Old Peshawar
- Thread starter ghazi52
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Watandar
Trusted Member
Peshawar pre-1980 before the population boom was a quiet and livable place.
ghazi52
THINK TANK: CONSULTANT
- Thread starter
- #146
Peshawar is the oldest and most historic city in Pakistan. It has a history of more than 2500 years and has been a center of trade and religious routes in Asia for thousands of years.
1. When was it settled and the meaning of the name*
- *Oldest settlement*: A small village was found on the site of Peshawar in the 5th century BC. The recorded history dates back to 539 BC, making it the oldest city in Pakistan.
- *Name*: The ancient Sanskrit name was _Puruṣapura_ which means "City of Men". It is said that this name was named after a Hindu king "Prush". The Mughal emperor Akbar named it "Peshawar" meaning "border city".
- It was the western capital of Gandhara, while the eastern capital was Pashklavati, today's Charsadda.
2. Who settled it and who occupied it - Complete Timeline*
*Ancient times*
- *Gandhara Empire ∼700 BC*: This area became part of the Gandhara Mahajanapada.
- *Achaemenid Persian Empire*: It was occupied by the Persians before Alexander.
- *Alexander the Great 327-326 BC*: Alexander conquered the Peshawar valley in the winter.
- *Seleucid Empire*: After Alexander, Seleucus Nicator ruled here.
*Indian and Greek Empires*
- *Maurya Empire 303 BC*: After the Seleucid-Maurya War, it was handed over to Chandragupta Maurya. Megasthenes wrote that Peshawar was the last point on the western road of the Maurya Empire that led to Pataliputra.
- *Greno-Bactrian 190 BC*: After the fall of the Maurya, the Greeks occupied it.
- *Indo-Greek*: They combined Greek and Indian civilizations. Coins, art and Buddhism are the patronage of the religion of this period.
*Iranian and Central Asian rulers*
- *Indo-Parthian*: conquered by Gondoparas. He built the famous Takhtbai monastery in 46 CE.
- *Scythian/Indo-Scythian ∼10 CE*: defeated the Indo-Greeks.
*Kishan Empire - Golden Age ∼30 to 230 CE*
This was the most glorious period of Peshawar.
- *Kojula Kadphises 1st century CE* conquered Peshawar and incorporated it into the Kishan Empire.
- *Kanishak the Great 127-150 CE*: He made _Parshapura_ the capital and winter capital of his empire. At that time, the city had a population of 120,000 and was the 7th largest city in the world.
- Kanishka patronized Buddhism The Fourth Buddhist Council convened and built the world's tallest building, the "Kanishka Stupa" in Peshawar, which was 600-700 feet high. The sacred relics of Buddha were kept here.
- During this period, Peshawar became a world center of knowledge, trade and Buddhism.
*Later periods*
- *Hephthalite Huns 6th century*: They destroyed the city in the early 6th century.
- *Hindu Shahis*: Before the arrival of Muslims, the Hindu Shahis ruled here.
*Islamic periods*
- *Ghaznavid, Ghori and Delhi Sultanates*: After the 10th century, with the Muslim conquests, this area became part of the Islamic empires.
- *Mughal Empire 16th century*: During the reign of Akbar, Peshawar again became an important commercial and military center. He renamed it "Peshawar".
*Modern period*
- *Durani Empire 1747*: Captured by Ahmad Shah Abdali. It remained the winter capital of the Durranis from 1776.
- *Sikh Empire March 1823*: Ranjit Singh's army conquered Peshawar.
- *British Raj 1848*: The British took it from the Sikhs and made it the main military center of the North-West Frontier.
- *Pakistan 1947 to present*: After the formation of Pakistan, it became the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
3. Some special things*
- *Trade*: It was the terminus of the ancient "Grand Trunk Road" and the gateway to the Khyber Pass. Therefore, it was a center of trade between Asia, Central Asia and India for thousands of years.
- *Religion*: Buddhism, Hinduism and then Islam had a strong influence. The major Buddhist centers were Takht Bai and Kanishka Stupa here.
- *Bala Hisar Fort*: It dates back to at least the 15th century and is still used as a military headquarters today.
In short: Peshawar was not "settled" by any one person. It grew slowly from the time of Gandhara into a natural trading valley. But it was given the form of a royal capital by the *Kushans*, especially by *Kanishak* in the 2nd century AD. (Manzoor Hussain Joori)
1. When was it settled and the meaning of the name*
- *Oldest settlement*: A small village was found on the site of Peshawar in the 5th century BC. The recorded history dates back to 539 BC, making it the oldest city in Pakistan.
- *Name*: The ancient Sanskrit name was _Puruṣapura_ which means "City of Men". It is said that this name was named after a Hindu king "Prush". The Mughal emperor Akbar named it "Peshawar" meaning "border city".
