Nava Vihara

Takht e Rostam (Persian تخت رستم, DMG throne of Rostam ), Atashkadah e Nau Bahar (Persian آتشکده نوبهار, DMG Spring Fire Temple ) and Nush Azar (Persian نوش آذر, DMG entertainment fire or toast - fire) Nava Vihara (Sanskrit नव means new and विहार pleasure, as well as in Urdu / Hindi Naubahar, awakening in Buddhism, in allusion to the birth of the Buddha) is one of many derelict buildings in the province of Balkh, about 20 kilometers west of the city of Mazar i Sharif and south of the historic city of Balkh. It is located in the vicinity of about 1100 m high Alburz - ridge (Persian البرز کوه, DMG high mountain ). The ruin is evidence of a very large building or building complex, which was in the course of the centuries always off, new and rebuilt, and finally destroyed. The building was severely affected by dynasty or change of religion, wars, conquests, and exposure to one rivers affected. What remains is an approximately 20 x 20 m large area with a small residual of columns and a circular hill (Persian تپه رستم, DMG hills of Rostam or Persian توپى رستم, DMG hat Rostam Sanskrit: Stup स्तूप or Bhahadi पहाड़ी ). Furthermore, a wedge-shaped structure (Persian تخت رستم, DMG throne of Rostam ) near the city of Balkh. Two of the seven fireplaces or temple, were less than 400 km as the crow apart.

Etymological meaning of Naubahar

बिहार ( Bihar ) means monastery, which derived from the word Vihar विहार ( pleasure) is derived. Synonyms are खुशी ( Kushi or Koschi and खुश ( kush ) The meaning: . " Happy " or " merry " Bihar is also the name of a city in Magadha ( capital Pataliputra ), where the Founder of Buddhism in the 6th century BC. . first recited his teachings, hence the oldest and once most important region of the Buddhist religion. Bihar Buddha is born.

In Indo-Iranian culture Subahar was - one of the seven famous idol temples of Ancient Persia - sung near the historic town of Ghazni with poems and songs. Naubahar is celebrated in India ( since 1947 also in Pakistan) by the great, particularly the Islamic and Hindu singers. The songs are linked to the poetry of Hazrat e Amir Nasser Amir Khusrau Delhawi Chosroes. The Indian poet is the inventor of the fourth Indian music direction and at the same time the Pir of Kabul kharabat. Because Subahar he has the bass variation of the sitar, Sur (vote, harmony baptized ).

Nau Bahar means new awakening and meant in the context of the rainy season, a kind of new dwelling. Buddhism speaks of the new temple. Naubahar as Spring is an allegory for the rebirth of nature. What the Holy City of Jerusalem Arab القدس al -Quds ( al-Sharif ) mean for the three major world religions of the Middle East for Jews, Christians and Muslims, is the historic city of Balkh as a kind of Mecca for the three major religions of Asia namely Zoroastrianism, Hinduism and Buddhism.

Nau Bahar as a temple and meditation place in the annals of history

This place was as according to the respective historical periods and religious periods

• An Indo -Iranian worship, inter alia, for Mithra, comparable to the goddess Venus, and for Anahita and sun worship in prehistoric periods as symbols for the basic elements of life: fire, water, earth and wind. They were taken from Zoroastrianism.
• A Zoroastrian fire temple ( at least until the first century AD during the dynasty of the Sassanids ) as Takht e Rostam
• A Buddhist Stupa (2nd century to the 8th century during the Greco - Bactrian dynasty kuschao ) as a top e Rostam ( Rostam Hill) ).
• Massjed e No Goband (Persian مسجد نو گنبد, DMG mosque with nine domes ), the first Islamic mosque in the area of Bactria and finally in recent times even as
• Haji [ Haji ] Piadah Baba (Persian حاجى پياده بابا, DMG father, who made ​​a pilgrimage to Mecca, took on foot). Nasser Khosrow, whose home by division of Badakhshan in 1856 in two Badakhshan ( Afghanistan ) and Gorno- Badakhshan Autonomous Province or Kohistan District, Badakhshan in Tajikistan) posthumously dual citizenship had endowed him, undertook to produce a millennial pilgrimage Hajj to Mecca and indeed on foot. In his Safarnameh (Travelogue ) he has the route from Balkh to Basra, Egypt, Jerusalem, Mecca described to Medina and back. He has a total of 2220 Farsang or Parsang (Persian فرسنگ, DMG path dimension of 6.24 miles) measured.

