Pushkalavati lang sa is an ancient site situated in Peshawar valley in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province formerly NWFP of Pakistan . It is located on the banks of Swat River , near its junction with Kabul River , now it is known as Charsadda . Pushkalavati meaning Lotus City was the capital of ancient kingdom Gandhara from the 6th century BC to 2nd century AD. The ruins of Pushkalavati consist of many stupas and sites of two old cities. Bala Hisar This is the oldest settlement of the Pushkalavati occupied from 6th century BC. Ashoka built a stupa there which was described by Xuan Zang when he visited in 630 AD, which is still not found. This site was first excavated in 1902 by Marshal and then by Mortimer Wheeler in 1958. Shaikhan Dheri The Greco Bactrian Kingdom Bactrian Greeks built a new city ,Peucela or Peucelaitis. at this site which lies one kilometre from Bala Hissar on the other side of the branch of River Jinde . This city was occupied by Parthian empire Parthian , Saka s and Kushan s. In 2nd AD, river changed its course and city was flooded. Town moved to the site of modern village of dn Rajar . The city was partly excavated by Ahmad Hasan Dani in 1960 s. There are still many mounds at Mir Ziarat , at Rajar and Shahr i Napursan which are still unexcavated. Pushkalavati & Prang The city of Pushkalavati was situated at the confluence of Swat River Swat and Kabul rivers. Three different branches of Kabul river meet there. That specific place is still called Prang and considered sacred. A grand graveyard is situated to the north of Prang where the local people bring their dead for burial. This graveyard is considered to be among the largest graveyards in the world. Pushkalavati in the Ramayana. In the concluding portion of the Ramayana Uttara or Supplemental ... to Alexander and the Greeks as Taxila . The latter founded Pushkala vati or Pushkalavati, to the west ... Pu kal vat de Pushkalavati ... more details
File Peukolaos coin.jpg thumb upright 1.5 Coin of Peukalaos. Peucolaus Soter Dikaios was an Indo Greek king who ruled in the area of Gandhara c. 90 BCE. His reign was probably short and insignificant, since he left only a few coins, but the relations of the latter Indo Greek kings remain largely obscure. His name could be interpreted as The man from Pushkalavati , an important Indo Greek city east of Kabul . Coins of Peucolaos Peucolaos struck rare Indian standard silver coins with portrait in diadem, and a reverse of a standing Zeus, which resemble the reverse of contemporary kings Heliokles II and Archebios . The latter has overstruck two coins of Peucolaos. He also issued bilingual bronzes with Artemis and a crowned woman with a palm branch, perhaps a city goddess or a personification of Tyche , the deity for good luck. br clear all align center cellpadding 2 border 2 width 30 align center Preceded by br Amyntas Nikator width 40 align center Indo Greek Indo Greek Ruler br Arachosia , Gandhara br c. 90 BCE width 30 align center Succeeded by br Menander II Indo Greek kings See also Greco Bactrian Kingdom Seleucid Empire Greco Buddhism Indo Scythians Indo Parthian Kingdom Kushan Empire References The Greeks in Bactria and India , W.W. Tarn, Cambridge University Press. The Coin types of the Indo Greek Kings 256 54 BCE , A.K. Narain Category Indo Greek kings Category People in the history of Pakistan Category 1st century BC Asian rulers de Peukolaos it Peucolao vi Peukolaos Hellenistic rulers ... more details
Orphan date February 2009 mergeto Peshawar date July 2008 Purushapura lang sa is an ancient name of Peshawar , North West Frontier Province , Pakistan . History Purushapura, Ghandara , Kashmir and parts of Punjab region Punjab were the springboard for Buddhism to Afghanistan , parts of Iran and Central Asia and further to the north and to the east. Purushapura present day Peshawar was one of the principal centres for the expansion of Mah y na Buddhism. Buddhist missionaries are thought to have be sent to Ghandara not long after the Parinirv na of the Buddha . Buddhism was firmly rooted in this area under the reign of Emperor Ashoka, whose grandfather Chandragupta Maurya had already