Buddhas of Bamiyan

Colossal Buddha statues cut into the cliffs of Bamyan, Afghanistan (destroyed 2001). The best-known sight of Dervla Murphy’s Afghan journey in Full Tilt.

At a glance

Source	Author	Role	In one line
Full Tilt	Dervla Murphy	subject	The statues and monks’ caves of an unspoiled valley she begs officials not to commercialise.

Full Tilt — Dervla Murphy (1965)

Source: Full Tilt - Ireland to India With a Bicycle · Original · Readwise highlight

I woke this morning, looked through my window and almost fell out of bed with excitement. This hotel is built on a 1,000-foot cliff rising sheer from the valley floor and across the valley, distinct in the brilliant, early sunshine, I saw a 120-foot-high statue of the Lord Buddha standing, as it has stood for over 2,000 years, in a gigantic alcove in the golden sandstone mountain – both alcove and statue having been carved with extraordinary skill out of the rock.

• Role: subject
• In the book: She examines the statues and the maze of monks’ caves with the Indians, finds the valley unspoiled, and watches village children stage a bird-fight. She pleads with the Tourist Bureau not to spoil it with cafes and souvenir shops.
• Why it matters: The great Buddhas are the best-known sight of her Afghan journey, and she says she could spend a month there.