Mithra worship - Zoroastrian fire temple or Takht i Rostam as Naubahar

The current city Balkh was called in ancient Bactria, the capital of Bactria. Balkh (Persian بلغ, DMG generosity or noble ) with the adjective (Persian بامى, DMG Dawn concerning or relating to sunrise ) was used as Omul Belad in Arabic Mother of Cities, Bughdi and Khorasan, said to have been built in prehistoric times be. The old town, around 11 square kilometers in size, was surrounded by high walls and countless castles and towers. The satellite image shows the size of the old city of Balch dar. once the cradle of Iranian culture, today is a gigantic ruins northwest of the city of millions Mazar e Sharif (Persian مزار شريف, DMG noble grave ).

Anahita, Indira, Mithra or Mitra ( means love, mother sun, Libra and Sun) and Sohra (Arabic for Venus) were honored in this place. Over time, the moon, the property of the goddess of love and beauty was attributed. Finally, the Taliban (1996-2001) have banned based on the Iranian solar calendar Nowruz, even if they could not enforce its prohibitions in Afghanistan everywhere.

Every year in Mazar i Sharif during the spring equinox Nau Bahar, the traditional New Year festival Nowruz instead. It takes forty days. This festival is also called Mella e Gul Sorch [ Sorkh ] ( Red Flower Festival and the Tulip Festival Picnic ). Came from all areas of the former Iranian highlands and India and coming - up on the occupation of the city by the Taliban - people to attend the ceremonial events of the Nau Bahar. Balch was once the cradle of Iranian culture. Mazar i Sharif was once a suburb of the historic city of Balkh. Balch was called in Arabic Mother of Cities

Buddhism has become one of the three nichtabrahamistischen world religions in the eastern part of the Iranian highlands. In nichtabrahamistischen world religions, especially when Zoroastrianism and Hinduism is not the word at the beginning but the tone of the sound. The hymns, the songs of Gathas and Regvidas are usually presented as songs with dance. Therefore, the Indo-Iranian peoples call the sound of Sur, the valley (Hindi ताल for rhythm ) and Tar, and Tar valley string ( musical instrument ). Sur kardan means, for example in Afghanistan agree to the instruments for musical performance.

Buddhism from India influenced the Kuschno - Sassanids strong. Avesta hymns and Vedic songs, music and dance belong to Zoroastrian and Hindu religions. Sanskrit and Iranian languages ​​have the same Urbücher. Mutual plastered with red paint in India during Holi ( Spring Festival ) and with rose petals or tulips, later offering drinks with rose water in Balch at Nowruz, at Nau Bahar, had and still has same meaning. Before the Islamization of wine was served. Today detention Mewa or Keschmeschau offered ( raisins water with rose water).

The Temple of Naubahar was decorated with various ornaments, in the form of different colored elevations of floral patterns, in particular, for example, Gul Sanbaq, lilies, irises and lily ( heraldry) and images of the sun. These reliefs have been built or sculpted plastic- picturesque, with Zoroastrian and Hindu forms, figures and symbols.

Top e Rostam - a Buddhist stupa as Naubahar

The Kushans, even Zoroastrian Sassanid converted in the first century AD, Buddhism and erected along the Silk Road, mostly on a hill (North -West Frontier Province, NWFP now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Hadda in Jalalabad Logar ( Minar of Chakari ), Stupa of Shevaki and Hindaki, Kabul, top Darrah, Kapisa up in Bamiyan ( Buddha statues ) to Balkh ) their meditation centers that apply to Hindu holy places in Afghanistan. This religion has developed in the Iranian culture their peculiarities. So the statues of Buddha are not shown seated, but standing, slim and without belly. They also have names from Iranian mythology. The Kushans converted to Buddhism - Successor to the Sassanids - have spoken in old Iranian language.

