The Buddhism ideology penetrated into Central Asia from India, where paganism to this day remains if not the main, but secondary stronghold of religion.  Polytheism in ancient times was very common, including today’s Uzbekistan.

 Emergence of the Arab caliphate & the introduction of Islam - one of the world religions, was a turning point in smooth course of life in hot Central Asian oasis. Under the oppression of Arab conquerors, most of monks went into the Kashmir mountains.

 What is religion in human life?  What role does it play?  And most importantly, what drives belief in a higher being?  The Buddhism philosophy, subtle & eccentric, seeks answer many questions.  Spreading in Central Asia thousands of years ago, the remains of Buddhist civilization survived in Termez (in ancient times - Tarmit): a temple found in 1928 gave treasures that the whole world comes to see.  At the beginning of the 2nd century AD, a monastery was erected inside the Karatepa village (black hill). This sacred place received the same name. The discovered entrances to the underground churches were covered with sand mixed with fragments of huge square bricks, hiding their innermost secrets from prying eyes.

 In 1961, the find marked the beginning of excavations.  A lot of pottery fragments - lamps, jugs, bowls, coins & ceramic shards testified to the detached Buddhist monk’s life, severe existence and evenings of prayers in the twilight, lit by the dim light of a lamp with preserved soot.

 Rooms, prayer halls, courtyards - a whole Buddhist complex, miraculously preserved to this day, presented not only the remains of architecture & fragments of pottery with elements of Bactrian & Kushan culture.  The human-sized statues, the preserved wall of bright red color, the drawing of two unopened lotuses on white-stone threshold, and most importantly, a fragment of the image «Buddha & monks».  Archaeologists established that this fragment is a fragment of wall that once fell to the ground and was covered with a blanket of clay & sand. A peaceful face with a relaxed smile, the mind of a higher being of Buddhist ideology, that soaring in oblivion, immerses the beholder in a deep wisdom state, detachment from the mortal world and true calm.

 The complex and incredible culture world that came from India and flourishes in the territory of ancient Tokharistan invites to the worlds of completely different philosophy.  The archaeological monument of Karatepa is an exotic of eastern country whose past is closely connected with spreading religion without God - Buddhism.