extended his imperial power in this western direction . Ashoka himself was a viceroy at Taxila , a great ancient centre of Hindu and later Buddhist learning and trade that once flourished near Ghandara. After the decline of the Mauryas during the 2nd century BC, the Greco Bactrians reasserted their powers and strengthened Buddhism King Menandros Milinda . Later the Greeks were supplanted by other peoples, including the Scythians and the Parthians . Afterwards came the Kush ns, a nomadic people originating from China. They built a great empire from Chinese Turkestan into Afghanistan and northern India and as far as Lake Aral and became later after initial enemyship towards Buddhism great supporters of Buddhism and built many monasteris and st pas. Thus between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD, Buddhism blossomed in this vital part of the world. Its greates patron was King Kanishka c. 78 101 AD . See also Pushkalavati Category Peshawar Category History of Pakistan ... more details
Shahbaz Garhi is an historic site located in Mardan District in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan . Location Shahbaz Garhi is situated on the junction of three ancient routes Kabul to Pushkalavati Swat Pakistan Swat through Buner Taxila through Hund on the bank of Indus River . Situated on the modern Mardan Swabi Road, the town was once a thriving Buddhist city surrounded by monasteries and stupas . Archaeological Relics Ashokan Inscriptions Rock edicts of Ashoka 272 231 BC were carved on two rocks on a hill. This edict was inscribed in Kharoshthi script. The translation of the text is written on a board nearby the rocks. The sight is a famous tourist spot for people who are interested in history. Buddha s Stupas According to one Buddhist legend, Buddha in one of his previous life as Prince Visvantara gave in charity a white miraculous elephant that have the power to produce rain to neighbouring hostile country suffering from draught. His own people banished him. Prince with his wife and two children lived on Mekha Sanda Hill . Later he gave his two sons to a Brahman in charity who sold them in the market of Shahbaz Garhi. Grandfather of the children recognized his grandchildren and acts of charity of the Prince were recognized by his people and invited him back to the city. Two stupas were built to commemorate these acts by which the Prince achieved dana paramita Perfection of Charity . Japanese team in 1960 s excavated sites of this legend as per directions given by Sun Yung and Xuan Zang who visited in 520 AD and 630 AD respectively. The stupa at Chank Dheri commemorate the while elephant. Sahri Stupa commemorated Prince Visvantara giving up his children. There are ruins of stupa and monasteries on the hill of Mekha Sanda. According to a Buddhist legend Buddha in one of his previous life visited this area as Prince Sudana, means of noble charity . The surrounding plain is still known as Sudana Plain . Site Map http kaladarshan.arts.ohio state.edu maps ... more details
Infobox Monarch name Artemidoros title Indo Greek king image File Artimedoros.jpg 350px caption small Coin of Artemidoros. br Obverse diademed bust of king. br Reverse Artemis , the eponymous goddess of hunting, using a curved bow. small reign 85 80 BCE or 100 80 BCE coronation othertitles Aniketos The invincible full name predecessor successor suc type heir queen consort spouse 1 spouse 2 spouse 3 spouse 4 spouse 5 spouse 6 issue royal house dynasty royal anthem father mother date of birth place of birth date of death place of death date of burial place of burial religion Artemidoros Aniketos The invincible was a king who ruled in the area of Gandhara and Pushkalavati in modern northern Pakistan and Afghanistan . A son of Maues Artemidoros has a Greek name and has traditionally been seen as an Indo Greek king. His remaining coins generally feature portraits of Artemidoros and Hellenistic deities and are typical of Indo Greek rulers, but on a coin described by numismatician R.C. Senior, Artemidoros claims to be the son of the Indo Scythians Indo Scythian king Maues . Not only does this coin enable a closer dating of Artemidoros it also sheds new