the state they are in now. Afghans are the original Aryan who came from Europe and whose Odinic practices mixed with indian traditions eventually giving birth to hindusim and budhims which emerged from that.

[dented42]

@supercalifragable Hmm… I normally don't lower myself to this, but:

You Are An Idiot.

[MrMorgansgoat]

That is exactly that attitude that destroyed those statues in the first place, and dont try to link europeans to the fictional aryan race, there is no such thing as the aryan race, I am european ,racists are the only inferior beings ,thankyou.

[hoplitespao]

What was the reaction of Buddhists after destruction? Nothing

What was the reaction of Muslims after Mohammed's carricatures? Hate....

[impermanentoo]

The Buddha statue is to remid us he virtues of the Buddha.

Buddhists can realise the truth without the statues too

[mikatan12]

praise god that those damed statues were taken down!

[sahab999]

Good times.... :(

[geoscience]

What I find so amazing is, that America allows people like these to get in their country. These Talibans.

[Adirafs]

Such a shame.... It was amaizing peace of history... Shame on u talibans !

[Primetome]

Ive been here, 2007.

[attipitto]

MrOllie94 ! We muslims do not worship the black stone. What Talibans did is just because of ignorance of true preachings of Islam. Islam never allows destrorying religious buildings of non-muslims and even the Statues. So pls clarify your view regarding that

[WLOVESF]

I can't believe the Taliban got away with destroying Bamiyan statues.

[popinjay3000]

to all our buddhist brothers and sisters, dont worry we will restore these statues to you once more, muslims historically have done a lot more than christians in protecting the rights of other religions and their places of worship, to tthe christians enjoy your recently manipulated moral high ground...it wont last for long...

[MrOllie94]

congratulations on the taliban for distroing these beautifull buddha images, so the rest of the world can worship a black stone in saudi arabia.

GET A LIFE!

[usmhash]

we afghans were not having any intention to destroy these bhuddas . if we were having any such intention it wud have been destroyed centuries ago . these were pakies who did it by the hands talibans (funded by cia through isi 1996)

[BOSURLO]

They should be ashamed of not respecting others. Disgusting mentality.

[dejayclon3r]

By destroying Buddha's statue...They are destroyed themselves and their own people...

[888Kharami]

Many Blessings...Good Is Living Here Again...Like the Beautful Energy, And Giving Vibes of the Sculpters & Painters...Bhuddha Nature, Cristos Light as One showing the same thing in differant ways...Many muslims beleif in one God and One Love...Great Video and enematic audio comentary

[dejayclon3r]

buddha is god not allah..

[livefrom3mileisland]

All of this "My God's bigger than your God" really is a nonsence.

The historical value and interest of something like this far outwieghs any such argument.

[fairkoala]

by destroying the statutes the taleban sealed their own fate at the hands of the allied forces. that is the power of the buddha.

[wisconsinrulz]

I cannot believe someone whould want to destroy something so historic and something that meant so much to other people.

[JJFP1]

Ha ha the stupid buddha does not exist anymore, godless idol worshippers.

[crazy4n]

You stupid! are happy with what stupid Taliban did? they desdroy your country's history and you are happy for that???

sham on you and your idea!!!!!!

[livefrom3mileisland]

It's about historical interest and value, not my God's bigger than yours, ffs. Incidentally, God doesn't exist. Don't know if anybody has pointed that out to you before.

[geoscience]

Science don't exist. Never seen science create a universe.

[qari0aryana]

thanx a lot to the the uploader

we cant describe Afghanistan in one video

Afghanistan has a lot of beautiful landscapes and buildings and rich people and some poor like any other country

[bikendra]

thanx american destroying lot of beautiful landscapes and building and making rich people very poor and some people live no more you deserve it who destroy the faith of religion .eat pork.

[rwnministries]

Thanks so much for posting this. Beautiful and historical..

[redmond12400]

This is one of the best documentary i have ever seen. please preserve this.

[HSFAFilmClips]

Glad that you so appreciate this travel documentary and are concerned that it is preserved. I am pleased to let you know that we are preserving this film as well as many others in our collections.

