Some 35 km north-west of Rawalpindi, on the way to Peshawar, lies Taxila,
world famous for its archaeological sites, dating back to the 5th century
BC. The city flourished for a thousand years and was famous as a centre of
Gandhara art, architecture and sculpture, education and religion in the days
of Buddhist glory.
At Taxila you come face to face with the great Buddha. He looms over you larger
than life. His serene eyes gaze at you till you find yourself gripped by a
feeling of awe.
You meet others also at Taxila. Alexander of Macedonia, for one. And Asoka,
the famous Buddhist king. And the Emperor Kanishka, perhaps the greatest of
them all. Their imprints are everywhere. As you, the space-age visitors, step
into Taxila you are suddenly 2,500 years younger. for that is when one of
the world's least known but most interesting civilizations took root and flourished
in Taxila that ancient city south of River Indus.
Once a province of the powerful Achaemenian Empire, Taxila was conquered by
Alexander in 327 BC. It later came under the Mauryan dynasty and reached a
remarkable mature level of development under the great Asoka.
Then appeared the Indo-Greek descendants of Alexander's warriors and finally
came the most creative period of Gandhara. The great Kushan dynasty was established
about 50 AD. During the next 200 years Taxila became a renowned centre of
learning, philosophy and art. Pilgrims and travelers were attracted to it
from as far away as China and Greece.
The end came in the fifth century AD when the White Huns snuffed out the last
of the successive civilizations that had held unbroken sway in this region
for several centuries.
Exploring Taxila is a multi-dimensional experience. You are attracted by the
richness and variety of the famed Gandhara sculpture. There are endless images
of Buddha, in stone and stucco, and numerous panels depicting all the important
stages of the great sage's life. Exquisitely sculpted friezes and statues
of all sizes awoke the life and times of one of the world's most impressive
men of peace: Gautama Buddha.
Each carved bit of sculpture, from the colossal to the miniature and there
are literally thousands of them is a collector's item. Even if you aren't
exactly a devotee of the sculpture of the first century AD, you will find
it a challenge to trace similarities between the Gandhara masterpieces and
their Graeco-Roman Counterparts.
Incidentally, it is these stone men and women of Gandhara who greet you so
graciously in Taxila, or rather their craftsmen, who first gave visual expression
to Bhudda and his era.
And then there are the excavated ruins. Three distinct cities stretch before
you in a surprisingly good state of preservation. With your imagination aided
by the carved people who inhabit these cities, you will have little difficulty
in picturing crowds on the well laid out streets, facilities in the spacious
houses, priests in the towering stupas and royalty in the great palaces.
The earliest city, Bhir Mound, dates back to the sixth century BC. Its irregular
streets, cramped houses and mediocre public buildings indicate its primitive
origins.
Sirkap, on the opposite side of the Tamara Stream, is much newer, having been
built in the second century BC. You will find Sirkap as well-planned city.
And as you stroll down its wide streets you can call at the houses of the
affluent and go slumming as it were, in the more crowded sections where dwelt
the common man of the dim and misty past. Note the fortification wall, the
long, straight and impressive main street, the Royal Place, an Apsidal Temple
and the Shrine of the Double-Headed Eagle.
The third city, Sirsukh, is modern by comparison. It was apparently built
by the Kushan kings in the first century AD. It has not been fully excavated
as yet it is clearly a well fortified, well laid out city, patterned after
Central Asain cities land is complete with a suburb.
In addition to these three major cities, many important monasteries, stupas
and palaces have been excavated all along the Taxila valley. Many more, surely,
still lie buried awaiting discovery.
If you can't manage all, you must at least explore the remarkable Dharmarajika
Stupa, two miles east of the Taxila Museum. It comprises a main building,
a monastery area where the monks lived and a series of small chapels. Sacred
relics of Buddha and a silver scroll commemorating the relics were found in
one of the chapels. A wealth of gold and silver coins, gems, jewellery, and
other antiques were discovered at Dharmarajika. These are all housed in the
Taxila Museums.
There is also Jaulian, another impressive complex of chapels, stupas, quadrangles,
and monastery with assembly hall, store rooms, refectory, kitchen and bathrooms.
At five small stupas you will see beautiful stucco reliefs of Buddha and Buddhisatvas
supported by rows of stone elephants and lions.