light on the transient ethnic identities during the decline of the Indo Greek kingdom. While Maues was Great King of Kings , Artemidoros only styled himself King it appears as though he ruled only a smaller part of his father s dominions. He was either challenged by or ruled in tandem with other kings such as Menander II , whose coins have been found alongside his, and Apollodotus II . Time of rule Bopearachchi has suggested a date of c. 85 80 BCE, but this was before the appearance of the Maues coin. Senior s dating is wider, c.100 80 BCE, because Senior has given Maues an earlier date. Coins During the 1990s, several new types of Artemidoros coins appeared, of variable quality. R.C. Senior has suggested that Artemidoros relied mostly on temporary mints, perhaps because he held no major cities. All his coins were Indian bil ... more details
Infobox Monarch name Telephos title Indo Greek king image File Telephos.jpg 300px caption small Bronze coin of king Telephos . br Obv Zeus seated on a throne, scepter in left hand, forming a benediction gesture with the right hand, similar to the Buddhist vitarka mudra . Greek legend BASILEOS EUERGETOY TILEFOY br Rev Squatting man, right hand forward. Kharoshthi legend MAHARAJASA KALAKRAMASA TELIPHASA. small reign 75 70 BCE coronation othertitles Euergetes the Benefactor full name predecessor successor suc type heir queen consort spouse 1 spouse 2 spouse 3 spouse 4 spouse 5 spouse 6 issue royal house dynasty royal anthem father mother date of birth place of birth date of death place of death date of burial place of burial religion Telephos Euergetes , the Benefactor , was a late Indo Greek king who seem to have been one of the weak and brief successors of Maues . Bopearachchi dates Telephos between 75 BCE 75 70 BCE and places him in Gandhara, Senior to circa 60 BCE and suggests that he ruled in some parts of Pushkalavati or even further west. Nothing is known about his dynastic connections. His few coins are rather singular and none of them bear his likeness, a rare occurrence in Indo Greek coinage. Despite his Greek name, Telephos might therefore have been a ruler of Saka origin. His epithet was also unprecedented. Coins of Telephos The silver of Telephos is rare and mostly consists of drachms only a single tetradrachm is known. On the Greek side is a serpent footed monster holding the stems of two plants, and on the Kharosthi side two deities that probably should be identified with Helios and Selene , the sun and moon. Both types were unique in the area, though the monster would later appear on bronzes of Hippostratos . An example of one of his bronzes is seen above, The obverse is the common type of sitting Zeus making a benediction gesture, whereas on the reverse is the unique type of a squatting man holding what on some specimens looks like a spear, on others a ... more details
Infobox monarch name Hippostratos title Indo Greek king image Image Hippostratos.jpg 300px caption Tetradrachm of Hippostratos . br Obv Bust of Hippostratos with Greek legend BASILEOS MEGALOU SOTEROS IPPOSTPATOU Great Saviour King Hippostratos . br Rev King on horseback, galloping. Kharoshthi legend MAHARAJASA TRATASA MAHATASA JAYAMTASA HIPUSTRATASA King Hippostratos, the Great Saviour and Conqueror. reign 65 BCE to 55 BCE religious beliefs coronation othertitles full name predecessor successor suc type heir queen consort spouse 1 spouse 2 spouse 3 spouse 4 spouse 5 spouse 6 issue royal house dynasty royal anthem father mother date of birth place of birth date of death place of death date of burial place of burial Image HippostratosCoin.jpg thumb upright 1.5 Tetradrachm of Hippostratos . br Obv Bust of Hippostratos with Greek legend BASILEOS MEGALOU SOTEROS IPPOSTPATOU Great Saviour King Hippostratos . br Rev King on horseback, walking, making a gesture of benediction. Kharoshthi legend MAHARAJASA TRATASA MAHATASA JAYAMTASA HIPUSTRATASA King Hippostratos, the Great Saviour and Conqueror. Hippostratos was an Indo Greek king who ruled central and north western Punjab region Punjab and Pushkalavati . Bopearachchi dates Hippostratos to 65 BCE 65 to 55 BCE whereas R.C. Senior suggests 60 BCE 60 to 50 BCE . Rule In