Chapter 6: The Multilingual and Multireligious World of Gandhara

Stepping into Gandhara is like entering an ancient “global city.” Here, multiple languages and religions did not merely coexist — they interacted, creating the fertile cultural soil in which Gandhara art flourished.

A Multilingual Crossroads

As a key node on the southern Silk Road, Gandhara witnessed constant movement of people and cultures:

• Greek: the administrative language of Alexander’s successors, found in inscriptions and city governance.
• Persian (Achaemenid imperial language): left its mark on administration and symbols of kingship.
• Sanskrit and Pali: the primary languages of Buddhist scriptures, used for chanting and transmission.
• Kharosthi script: unique to Gandhara, widely employed for Buddhist manuscripts and inscriptions.

Coins, pillars, and stupa inscriptions bear witness to this vibrant multilingual environment.

A Multireligious Coexistence

Religious traditions in Gandhara were not mutually exclusive — they lived side by side:

• Buddhism: the central faith, driving the creation of Buddha statues and narrative reliefs.
• Hinduism and local cults: deities like Shiva and Vishnu appeared alongside Buddhist guardians.
• Greek gods: Heracles, Apollo, and others were “translated” into Buddhist protectors or artistic motifs.
• Zoroastrianism: its symbols of fire and light may have inspired the Buddhist halo.

This multireligious atmosphere gave Gandhara art its unique creativity: Buddha images combined dignity with humanity, while reliefs often merged Buddhist stories with divine figures from other traditions.

Gandhara was a stage for the “dialogue” of Buddhism with other religions. Multilingualism enabled Buddhist texts to spread across regions.

Why does this matter?

Because without this multilingual, multireligious environment, Buddhist art could never have become a truly “world art.” Gandhara belonged not only to India but also to Persia, Greece, and Central Asia — a genuine cross-cultural creation.