PUNJAB - THE LAND OF FIVE RIVERS

Punjab the heart of Pakistan. The land of five waters, and five seasons, known for its fertility, colorful panorama and exquisitely serene and clean atmosphere. Its waters have seen life being quenched since centuries. Its trees have embraced the wind that was fragrant by the immortal stories like Heer Ranjha, Sohni Mahiwal and Mirza Sahiban. The soil which, nurtured sufi poets like Baba Farid, Ali Hajveri, Bulhe Shah, Shah Hussain, Mian Muhammad Bakhsh and Waris Shah. Punjab has seen the starving of Budha and the wandering of Guru Nanak in search of truth. Its terrain has kept the secrets of Indus Valley civilizations along the River Indus at Harappa and many more un-discovered places. Waters still sing here, winds never forget to whisper and rains know how do dance in Mon Soon.So it is not a bad idea either to visit this place which is gifted with mountains, rivers, planes, fruits, trees, artifacts, historical monuments and the largest salt range of the world.Here we are to present the worth seeing places that can make you feel the glory and grandeur of almost all parts of Punjab.A promise for the FutureAn important city of ancient Gandhara and a place that enlightened the Budha and one of the greatest archeological sites the world possesses today. The ruins of Taxila, scattered about 30 KM away from Rawalpindi, represent the historical value of over 1000 years ago (around 500 BC to 500 AD). This place has the honor to have the world’s best known university at that ancient time offering subjects like law, medicine, arts etc. At Taxila, various sites are scattered over a large area encompassing; Bhir Mound, Dharmarajika, Budhist Stupa and Monastery. Moreover, one could find Sirsukh City remains, the Shrine of Double-headed eagle, Jandial temple, Sirsukh City and Jaulian Budhist Monastery etc. The Taxila museum is known for its Gandhara artifacts, a rare blend of Greek and Budhist Art. This museum also has a collection of old coins, utensils, jewelry, toys and pottery manifesting the highlights of the life style of ancient Taxila.

2. Harappa Rediscovering HistoryThe Indus Valley civilization covers almost the exact area where Pakistan exists today. Mehrgarh in Balochistan, Mohenjo Daro in Sindh and Harappa in Punjab possess the clandestine of a common society. Excavations have proved that around 3000 BC. Harappa was inhabited by nomadic tribes. The remains show a prosperous and comfortable life in that old epoch with emphasis on sanitation and everyday facilities. This land has trade relations with Egypt, the other developed civilization of the ancient world. The archeological museum at the site entrance may take you to the wonder world of past through found artifacts.The Salt Range An Evaporated SeaIt is undoubtedly a geologist’s dream with variety of minerals and rocks. Having great natural beauty, this area varies in height between 750 and 1500 meters and climate is noticeably cooler in summer. The largest Salt Mine of the world, Khewra also exists here. On the other hand, Kallar Kahar with its salt lake and orchard, centuries old Hindu Temples at Ketas and pilgrimage sites are breathtaking. This is the sea that extended over the Indus Plain and the Potowar Plateau that evaporated 600 million years ago. Rocks and fossils at this site provide the missing links of the story of earth. Around Khewra at Nandna, famous Muslim traveler and historian al-Beruni measured the circumference of the earth during 11th century.

3. Jhelum Land of the BraveJhelum is located at the base of the Potowar Range, overlooking the endless green fields of the Punjab. Alexander the great crossed the river at this place and fought with Raja Poras, whom the famous quotation is related to, when he answered the Alexander,“As a king would treat a king” The famous Rohtas Fort, built by Sher Shah Suri is also located here which, is still standing against all odds. People here are endearingly hospitable, looking to welcome you with warmth and fervor. Mangla, one of the largest dams of the world, is also built on river Jhelum.

4. Bahawalpur Reminder of a Glorious PastThe princely state of Bahawalpur, founded in 1748 by Nawab Bahawal Khan Abassi. Located at the edge of the city of Multan, Bahawalpur is the gateway to the greatest desert; Cholistan. It is quite green in nature but towards south, the soil becomes sandy. This area is studded with many tourist spots like; Lal Sohanra National Park and the famous shrine of Uchh Sharif. The blue mosaics of the ruined tombs at Uchh Sharif, remind the glorious past. Among these, is the 15th century octagonal tomb of Bibi Jawindi. Bhong Mosque is another important historical monument, known as Pakistan’s most ostentatious mosques.

