Afghan matriarch Painting

Inspired by Afghan Women from Gandhara Today Gandhāra is known to be the ancient name of the Peshawar valley region. However, in ancient times, Gandhāra included Kabul, Peshawar, Swat, and Taxila areas of what are now northwestern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan. Gandhara was even mentioned in the ancient Indian epics, Ramayana & Mahabharatha. It is speculated that a super human ‘tribe’ called the Gandharvas were originally inhabitants of the Gandhara kingdom and that the region is named after them. Gandharvas were described in the Rig Veda as ‘celestial beings living close to the sun and guardians of Soma (the equivalent of Ambrosia)’. Gandharvas followed polyandry with their women, Apsaras, taking multiple partners. Some of the earliest found idols in this region (similar to finds in Indus Valley), were those of female Goddesses. There are no male idols from this period. This is consistent with writings (Devi suktam) in the Rig Veda which recognises the feminine energy as the essence of the universe - the creator of matter and consciousness, the metaphysical and empirical reality and the soul of everything. Women are celebrated as the most powerful and empowering force in these writings. This changed across the region when Manusmriti, written by Manu, became the authority on the ‘duties of man & woman’ through the region. Due to its location, the people of Gandhara were also heavily influenced by Greek, Roman & Persian ideologies, which were all patriarchal in nature.

Painting:Acrylic on Wood

Original:One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size:17 W x 23 H x 1 D in

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