[noobler9]

about the time rome fell, the twin statues of that size were made, nice...

I see why the middle east is the cradle of civilization, the geography looks appealing, I see why it's the least civilized too though at the same time

[eresaco]

Hahahaha nice vid but that dude wasnt made to talk on tv

when he says we where ready to explore the sites of Bamiyan a very famous city techhaasqefojpefrvewbpvwqhuivc­piqe

hahaha xDD

[trinitrotaulene]

talibans destroyed buddha statues and now taliban is getting destroyed, see the prompt justice by god.

[zyrkon78]

your logic is flawless

[yan008]

Its called Karma

[Fowad861]

Nobody was worshiping the bamyan buddha it was a historic heritage, those who destroy it will pay a heavy price like pigshtoon taliban, paki istan, terror united arab emirated and saudi arabia.

[peacebaba]

How beautifull our culture was. we decorated mother earth before this stupid religion came into existence.

[fairkoala]

Buddhism is so true and pure...everlasting peace of mind

[ulfatghorzang]

You know people whom I consider the most ignorent and foolish in the world are the Buddhists because they worship something which is made of their own hands....huh. and he(Your God) cannot protect himself even from a mosquito...hahahaha How can he create the whole universe. IT IS SOMETHING IMPOSSIBBBLEE AND UNBELIEVABLE....?!!!!!!

[HSFAFilmClips]

Please remember, productive discourse requires respect, otherwise the remove button is used.

[baze128]

Being calm, compassionate and modest is something we all can do by ourselves regardless of who "made the universe". You don't need to worship particular thing to be a good person. I can't believe someone feels threatened by a statue.

[CapricornBG]

@ulfatghorzang what an Ignorant comment :) these statues that date all the way back to the 5th century were the largest Buddha statues ever and now they are gone, and here you are making fun of Buddhists, and for what reason? The world is doomed as long as there's no tolerance and you are a fine example of this;

[CapricornBG]

@ulfatghorzang what an Ignorant comment :) these statues that date all the way back to the 5th century were the largest Buddha statues ever and now they are gone, and here you are making fun of Buddhists, and for what reason? The world is doomed as long as there's no tolerance and you are a fine example of this;

[dented42]

@ulfatghorzang Umm… no one ever said that the Buddha created the universe.

[jirildo]

Buddhism is not a religion, It's a living spiritual movement.

[mtmraj]

It was Emperor Ashoka who extended his empire in 250 BC upto the borders of Iran and made the whole region as Budhist.That is history.There are Budhist shrines in Peshawar as well.

[nussbaum73]

this was a really interesting video although the narrator was annoying. when they climb up the statue and look over the edge it reminded me of a thousand splendid suns by hosseini. that part of the book was my favorite, too.

i hate iconoclasts.

[ycats1000]

the poor buddhists...

their religion is probably the most noble of all religions, the practice peace and non-violence -

[Hospitaller]

ALL religions theoretically practice peace and nonviolence. "Thou Shalt Not Kill"?

Point is, whenever it's convenient, fanatics have a habit of selectively ignoring certain parts of their own religious texts. It's quite sad.

[bitherwack]

All of the Buddhists I know see the statues as a way to focus their attention, not as an object of worship. I've often felt that the Cross for many Christians that I know has been more of an object associated with special properties, and worthy of respect to the point that I wondered whether it wasn't these Christians who weren't more idolatrous.

[hedayat]

afghanistan was a toerist destination,

look what you what they ahve done to it now...

always the foreigners that dont want us to live in peace i wonder why

[baetores]

@Listman11

"You must look beyond the statues. The site was deen holy by the monks who lived there and therfore, it must be respected."

Seems like I hear a catholic talking

[k1df1ghter]

Great video, what a fantastic place Bamiyan is/was. The narration of the male could have been a bit more fluent, however.

[LuaBloe]

It's even more sad to see figures of the most compassionate 'religion' being brought down by fanatics of such a barbaric religion...Like they need to dig deeper and deeper into their angry praising of their 'God'. Ugly.

what can you do...?