5. Cholistan Gateway to AdventureExtended on the far south of the Punjab, Cholistan is the largest desert in Pakistan with an area of 25,000 sq. Km. It touches the Thar Desert in the south and Rajhastan Desert in the east. About 1000 years ago, Cholistan was a fertile lplain watered with the Gaggar River (now called Hakra in Pakistan), archeolists have discovered 400 old inhabited sites, mostly dating back to the Indus Valley Civilization. In the middle of the desert, stands the Drawar Fort with massive walls and numerous buttresses. Nearby is the elegant Drawar Mosque, the exact replica of the Moti Masjid of Delhi’s Red Fort. About 45 Km. towards south of Drawar Fort is the shrine of Channan Pir, an important pilgrim center in the desert.

6. Multan the Land of MysticsMultan probably the oldest surviving city in the south-West Asia. Every invader from Alexander through the Mughals to the British has fought for control of the city of Multan. This city has a unique feature of housing tombs and saints, more than any place of the world. Towering shrines made of brick, stone and wood add to the serenity of this place. Shrines of Shah Rukn e-Alam, Hazrat Bahaudin Zikirya and Shah Shams Tabrez are the most famous and visited ones. The galaxy of mosques and mausoleums of Multan, speak eloquently of the grandeur and sublimity of this great city. Blue stylistic and glazed pottery is a salient feature of the arts and crafts of Multan.

7. Lahore Bastion of the Mughal SpiritThe famous metropolitan city and provincial capital of today, has got so much to speak of history. It holds within its bustling bazaars, historical monuments and narrow streets, the heritage of hundreds of years, the culture of royal tradition and force of spiritualism. The shrine of Hazrat Ali Hajver known as Data Darbar welcomes everybody at the entrance of the city, while the walled city culture still grasps the close relationship between people. Lahore was founded by Loh, the son of Rama Chandra, however the recorded history of Lahore dates back to 1021 AD when Lahore was conquered by Mahmood Ghaznavi who made it the capital of his Ghaznavi Empire. Then Mughals gave so much importance to this city, by awarding it the famous architecture in the form of gardens, mosques, tombs and the famous Fort. Shalamar Garden by Shahjehan and Badshahi mosque by Aurangzeb are the emblems of great history this city possesses. Jahangir and Nur Jehan are also buried here. Anarkali Bazar, Toligton Market, Lahore Museum and Punjab University (old Campus) jewels the famous Mall Road (Thandi Sarak). The British introduced here a combination of Mughal, Gothic and Victorian style of architecture. Lahore offers a great deal more than just monuments, a variety of art galleries, museums, theatres and shopping arcades along with the cool tree-lined avenues, lush green lawns, fountains and modern high rise buildings.

8. Muree Rediscovering NatureThe most popular and most developed hill-station of Pakistan. With a height of 7500 feet, Muree is a cool and crispy place in summer as well as in winter. This area is rich with towering pine trees, in long summer days; one could stroll lazily or ride ponies along shady path on the Mall- between Kasmir and Pindi Points. There are the Gallies with their charming red roof chalets covered with snow in winter and set amidst fragrant pines. Muree, a jewel of a hillstation, nestles in the shadow of snow-clad peaks.

9. Nankana Sahib Janam IsthanNankana Sahib, situated at 39 Km. south-west of Sheikhupura, is an important place of pilgrimage. There are two main Sikh temples or Gurdwaras here. Ba Lila where Guru Nanak the founder of Sikh religion spent his childhood and Janamasthan, where he is believed to have been born. Thrice a year on Besakhi (April), Death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (June) and birthday of Guru Nanak Dev (November), Sikh yatris visit these holy places in thousands.

10. Rawalpindi Base camp to AdventureRawalpindi, a twin city to Islamabad, is the gateway to the historical Silk Route. It presents a sharp contrast to the city of Islamabad. It is the base camp of thrill-exhibitors from all over the world who buckle up here to meet the most exciting and treacherous peaks in the world. Rawalpindi is famous for strong military cantonment, towns bazaars; Raja, Sarafa and Muree road. Moreover, historical Liaqat Bagh lies in the heart of the city.

THE DENSO HALL

The Denso Hall was built in memory of Max Denso, a prominent resident of the city who had also chaired the Karachi Chamber of Commerce from 1870-71. A sum of Rs. 9,000 was collected by his friends for the construction of the building, whereas the Karachi Municipality allocated an important site on the fast-developing Bunder Road, as well as additional funds in order to provide the facility of a public hall, reading room and library in an area close to the "Old Town".The Denso Hall was designed by James Strachan and was built in 1886 in the Market Quarter of the city, and was made out of local Gizri Sandstone. The architecture of the building was a relatively simple design which was Venetian Gothic in character. It employs Tudor arches in the ground floor of the building whereas ogive arches are used for the first floor openings. Projecting balconies with carved balusters punctuate the long facade. The building includes an entrance hall, library, reading room and some small rooms on the ground floor. The upper floor is a large hall (60 ft x 30 ft) accommodating about 500 persons and was used for different types of social gatherings. The illuminated clock on the eastern front of Denso Hall was a gift from Rao Sahib Ramdas Morarji.