Bopearachchi s reconstruction Hippostratos came to power as the successor to Apollodotus II, in the western part of his kingdom, while the weak King Dionysios Dionysios ascended to the throne in the eastern part. Senior assumes that the reigns of Apollodotus II and Hippostratos overlapped somewhat in that case Hippostratos first ruled a kingdom was to the west of Apollodotus dominions. Just like Apollodotus II, Hippostratos calls himself Soter , Saviour , on all his coins, and on some coins he also assumes the title Basileos Megas , Great King , which he inherited from Apollodotus II. This may support Senior s scenario that Hippostratos extended his kingdom aft ... more details
. Law. ref . From Pushkalavati, the Kamboja Dvaravati and Uttarapatha routes ran together to Bactria ... and Bhalluka, the two merchant brothers, natives of Pokkharavati modern Pushkalavati in what ... more details
Pushkalavati, Pali Pokkharavati or Pushkaravati is said to have been Utpalavati ref The geographical ..., modern Charasadda. The story of Rupavati Rupavatyavadana specifically equates this Utpalavati to the Pushkalavati ... that city of Kukkatavati may have been in NWFP of Pakistan or somewhere near Pushkalavati or Mashkavati ... more details
therefore, inevitably tends to get connected to Pali Pokkharavati Sanskrit Pushkalavati , which ... Buddhism . ref . The ancient name of Pokkharavati Pushkalavati was Utpalavati ref The geographical ... more details
Infobox monarch name Antialcidas title Indo Greek king image Image Antialkidas.jpg 350px caption Silver tetradrachm of King Antialcidas. br Obv Bust of Antialcidas wearing aegis and holding a spear, with Greek legend BASILEOS NIKEPHOROU ANTIALKIDOU Coin of victorious King Antialcidas . br Rev Zeus with lotus tipped sceptre, in front of an elephant with a bell symbol of Taxila , surmouted by Nike mythology Nike holding a wreath, crowning the elephant. Kharoshti legend MAHARAJASA JAYADHARASA ANTIALIKITASA Victorious King Antialcidas . Pushkalavati mint. reign 130 BCE 120 BCE RC Senior br 115 BCE 95 BCE Boppearachchi religious beliefs coronation othertitles NIKEPHOROU Victorious full name predecessor successor suc type heir queen consort spouse 1 spouse 2 spouse 3 spouse 4 spouse 5 spouse 6 issue royal house dynasty royal anthem father mother date of birth place of birth date of death place of death date of burial place of burial Antialcidas Nikephoros the Victorious was a Western Indo Greek king of the Eucratid Dynasty , who reigned from his capital at Taxila . Bopearachchi has suggested that he ruled from ca 115 to 95 BCE in the western parts of the Indo Greek realms, whereas RC Senior places him around 130 to 120 BCE and also in eastern Punjab region Punjab which seems better supported by coin findings . Senior does however believe that he ruled in tandem with King Lysias . Genealogy Antialcidas may have been a relative of the Bactrian king Heliocles I , but ruled after the fall of the Bactrian kingdom. Several later kings may have been related to Antialcidas Heliokles II , Amyntas Nikator Amyntas , Diomedes and Hermaeus all struck coins with similar features. The Heliodorus inscription main Heliodorus pillar File IndoGreekCampaings.jpg thumb left Antialcidas sent an Embassy to Vidisha Vidisa in central India. Image Heliodoruspillar.gif thumb left Inscription on the Heliodorus pillar made by Antialcidas Ambassador Heliodorus in 110 BCE . Though there are no sources ... more details
Unreferenced date November 2009 Manj or Manjj are a Rajput sub clan from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan . Origin and History big Indo Greeks Background small The Hellenistic expansion brought the Ancient Greeks in South Asia also known as Indo Greeks. They established the Indo Greek Kingdom or Graeco Indian Kingdom covering various parts of the northwest and northern Indian subcontinent during the last two centuries BC, and was ruled by more than 30 Hellenistic kings, often in conflict with each other. The kingdom was founded when the Graeco Bactrian king Demetrius invaded India early in the 2nd century BC in this context the boundary of India is the Hindu Kush. The Greeks in India were