[raj2007ca]

Its funny how after these bombings the whole country was engulfed in war. Its almost like a curse.

[baetores]

Why bow down to statues? They can't hear, they can't talk, they can't prevent their being blown up.

[raj2007ca]

baetores they dont believe the statues are god they bow down because what the image represents. Why do muslims bow down one way when god should be all around us? Muslims wonder why they hated around the world um this is why.

[baetores]

First you have Buddha who is about a way of life which doesn't include worshipping statues. Next, his followers make statues in order to have a materialistic foothold for their faith, because they don't just believe Buddha but want to see something. Next step (or risk run by this) is that following generations don't think beyond the statue anymore. Not you perhaps but your grand grand children.

[maxelldemon]

ok lets destroy all the great statues of the Lord Buddha (and all other religious statues)and then what?will that make people more religious?Those statues represnted Buddhism even after thousands of years and if one can't think beyond the statue its one's problem.Not the statu's nor of those who built it.

[wasdx4lyfe]

hes not about a way of life where did you ever hear about that he has teachings in his life experiences he never wanted a religon to happen his most closest disciples created their own versions of his experiences split off made there own sects people make statues of him out of respect no1 is suppose to pray to them

[Listman11]

You must look beyond the statues. The site was deen holy by the monks who lived there and therfore, it must be respected.

[wasdx4lyfe]

no thats not the point india had made the statues in afganistan

[bitherwack]

It wasn't Afghanistan when they built it. It was part of the Buddhist kingdom of the Kushanids. Those statues had been around for about 700 years before the 12th century when it was taken over by a different tribe.

[Fahim420]

what r u talking about????? idia only was helping to rebuild them with the afghan government, the buddhas were build 1700 years ago by the budists, Afghanistan was budist before muslims

[Ferdos200]

lol what are u talking about, u gotta know what u r talking about when u t commenting on stuff like that. buddas were built in afghanistan 1700 years ago, they were built by the budist Afghans, part of Afghanistan was budist and at the time u see these photages, India was only helping Afghanistan to keep the buddhas alive by rebuilding them

[4SCARECROWS]

i would posts some old pictures i have of the 175 foot buddha. But if I did the Taliban would probably blow up my photo collection of it!!!

[omidtv6]

I been there in 1965 and i was in a hut like that i liked bamian and its buddas but now i am helping people rebuliding it by sending them 500000 dollas a month

[waynehyl]

Afganisatan should boost the tourism industry in ordet to increase the country income, so that the people there will not starve, provided that Taliban should be entirely destroyed first otherwise the tourists will be in danger.

[11dejulho]

This is a wonderful and exciting video... I was really so glad to see it. It's really a shame what the talibans did.

[fobbit2]

Amazing how much Bamyan and Afghanistan has changed and ironically stayed the same. Warring, religious intollerance and destruction. Too bad. This film is a great artifact thanks for posting!

[bbrovers5]

yeah its a was a magnificent statue shame some people just don't like it

[vras1960]

WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DOCUMENT! I had visited Bamiyan back in 1977 and it was an incredible experience. it is such a pity that the Buddhas were destroyed! great loss for humanity and Afganistan!

[temptation4life]

Mate, Einstein said there are two things that have no limit. The universe and human stupidity. The second part is so so true.

[2pita2]

Admirable! and beautifully recordatory of what life used to be like. Thanks to the Linker Family for their fantastic and unique way of filming the best side of the WORLD...

[sean1027]

It is imposible to describe all the good qualities of Budda!!

[temptation4life]

Gosh! It was so beautiful even then. Down with Islamic fundamentalism that has destroyed my motherland so badly. Long live the memory of the Buddhas of Bamiyan.

[stereo1977]

Fantastic document of time. How much 34 years can change a place, but the destruction already started earlier, as we can see here. Do you have the other part(s)?

[Listman11]

stereo1977, so let me get this straight, if you come across religious artifacts, if it is damaged, then you are justified in destroying it.