PESHAWAR

Being among the most ancient cities of the region between Central, South, and West Asia, Peshawar has for centuries been a centre of trade between Afghanistan, South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. As an ancient center of learning, the 2nd century B.C.E. Bakhshali Manuscript used in the Bakhshali approximation was found nearby. Peshawar is also the setting of the famous story Peshawar Nights, which was an exchange between a Shia scholar and a Sunni audience over the course of eleven nights, which presumably resulted in their acceptance of Shi'ism.Peshawar was a major center of Buddhist learning until the 10th century. As an indication of its importance, Peshawar was also the site of Kanishka's Great Stupa which housed relics from Gautama Buddha, and was widely considered to be the tallest building in the world at the time of its construction. Ancient Chinese manuscripts tell of Buddhist pilgrims such as Faxian, Sung Yun, and Xuanzang reporting that the 7th century stupa, which was rediscovered in 1908, had a height of 591–689 feet.

HISTORY OF PESHAWAR

Being among the most ancient cities of the region between Central, South, and West Asia, Peshawar has for centuries been a centre of trade between Afghanistan, South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. As an ancient center of learning, the 2nd century B.C.E. Bakhshali Manuscript used in the Bakhshali approximation was found nearby. Peshawar is also the setting of the famous story Peshawar Nights, which was an exchange between a Shia scholar and a Sunni audience over the course of eleven nights, which presumably resulted in their acceptance of Shi'ism.Peshawar was a major center of Buddhist learning until the 10th century. As an indication of its importance, Peshawar was also the site of Kanishka's Great Stupa which housed relics from Gautama Buddha, and was widely considered to be the tallest building in the world at the time of its construction. Ancient Chinese manuscripts tell of Buddhist pilgrims such as Faxian, Sung Yun, and Xuanzang reporting that the 7th century stupa, which was rediscovered in 1908, had a height of 591–689 feet.

INDO-GREEK PESHAWAR

The area that Peshawar occupies was then seized by the Greco-Bactrian king, Eucratides (170 - 159 BCE), and was controlled by a series of Greco-Bactrian and later Indo-Greek kings who ruled an empire that spanned from ancient Pakistan to North India. Later, the city came under the rule of several Parthian and Indo-Parthian kings, another group of Iranic invaders from Central Asia, the most famous of whom, Gondophares, ruled the city and its environs starting in circa 46 CE, and was briefly followed by two or three of his descendants before they were displaced by the first of the "Great Kushans", Kujula Kadphises, around the middle of the 1st century CE.Kanishka's RulePeshawar formed the eastern capital of the empire of Gandhara under the Kushan king Kanishka, who reigned from at least 127 CE. Peshawar became a great centre of Buddhist learning. Kanishka built what may have been the tallest building in the world at the time, a giant stupa, to house the Buddha's relics, just outside the Ganj Gate of the old city of Peshawar.Excavations of Kanishka's Monastery in central PeshawarThe Kanishka stupa was said to be an imposing structure as one travelled down from the mountains of Afghanistan onto the Gandharan plains. The earliest account of the famous building is by the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim monk, Faxian, who visited it in 400 and described it as being over 40 chang in height (probably about 120 m or 394 ft) and adorned "with all precious substances". "Of all the stûpas and temples seen by the travellers, none can compare with this for beauty of form and strength." It was destroyed by lightning and repaired several times. It was still in existence at the time of Xuanzang's visit in 634. From the ruined base of this giant stupa there existed a jewelled casket containing relics of the Buddha, and an inscription identifying Kanishka as the donor, and was excavated from a chamber under the very centre of the stupa's base, by a team under Dr. D.B. Spooner in 1909. The stupa was roughly cruciform in shape with a diameter of 286 feet (87 meters) and heavily decorated around the sides with stucco scenes.Sometime in the 1st millennium BCE, the group that now dominates Peshawar began to arrive from the Suleiman Mountains of southern Afghanistan to the southwest, the Pashtuns. Whether or not the Pashtuns existed in the region even earlier is debatable, as evidence is difficult to attain. Some writers such as Sir Olaf Caroe write that a group that may have been the Pakhtuns existed in the area and were called the Pactycians by Herodotus and the Greeks, which would place the Pakhtuns in the area of Peshawar much earlier along with other Aryan tribes. Ancient Hindu scriptures such as the Rig-Veda, speak of an Aryan tribe called the Pakht, living in the region.Regardless, over the centuries the Pakhtuns would come to dominate the region and Peshawar has emerged as an important center of Pakhtun culture along with Kandahar and Kabul as well as Quetta in more recent times. Muslim Arab and Turkic arrived and annexed the region before the beginning of the 2nd millennium.