Johann Martin Honigberger (1932 ), Charles Edward Yate (1886 ) and Oskar von Niedermayer (1915 ) have visited this site in Balkh and they mentioned in their works and travelogues. Charles Edward Yate was the first Englishman who describes the ruins Tope -i - Rustam and Takht -i - Rustam (also Eustam ) as two strange structures. In the manner of an old British colonial officer he prescribes, inter alia:

Renaming of Nau Bahar in Masjed No gonbad

Bactria and thus Balch was one of the countries that was conquered only in the 8th century by the Abbasids. The Barmacides, even adherents of the old religion have the Zoroastrian and Buddhist reliefs and Orga Menten Nau Bahar covers in which they painted over the patterns and mosaics with plaster and new Islamic acceptable pattern as verses from the Koran and mirab and Minbar added to this place to save them from destruction.

The Samanids approximately by 10 and 11th century Christ have extended this mosque with nine domes. They changed the name of the Buddhist temple Naubahar similar Qubba or Samanid Mausoleum in Turan ( countries of the Turkic peoples of Central Asia ) in mosque with nine domes. Thus, this mosque is regarded as the first mosque in the province of Balkh or Bactria in the country, which was called in the Middle Ages Khorassan. The Iranian Tromp dome was used by the Sassanids for palaces and fire temples. This form have the Samanids to the paint over places of the temple namely to have been arrived or exposing the non-Islamic patterns and ornaments to the fore for its monuments, mosques and tombs, as well as places of worship also benutzt.Im over time, so that the temple by the Islamic fanatics supposed to have been destroyed, as these floral pattern were to interpret for them as un-Islamic. After the Renaissance the Islamic period, the devout Muslims came to power. The campaigns of Genghis Khan and his successors Tirmur i long Tamerlane are possible reasons for the destruction of this temple, the Afghan scientists whose reliability of their statements are not verifiable. This body, this ruin, is now under the auspices of UNESCO, the UN cultural organization, covered, to preserve the ruins from further destruction. In Travel reports of Yate (1886 ) and Oskar Niedermayer (1915 ), the two Takht e Rostam and Best e Rostam in Balch are described in more pretty accurate.

Today millions of city of Mazar e Sharif was then a small place. There is also a Zoroastrian fire temple is said to have stood. But the successors of Genghis Khan and Timur i long, Herat Timurid not built in Balkh, Mazar i Sharif but in a blue Mosque, named after the son and cousin of Muhammad, the fourth caliph ( Sunni) and after the first Imam ( Shiites ) of a shrine. Since then, the Nauroz hard, here celebrated the beginning of spring in the Blue Moscheee and there followed the ancient tradition of Nauroz to this day, although it was repeatedly attacked by the Muslims, especially the Wahhabis and Salafis and the Taliban in the course of history. Recently, the Taliban have tried to explain the solar calendar and thus Nauroz hard unlawful anti-Islamic and prohibit it. Instead Zend Avesta (the study of the Avesta, verses from Avesta here tricolor flags ) is here Jehende e Ali ( Ali banner with the same flags and colors: green red and purple) hoisted.

Another name: Haji Baba Piadah

In the ruins of a judge named Mohammad Yonus was buried. Thus, the nine- gonbad Mosque ( nine- domed or vaulted mosque ) was used to Haji Baba Piada grave, renamed. Pashtuns confer the title Baba (Arabic for Father ) their kings and poets such as Rahman Baba, Ahmad Shah Baba ( Ahmad Khan Abdali or Durrani ), Mir Wais Baba or Nika ( grandfather) and King Zahir Shah Baba Here the image before renaming

The Ghulam Sakhi Malang ( Malang actually like Dervish here: Persian ملنگ, DMG guardians of a shrine ) is voluntarily working as a servant. Officially, there are no in Afghanistan Abnhänger of Zarathustra. However, their number is estimated at about 10,000 people, the conspiratorial conduct their religious rites. The Zoroastrians wear a white dress and when they visit historical site, they do not come on because the people of Afghanistan and India predominantly white garments, especially the men wear.

