Emergence of Hinduism in Gandhara

From the Foreword:

Dr. Samad has taken on a very formidable task in trying to identify what is commonly referred to as “Hinduism” in the region of Gandhara. The concept of a single religious tradition called “Hinduism” did not exist during the time period that he is studying. In this book he has successfully worked back from what some people call “Hinduism” today to trace out the roots of specific ideologies and iconographic representations in the past. In his approach to this subject, Dr. Samad has been careful to provide the reader with the references to the many earlier scholars who have studied the topic, but also challenges some of the earlier approaches and suggests new ways to interpret the patterns seen in the material evidence.

About the Author:

Dr. Abdul Samad is an internationally acclaimed archaeologist. Born in 1981, he completed his PhD studies with distinction from Germany and became the youngest ever PhD in the field of Archaeology in his native country Pakistan at the age of only 28. After his Fulbright Post-doctorate at the University of Wisconsin, USA he was appointed as provincial Director of Archaeology & Museums by the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He also heads the famous Peshawar Museum, which boasts names of legendary archaeologists such as Sir Aurel Stein, D.B. Spooner among others who preceded him as its past curators. He pioneered the trend of bridging the gap between academic Archaeology and the local communities in Pakistan. In recognition of his meritorious services in the field of Archaeology, he was awarded President’s Award for Pride of Performance in 2018. In his official tenure, he has set up a number of museums in KP, breathing fresh life into older ones by upgrading them and creating welcoming public spaces within them for discovery and educational activities. Dr. Abdul Samad often gives talks at prestigious national and international venues as a guest lecturer. He also taught at university for almost ten years alongside his research projects. His stature as an eminent academic and one of Pakistan’s most acclaimed archaeologists has long been cemented. Every page of the book bears testimony to this fact.