Three kilometers from Jaulain is another well-preserved monastery at Mohra
Moradu. In one of the monk's cells here was found a small stupa with almost
all the details imageless temple in the classic Greek style, with columns
and cornices.
For the climber three is the Glen of Giri, about five kilometers from Dharmarajika
Stupa. Atop the highest peak of a range of hills are two stupas and a fortress
built in a cleft near a spring of pure, sweet water. The stucco decorations
of the stupas are well worth the climb.
No amount of description can do justice to the Taxila ruins. To feel and understand
their full important you simply have to go there. Even today, Taxila is a
place of peace. Its pastoral landscape is almost as inviting as its living
past. Early man know what he was doing when 2,500 years ago he choose to site
his cities in this delightful hill-edged valley.
Museum
The archaeological museum at Taxila is a real treasure house. Its collection
of coins, jewellery, relics, and gold and silver caskets alone are worth a
King's ransom. But its real glory comes from stone and stucco that exquisite
young. Its impressive collection will help you get to know Gautama, the Lord
Buddha, better.
The ivy-covered, Gothic-style museum is set in a picturesque garden. There
is in the central hall a plaster cast of the stupa topped with seven umbrellas
found in Mohra Moradu. A relief map of the valley pinpoints the location for
the different excavated sites.
There are rows of cases filled with the famed sculptures, stucco reliefs,
stones, plaster and terra-cotta figures, glass tiles and such objects as toilet
articles, seats, beads, bark manuscripts, silver utensils, carpentry tools,
surgical instruments and much else. A nominal entry fee is charged at the
museum.
Murree, at 2,240 meters (7,400 feet), is
only an hour's drive north-east of Islamabad. Its cold pine forests, amidst
magnificent mountain scenery, make it the first choice for a day's outing
from the capital. The Galis are a string of hill resorts along the ridge
between Murree and Abbottabad, on the Karakoram Highway.
Founded as a hill station by the British in 1851, Murree was the summer
headquarters of the government of Punjab until 1876, when the honor was
transferred to Simla. Murree remained, however, a little bit of England,
complete with The Mall for promenading, parks, churches, schools, clubs
and cafes. Since independence, Murree has once again become the summer
retreat of the governor of Punjab and, since Islamabad became the capital
of Pakistan in 1962, has expanded rapidly.
Murree is lovely all year round. In summer it is cool - even chilly in
the evening - and rain is common. In winter, the snow is piled high along
the sides of the streets.
But it is extremely
popular with Punjabis escaping the heat of the plains in summer, so is too
crowded for comfort from late May to early September, especially at weekends.
To beat the crowds and still enjoy the walks, the best time to go in April-May
and September-October.
Murree spreads along the top of a ridge for about five kilometres (three miles).
At the north-east end is Kashmir Point, with views across the valley of the
Jhelum River into Azad Kashmir. At the south-west end is Pindi Point, looking
back towards Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Between the two runs The Mall, at the
centre of which is the main shopping area, where most people congregate. Numerous
roads leave. The Mall and either follow the contours of the ridge or descend
to the principal road. Promenading and shopping are Murree's main amusements,
or riding in the new chair-lifts, one from Bansara Gali (below Murree) to
Pindi Point, the other to the top of Patriata hill (on the road to Karor);
both rides cost about Rs. 50 and take half an hour with a change from open
chair-lift to the enclosed bubble in the middle.
Good buys in Murree are Kashmiri shawls, furs, walking sticks, fruits and
nuts. Murree's pistachio nuts are reputed to be the best in Pakistan.
Bhurban
Bhurban is a minor resort eight kilometers (five miles) from Murree on
the road leading north-east to Kohala and the Jhelum Valley. The golf course
here is open only to members. From near the Pearl Continental hotel you can
take one of the many delightful paved walks through the woods.
The Galis
( Streets )
Nathiagali
Perhaps the most sought out is the beautiful Nathiagali perched 2501 meters
high about 32 km away from Murree. The bracing air of the surrounding mountains
is as pure as fresh spring water.
Ayubia
Khairagali, Changlagali, Khanspur and Ghora Dhaka, these four mini resorts
spread over an area of 26 km have been developed into a resort complex called
Ayubia. In addition to riding trails, hiking places and picnic spots, Ayubia
has a chair lift, which like a ski-lift, takes you up to the summit of the
nearby range for a panoramic view of the forested hills. Ayubia is 26 km from
Murree.