ARRIVAL OF ISLAM

The Pakhtuns began to convert to Islam following early annexation by the Arab Empire from Khurasan (in what is today western Afghanistan and northeastern Iran).Sebuktagin dying in 997 was succeeded as governor of Khorasan by his son Mahmud, who throwing of all dependence on the Samani princes, assumed the title of Sultan in 999, and from this reign the Hindu religion in these parts may be said to have received a death blow. In the early reign of this celebrated invader of India the plains of Peshawar were again the scene of some great battles, the first of which was fought on the maira between Nowshera and the Indus, in the year 1001. Mahmud was opposed by Jaipal, who had been constantly endevouring to recover the country wrested from him by Sebuktagin, still aided by some Pathans whose allegiance to the Muslim governor of Peshawar was not of long continuance.The battle took place on November 27 and the Hindus were one again routed, Jaipal himself being taken prisoner, who upon his subsequent release resigned the crown to his son Anandpal. On this occasion Mahmud punished the Pathans who had sided with the enemy, and as they were now converted entirely to the Islam, they stayed true to their new allegiance, and joined the Sultan in his wars against the infidels.Peshawar was taken by Turkic Muslims in 988 and was incorporated into the larger Pakhtun domains by the 16th century. The founder of the Mughul dynasty that would conquer South Asia, Babur, who hailed from current Uzbekistan, came to Peshawar and founded a city called Bagram where he rebuilt the fort in 1530. His grandson, Akbar, formally named the city Peshawar, meaning "The Place at the Frontier" in Persian and expanded the bazaars and fortifications. The Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and Sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and many settled in the Peshawar region.

EDUCATION IN PESHAWAR

The historic old city of Peshawar was once a heavily guarded citadel with high walls. Today, not much remains of the walls, but the houses and havelis have an essence of days gone by. Most of the houses are made of unbaked bricks with wooden structures for protection against earthquakes. Many of them have beautifully carved wooden doors and latticed wooden balconies. Areas such as Sethi Mohallah still contain many fine examples of the old architecture of Peshawar. There are many historic monuments and bazaars in the Old city, including the Mohabbat Khan Mosque and Kotla Mohsin Khan, Chowk Yadgar and the Qissa Khawani Bazaar.

The walled city was surrounded by several main gates which severed as the main entry points into the city, some of which still survive today. They include:

• Lahori Gate

• Sarasia Gate

• Ganj Gate

• Sirki Gate

• Sard Chah Gate• Kohati GateEducational institutionsWith the level of higher education on the rise, there has been a surge of prestigious educational institutions in Peshawar.• Abasyn University

• Khyber Medical University

• Institute of Management Sciences

• Agriculture University of Peshawar

• University of Engineering & Technology (U.E.T.)

• National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (FAST-NU), (Peshawar Campus)

• Islamia College Peshawar (1913)

• Gandhara University

• Iqra University

• Institute of Management Studies

• ICMS

• Oxfords College University Town Peshawar

• City University Of Science & Technology

• Institute of Business & Management Sciences

• CECOS

• Gandhara Medical College

• Sarhad University

• Ghulam IOshaq Khan Institute of Science & Technology, Topi, NWFP

• College of Aeronautical Engineering (CAE, NUST), Risalpur, NWFP

• Peshawar Medical College

• University of Peshawar

• Preston University

• Greenwich University

• PAC

• Government Frontier College Peshawar

• Jinnah College for Women

• Edwardes College Peshawar

• Government College Peshawar

• Superior Science College Wazirbagh Peshawar.

• Fazaia Degree College (PAF Degree College)

• St. Francis' High School

• University Public School (1964)

• University Model School

• Peshawar Model School

• Collegiate School Islamia College

• Oxfords College School University Town Peshawar

• Peshawar Public School and College

• The Convent High School

• Army Public School

• BeaconHouse School System

• The City School

• The Educators

• The Roots School

• American International School

• I.L.M

• The Smart School

• Qadeems Educational System

• Iqra School

• daffodils Kindergarten (Hayatabad Town)

• Frontier Model School

• Peshawar Grammar School

• Lahore Grammar School (Peshawar Campus)

• Saint Mary's High School

• Forward Model School

• Forward Public School