Nau Bahar in Persian literature and Indo-Iranian culture

One of the special characteristics of the Indo-Iranian cultural area is that they have their dead are not excluded by the parties and not rule today. Thus, for example, have the Islamic fundamentalists and the Salafists problems, and denote the celebrations as un-Islamic. Nowruz is prohibited. Afghanistan's predominantly Pashtun- dominated government finally had to support the initiative of Nowruz countries. On September 30, 2009, UNESCO had taken the Nowruz Day in the list of humanity 's cultural heritage and as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Firdousi (941-1020) has described in Shahnameh Naubahar as Nush Azar. (Pronounced in Iran Daghighi ) In the chapter words of Daqiqi he has quoted about 1000 verses of the poet. In Shahnameh, Book of Gushtasp, Part II Daqiqi words is not limited to:

چو گشتاسپ را داد لهراسپ تخت فرود آمد از تخت و بربست رخت به بلخ گزین شد بران نوبهار که یزدان پرستان بدان روزگار مران جای را داشتندی چنان که مر مکه را تازیان این زمان [ ... ] transcription Cho [ Cho ] Goshtasp ra dad Luhrasp Takht ( Takht ) Frud amad az Takht o bar bast Rakht ( Racht ) Ba Balch Gozin schud bar at Nau Bahar ( Nobahar ) Ke Yazdan Para Stan badan Rozgar Mar on Jai [ Dschai ] ra Dashtandi Chenan [ Tschenan ] Ke mar Makka ra Taziyan in Zaman

[ ... ] English Translation How Luhrasp went to Balkh abd how Gushtasp sat zpon the Throne Now When Luhrasp, descending from the Throne Resigbed it to Gushtasp, he made ​​him ready To go to Naubahar un cherished Balkh, Because he had become Gods votary, And men then held in reverence did fane, Just as the Arabs reverence Mecca now German translation mutatis mutandis Lohrasp went to Naubahar in Balch as he left the throne and devoted himself the services of the sun in a temple built by Gjemschid1 he took to the pattern. Here he remained thirty years, until he was assassinated and brought his stays precisely the holiness of approaches, the Mecca bey has the Arabs.

Asadi Tusi اسدی توسی writes in Garchaspnameh ( گرشاسپ نامه, DMG book Garchasp ) about the appearance Garschasp in the temple of Subahar:

چو آمد به بتخانه ی سو بهار یکی خانه دید از خوشی پرنگار [ ... ] transcription Cho Amad ba Butkhana ye Su Bahar Yaki Khana did az Khuschi por Negar1

[ ... ] When he came into the temple of Subahar He looked cheerful a house full of images ( patterns )

Al Biruni, Nezami Fariduddin Attar, Jalal ad-Din ar - Rumi, Amir Khusrau, Amir Nasser Khosrau, etc. are some of great scholars and poets of the Iranian highlands ( 11th to 15th century), the Nau - or Subahar mentioned or Surbahar and the other five famous fire temples allegorically or symbolically in their works and poems written about, for example, adhesion Peykar of Nezami ( the seven idols ) have.

Amir Khusrau, in India as Amir Naser Khosrau e Dehlhawi ( Dehlhawi means from the city of the heart namely from the old city of Delhi, today is the historic town near New Delhi, नई दिल्ली, is also figurative Nav Vahar नव विहार referred to ), Sur bahar and Nau Bahar has chosen as the theme of his music. Meanwhile, all three terms in the Indo-Iranian culture are indeed sung but in three scriptures rather in the same debate. He, whose father came from Balkh and his mother from old Delhi, is one of the great personalities Iniens, Singing Events performs annually for India. He wrote most of the poems about Subahar, Surbahar and Nau Bahar.