Dungagali
Dungagali is a picturesque small resort situated on the slopes of the Mukshpuri
hill (2376 m.). It commands a charming view of a series of wooded spurs projecting
towards the river Jhelum on the western side. From Dungagali one can climb
the 2813 m peak of Mukhshpuri, which is the highest point in the range. Natural
springs abound on the slopes. It is 30 km from Murree.
Khairagali
It is 16 km from Murree at an elevation of 2346 m and commands a panoramic
view on either side of the ridge.
Changlagali
It is 16 km from Murree at an altitude of 2559 m. There is a rest house
located in the most picturesque surroundings.
Patriata
25 km from Murree. The TDCP has developed a new tourist resort at Patriata.
There is chairlift and cable car system which takes visitors up to Patriata
Ridge in two stages from Gulehra Gali. The first stage is by chair lift up
to Patriata Bazaar. From here visitors transfer to cable car gondolas for
the ride up to Patriata Ride. A restaurant has also been established. Further
plans include development of a wildlife park at the mid-station.
Abbottabad 116 km from Rawalpindi and 217 km from Peshawar is a small neat
and clean town in a spacious valleys surrounded by green hills. It is a popular
summer resort, located at the end of Murree-Abbottabad hill tract at a height
of 1255 meters, noted for its verdant parks, gardens, golf course and pine
covered hills.
Abbottabad, apart from being famous for its educational institutions and Military
Academy, also serves as the gateway to almost all beautiful places in Pakistan.
The formidable Karakoram, the enchanting Himalayas and the deadly Hindukush,
can also be approached from Abbottabad. Though the importance of the city
has been diminished a little by the completion of Karakoram Highway because,
in the past, the only track available to reach Karakoram was through Babusar
Pass, which in its turn, could only be approached through Abbottabad.
In spite of this development, the city continues to be a transit city for
the tourists. Abbottabad is the junction from where one can go to places like
Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu and Indus Kohistan, of the Karakoram Range. One can
reach Swat, Swati Kohistan, Dir and Chitral of the Hindukush Range. And one
can approach Naran, Saif-ul-Muluk, Shogran and Babusar Pass of the Himalayan
Range. Neelum, Lipa and Jhelum Valley of beautiful Azad Kashmir are also connected
through Abbottabad.
While other hill stations are deserted during winter this place has visitors
due to the bracing winter. The place has beautiful gardens, Jinnah Garden,
Ladies Garden and another garden maintained by the Cantonment Board. To the
splendid stretch of turf with plenty of room for polo, football, hockey and
golf. At the back of the station to the west is the Brigade Centre, ideal
for walks and picnic.
The Cantonment area of Abbottabad is still very British. The European bungalows,
the club, the church and cemetery are still there.
Abbottabad is an hour's drive from Nathia Gali, the summer capital of the
North West Frontier Province, which is from Nathia Gali to Abbottabad is about
34 km dropping steeply through the beautiful valleys with few trees to the
river bed.
Thandiani
As the name indicates, Thandiani, is supposed to be coldest among the hill
stations of Pakistan. the approach to Thandiani 2691 meters above sea level,
is from Abbottabad, the gateway to almost all the beautiful places in the
north. Thandiani can also be reached from the Murree-Nathiagali route, but
it takes more time and the road is too winding.
Thandiani is 31 km from main Abbottabad city and 25 km from Thandiani-Nathiagali
crossing. the drive takes more or less 80 minutes from Abbottabad with lovely
views on both sides of the road. The road spans more than 1219 m above Abbottabad.
On the way along with tall majestic pine trees you come across groups of monkeys.
The major place on the way is Kalapani at 23 km from Abbottabad. It has a
beautiful local dark bungalow. Hule Ka Danna is about two kilometres north
of Thandiani. It is one of the most beautiful glades in the region.
Thandiani offers lush green lovely views. At night the lights of Hazara District
and Azad Kashmir are clearly visible. To the east beyond the Kunhar River,
may be seen the snow covered mountain ranges of Kashmir, to the north and
north-east, the mountains of Kohistan and Kaghan are sighted, to the north-west
are snowy ranges of Swat and Chitral.
Museum
