Things to do in Khatlon Province, Khatlon Province: The Best Sights & Landmarks

Reviewed By andrewmU2655XD

The Ajina-Tepa ruins are known by locals as the Devils Hill. It is 12 km drive from the city through a farming community. This is a rarely visited area, but is a must for those interested in buddhist history in Central Asia. Access to the site is free, and we were the only visitors. There are no bathroom facilities at the site, but a temporary public toilet is a short walk east of the site entrance. After walking over the narrow bridge to gain access to the site, there are storyboards to the right which provide a wealth of information on the history of the ruins. Unfortunately most of the descriptions are in Japanese or Tajik language. We managed to find a section in English, and realized that the site is UNSECO recognized. The ruins were discovered in 1959, and excavated over the next sixteen years. Archaeologists estimate that the site was constructed in the 7th century, which seems to be supported by the writings of the famous Buddhist monk, Xuanzang, who briefly visited the monastery. If you follow the paths and climb to the top of the ruins, you will get a better idea of the layout of the complex. The site had a main temple and monastery, which were separate structures. The courtyard area is barely recognizable today. It is probably best to do some research on the site before visiting to appreciate the ruins. It was here that the famous sleeping buddha was discovered. It was sculpted from clay and was 12.85 meters in length. The buddha was too large to move and was cut into many pieces before being transported from the site. Unfortunately many of the objects found at the site ended up in Russian museums. In 2001, the buddha was restored, and can now be viewed at the Museum of National Antiquities in Dushanbe. Other artifacts from the site are also on display at the museum. The site didn't function for much more than a century, as the Arabs invaded this region and the monks fled the monastery. This is one of the most famous buddhist sites in Central Asia, and is a must see for those interested in archaeology and history. We visited this site, on the way back from "Takhti Sangin" (Temple of Stone) , which is another historical site in southern Tajikistan. We had also visited Merv in Turkmenistan, which is the furthest west that buddhism thrived, and Fayaz Tepa and Kara Tepa in Termez, Uzbekistan, which is probably the most famous buddhist site in Central Asia. It may seem strange to see Budhist sites in this region, but Buddhism was popular in these areas before spreading in China. After visiting this site, there is a rare statue of Lenin, in front of the public school, approximately 2.5 km north west from the Ajina Tepa site.