- It was the western capital of Gandhara, while the eastern capital was Pashklavati, today's Charsadda.
2. Who settled it and who occupied it - Complete Timeline*
*Ancient times*
- *Gandhara Empire ∼700 BC*: This area became part of the Gandhara Mahajanapada.
- *Achaemenid Persian Empire*: It was occupied by the Persians before Alexander.
- *Alexander the Great 327-326 BC*: Alexander conquered the Peshawar valley in the winter.
- *Seleucid Empire*: After Alexander, Seleucus Nicator ruled here.
*Indian and Greek Empires*
- *Maurya Empire 303 BC*: After the Seleucid-Maurya War, it was handed over to Chandragupta Maurya. Megasthenes wrote that Peshawar was the last point on the western road of the Maurya Empire that led to Pataliputra.
- *Greno-Bactrian 190 BC*: After the fall of the Maurya, the Greeks occupied it.
- *Indo-Greek*: They combined Greek and Indian civilizations. Coins, art and Buddhism are the patronage of the religion of this period.
*Iranian and Central Asian rulers*
- *Indo-Parthian*: conquered by Gondoparas. He built the famous Takhtbai monastery in 46 CE.
- *Scythian/Indo-Scythian ∼10 CE*: defeated the Indo-Greeks.
*Kishan Empire - Golden Age ∼30 to 230 CE*
This was the most glorious period of Peshawar.
- *Kojula Kadphises 1st century CE* conquered Peshawar and incorporated it into the Kishan Empire.
- *Kanishak the Great 127-150 CE*: He made _Parshapura_ the capital and winter capital of his empire. At that time, the city had a population of 120,000 and was the 7th largest city in the world.
- Kanishka patronized Buddhism The Fourth Buddhist Council convened and built the world's tallest building, the "Kanishka Stupa" in Peshawar, which was 600-700 feet high. The sacred relics of Buddha were kept here.
- During this period, Peshawar became a world center of knowledge, trade and Buddhism.
*Later periods*
- *Hephthalite Huns 6th century*: They destroyed the city in the early 6th century.
- *Hindu Shahis*: Before the arrival of Muslims, the Hindu Shahis ruled here.
*Islamic periods*
- *Ghaznavid, Ghori and Delhi Sultanates*: After the 10th century, with the Muslim conquests, this area became part of the Islamic empires.
- *Mughal Empire 16th century*: During the reign of Akbar, Peshawar again became an important commercial and military center. He renamed it "Peshawar".
*Modern period*
- *Durani Empire 1747*: Captured by Ahmad Shah Abdali. It remained the winter capital of the Durranis from 1776.
- *Sikh Empire March 1823*: Ranjit Singh's army conquered Peshawar.
- *British Raj 1848*: The British took it from the Sikhs and made it the main military center of the North-West Frontier.
- *Pakistan 1947 to present*: After the formation of Pakistan, it became the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
3. Some special things*
- *Trade*: It was the terminus of the ancient "Grand Trunk Road" and the gateway to the Khyber Pass. Therefore, it was a center of trade between Asia, Central Asia and India for thousands of years.
- *Religion*: Buddhism, Hinduism and then Islam had a strong influence. The major Buddhist centers were Takht Bai and Kanishka Stupa here.
- *Bala Hisar Fort*: It dates back to at least the 15th century and is still used as a military headquarters today.
In short: Peshawar was not "settled" by any one person. It grew slowly from the time of Gandhara into a natural trading valley. But it was given the form of a royal capital by the *Kushans*, especially by *Kanishak* in the 2nd century AD. (Manzoor Hussain Joori)
ghazi52
THINK TANK: CONSULTANT
- Thread starter
- #147
*1940s Saddar Road, Peshawar Cantt*
_(Source: Government House Collection)_
This picture shows Saddar Road in Peshawar Cantt, which was the most important and busy area of the city at that time.
*What is in the picture:*
- *Frontier Motors*: This was a big car dealership at that time. Cars were very rare in the 1940s, so cars like Jeeps, Bedford trucks and Morris/Austins were seen here.
- *Lane's Down Theatre*: Built in the 1920s during the British era. English films and dramas were shown here. After the formation of Pakistan, it was renamed *Filk Seer Cinema*. It was a very popular single-screen cinema in Peshawar and operated until 2000.
- *Environment of Saddar Road*: A wide tree-lined road, British-style shops with arches, Tangas, military officers, and local traders. A mix of both the cantonment and the city could be seen here.
This picture is from before partition when Peshawar was part of NWFP and under British rule. Saddar Road was still the heart of Peshawar.
Falak Seer Cinema is now closed but many old Peshawaris still reminisce about watching movies there.
Manzoor Hussain Joori
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