eventually divided from the Graeco Bactrian Kingdom centered in Bactria now the border between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan . The expression Indo Greek Kingdom loosely describes a number of various dynastic polities. There were numerous cities, such as Taxila, now in Punjab Pakistan , Pushkalavati and Sagala. These cities would house a number of dynasties in their times, and based on Ptolemy s Geographia and the nomenclature of later kings, a certain Theophila in the south was also probably a satrapal or royal seat at some point. During the two centuries of their rule, the Indo Greek kings combined the Greek and Indian languages and symbols, as seen on their coins, and blended ancient Greek, Hindu and Buddhist religious practices, as seen in the archaeological remains of their cities and in the indications of their support of Buddhism, pointing to a rich fusion of Indian and Hellenistic influences. The diffusion of Indo Greek culture had consequences which are still felt today, particularly through the influence of Greco Buddhist art. The Indo Greeks ultimately disappeared as a political entity around 10 AD following the invasions of the Indo Scythians, although pockets of Greek populations probably remained for several centuries longer under the subsequent rule of the Indo Pa ... more details
the Peshawar valley. The kingdom was ruled from capitals at Pushkalavati Charsadda , Taxila .... Pushkalavati and Prayag The primary cities of Gandhara were Purushapura now Peshawar , Takshashila or Taxila and Pushkalavati . The latter remained the capital of Gandhara down to the 2nd century ... of pilgrimage until the 7th century. Pushkalavati in the Peshawar Valley is situated at the confluence ... Taxila and later from Sagala Sialkot . He rebuilt Taxila Sirkap and Pushkalavati. He became a Buddhist ... more details
Citations missing date December 2006 File Peshawar City, India Edwardes Gate, c 1870.jpg right thumb Peshawar City, Edwardes Gate, c. 1870 The history of Peshawar , a region of modern day Pakistan , covers thousands of years. The region was dominated by various tribal groups of Indo Iranian origin and a variety of other groups, possibly of Elamo Dravidian origin, maybe prior to invasion of Aryan tribes and their settlement. The region had links to the Harappan civilization of the Indus Valley Civilization Indus river valley and to ancient Afghanistan before it was called Afghanistan or even Aryana , especially the Kabul valley. The border known as the Durand Line was fixed by the British in 1893 and divided ethnic Pakhtun territories into two parts. As a result, many Pakhtuns have agitated for a re unification of Afghanistan or Pakhtunistan. The resulting Pakhtunistan issue has often adversely impacted relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, but the issue has largely become dormant since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the arrival and settlement of nearly 4 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Ancient history It has been argued that an ancient city named Pushkalavati Pushkalwati , founded by Bharata Ramayana Bharata s son Pushkal, from the Indian epic Ramayana , may have existed in this general area during early Indo Iranian times before their invasion past the Indus into South Asia. ref http www.world66.com asia southasia pakistan peshawar history Overview of Peshawar History ref The city that would become Peshawar , called Purushapura, was actually founded by the Kushan Empire Kushans , a Central Asian tribe of Tocharians Tocharian origin, over 2,000 years ago. Prior to this period the region was affiliated with Gandhara and was annexed first by the Persian Achaemenid Empire and then the Hellenic empire of Alexander the Great . The city passed into the rule of Alexander s successor, Seleucus I Nicator who ceded it to Chandragupta Maurya , the founder of ... more details
, moved the capital from Pushkalavati now called Charsadda in the Peshawar valley to Purushapura in the 2nd ... Press. ref Vedic mythology refers to an ancient settlement called Pushkalavati in the area, after ... more details
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