A significant discovery

Seven years ago, when the Taliban destroyed the Bamiyan Buddhas, the entire world was shocked. Sri Lanka led an international campaign to save the giant Buddha statues which were intricate works of art fused with faith.

Even predominantly Muslim countries such as Iran and Pakistan, which are preserving their own Buddhist past, were aghast at the sacrilege committed by the Taliban. But the Taliban went ahead and destroyed a common cultural icon of mankind.

Now, in the post-Taliban era, Afghan authorities are not only trying to preserve the Buddhist artifacts they already have but are also unearthing treasures from the past.

Thus the discovery of a 19-metre Buddha statue in sleeping posture in Afghanistan, close to the Bamiyan location, is a significant event for all Buddhist countries.

The basis for the discovery is also interesting - the archaeologists were relying on an account of a journey by a Chinese pilgrim who had toured afghanistan centuries ago.

This pilgrim described a similar Buddha statue in detail and there is little doubt that the statues he described, lost in the mist of time, has been found again. Many other artifacts have been found.

This is one of the most exciting finds of the century. A Buddha statue this large has not been unearthed for quite some time anywhere in Asia. It once again proves that Buddhism flourished in a vast area centuries ago.

Sri Lanka should one again play an active role in the preservation of this statue. Our archaeologists have valuable experience which they could share with Afghan and international counterparts. Sri Lanka should also assist Afghanistan in every possible to way to conduct further excavation and research regarding its glorious Buddhist history.

Afghanistan is rebuilding after decades of conflict and even now foreign troops are in the country. All Buddhists must laud the Afghan Government for undertaking this venture even amid various difficulties as it is a country in transition.

Religion and culture could act as an antidote to war and conflict. This is the very reason why even in Sri Lanka, temples and other places of worship should be closer to the people.

An emerging star

Ajantha Mendis, Sri Lanka’s new spin sensation has become the hottest star in international cricket. His fame has been cemented by the International Cricket Council itself, which has named him as the Emerging Player of the Year at the annual ICC Cricket Awards.

The 23-year-old burst on to the international scene this year by taking an extraordinary 26 wickets at an average of a mere 18.38 apiece in just three Tests with his unique brand of spin bowling, including the ‘carrom ball’.

In eight one-day internationals during the voting period, he took 20 wickets at 10.25. “I am delighted to win the award,” said Mendis after being presented with his trophy by Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardane.

This is a well-deserved award for Mendis, who has been promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Army which he represented at cricket events. Mendis is a clear example of latent talent being brought to the fore and we must be grateful to those officials in the Army who spotted his cricketing skills.

We hope Mendis will take this award in his stride and strive relentlessly to perform well in all international encounters, be they Twenty20s, ODIs or Tests. The latter is still the benchmark despite the soaring popularity of Twenty20s and ODIs, so Mendis should try to develop his Test career.

It is also significant that the Sri Lankan team has won the Spirit of Cricket award for the second year in a row. Sri Lankan teams have always been known for their sportsmanship and team spirit too is nothing new to our players.

They have always revelled in the success of the team as a whole and not looked specifically for individual fame.

They should always keep in mind that the country comes first, ahead of personal and monetary gains.

It is true that the face of cricket is changing. If the US$ 1 billion television rights deal for the proposed Champions League is anything to go by, cricket is very likely to be marketed and played in much the same way as soccer in just a few years. Purists may not like it, but cricket has to change to become a global game.