Naubahar in the world literature

Al Masudi ( 895-957 ), a geographer and historian, wrote about 50 years before the birth Firdousis about Naubahar. In the second volume of his 943 AD published work Murūdsch adh dhahab wa -ma ʿ Adin al - Jawhar (Arabic مروج الذهب ومعادن الجوهر, DMG has been the gold fields and gemstone mines in Arabic that the Kaaba of Zoroaster of Manutscher in Balch built. was and had been a fire temple at this point Barbier de Meynard has published in French and other languages ​​his collected works he writes. :

In the translation by Barbier de Meynard is further:

Masudi means with the designation Al Naubahar (Arabic النوبهار, DMG Al Arabized ) the temple Naubahar because Bahar (Arabic بهار, DMG pepper) and Baharat (Arabic بهارت, DMG spice mixture with pepper) means, while Bahar on Indo- Iranian languages ​​means the season spring and Baharat the old name of India.

In Naubahar at Balkh in Khorasan ( Balkh in the land of the rising sun ) is not the Moon ( Mah ) was worshiped, but Nahid (Persian ناهيد, Venus ', and More Mitra and Mehri because they were symbols of love and time. beauty. Mehrisa ( countenance as Venus) and Parisa ( countenance like fairy ) are female names of the Iranian highlands. Likewise Bahar is a female name. However, there are since the Islamization also Mahpari ( Mondfee ). the moon played with the Iranian peoples before the Islamization hardly any role in the allegory of beauty. Thanks Omar Khayyam is still regarded the Iranian calendar on the Iranian plateau, which according to the solar year, is calculated according to the zodiac sign or zodiac sign, even if the Islamic or socialist rulers of the former countries the Iranian highlands and the Islamic sowejtischen areas or Gregorian calendar introduced. Islamic lunar calendar is in Iran, used in Afghanistan and Tajikistan only for calculation of the Islamic festivals and days of mourning.

[ Thomas Hyde ] (1636-1703) describes Naubahar first Pyräum ( the eternal fire ) extensively in his major work. He brings such Masudi the temple Naubahar in conjunction with Manutscher

Johann Friedrich Kleuker writes the Pyräum in Balch:

James Baillie Fraser described the fire temple at Balkh as Azar - Guschtasp. He writes:

It is irrelevant in this context whether Zarathustra - Greeks thought he was a star - so they called Zoroaster - according to the above view, and other views in Urmia (Persian ارومیه ) or Orūmīyeh, in today's capital of the province of West Azerbaijan on Alborz mountains or near the ridge of Koh -i - Elburz in Bactria or on Koh e Alburz was born in Zabul and Zabulistan or Sistan or whether there were two different personalities with Zoroaster. Some researchers whose think there were at least two Zoroaster. Both places belong to the Iranian plateau. One of the seven most famous fire temple is located in the province of Azerbaijan in Iran and is called Azer Nush or Takht - i-Suleiman.

Johann August Vullers writes:

Rostamkolla Rostamkola, hat of Rostam and Kaba ye Zordoscht was also ( Middle Persian Xorn for Horn ) Horn Nay (Alpine horn) ie Trumpet house when Naghareh - Khaneh actually timpani house, drum house and even as Kafter - Khaneh ( dovecote ) refers. In this connection, writes. Carl Ritter:

The roads that lead to Rostams monuments are planted with flowers and shrubs, or have been. While this site will be reasonably maintained in Iran and this historic Fire Temple to be included in the list of national heritage, no due importance be given to them in Afghanistan. Therefore, only the bare stones without the Kui e Kola e Khyaban have been preserved as ruins of bygone times in Afghanistan.

The idol temple Naubahar or ' Newbehar was one of the seven geographical wonders of the world, the aforementioned Joseph von Hammer- Purgstall. He writes: