Taxila Pakistan

• Previous community, Northwest Pakistan.
• Taxila Pakistan is amongst the most well-known archaeological sites on this planet.
• Taxila had been the particular ex – money from the Traditional western Punjab.
• Old Town is situated at Pakistan’s Northwest

It is ruins, such as temples as well as a castle, Taxila are just towards Northwest associated with Rawalpindi Taxila, the particular “city associated with stones”, that was previously a prospering town on the industry tracks associated with Middle Asia

Within Taxila, you can see the particular large Buddha. His little brown eyes the design from an individual soon you are found through the experiencing associated with worry. Other people that are available in Taxila Pakistan are Alejandro associated with Macedonia, the particular well-known Buddhist Master Asoka as well as Kanishka. You will find their footprints in all places. Within 327 W. D. JC Alejandro overcomes Taxila that has been the particular Achaemenid Empire. In the future, this passed beneath Maurya dynasty as well as reached an incredible level of progress beneath tip from the fantastic Asoka.

Phase 2 within the historical past associated with Taxila Pakistan will be the indo-griego descendants associated with a warrior associated with Alexander. A final time period is named an occasion associated with Gandhara. The good Kushan dynasty had been next founded within the calendar year 50, as well as in these types of 250 a long time Taxila grew to become essentially the most acknowledged idea, art as well as Mastering Heart. Taxila Pakistan will be the main appeal with regard to pilgrims as well as holidaymakers through the Far East as well as Greece. One more period of Taxila 30-Jul-2007, he / she had been almost all profitable as well as greatest the world associated with Gandhara from the previous hundreds of years.

The particular oldest town in that person, known as Bhir pile. That’s founded sometime within the 6 hundred years B.C., as their infrequent avenues, thin residences as well as below average open properties reveal it is simple sources. And then occurs the particular Sirkap town will be upon the complete opposite area from the mode associated with Tamara, that has been integrated the 2nd hundred years prior to Christ an individual some time you will discover a huge distinction involving these types of locations since the town had been well designed.

The particular well-known archaeological sites on this planet

Taxila for quite a while has been center of Buddhism, the particular well-known sculpture associated with Gandhara as well as center of the city, finding out the particular way of life. Old Taxila Pakistan within the Northwest associated with Pakistan, the particular ruins that are concerning 23 mls (35 km) northwest associated with Rawalpindi.

Taking walks alongside it is avenues, you are able to call up the particular households from the loaded and the slums are, as we say, within the busiest sections, the moment inhabited through the typical man from the previous dim as well as foggy. Notice the particular fortifying from the wall, the particular extended, immediately Main Avenue as well as remarkable, the particular Royal Structure, a temple from the apse and the retreat from the increase novelty helmet brain. The ultra-modern town associated with Sirsukh had been developed through the Kings associated with Kushan within the first hundred years B.C. isn’t thoroughly excavated until now, however it will be apparent that the attractive as well as well prepared town. This kind of town will be the model of the particular Asia Middle locations, and is particularly finished with the particular suburbs.

As well as these types of locations, there are many monasteries as well as stupas that have been excavated on the Area associated with Taxila. Dharmarajika stupa, which can be only two mls through Taxila Adult Ed, is really a check out pressured stupa. It can be largely constructed from properties, a space associated with monastery where monks resided as well as several modest chapels. The particular success associated with gold, gold dollars, valuable rocks, bracelets as well as old binoculars that had been found within the Dharmarajika.

Jaulian, another fantastic complex associated with shrines, stupas, patios, as well as a monastery along with Bar operates, warehouses, kitchen, kitchen’s as well as bathing rooms. The particular all 5 modest stupas you will note many stucco, relive this Buddha as well as Bodhisattvas and with assistance from your ranks from the elephants and the gemstone lions.

Ex- money from the Traditional western Punjab / Taxila / Sanskrit Takshashila

Previous community associated with Northwest Pakistan, the particular ruins that are concerning 23 mls (35 km) northwest associated with Rawalpindi, Taxila had been money from the Buddhist Kingdom associated with Gandhara, as well as a finding out heart.

Two mls west associated with Jaulian will be another monastery throughout Mohra Moradu. Within one of the cells from the monks the following of the stupa is by using the vast majority of the facts undamaged. At Jandial, a distance. 5 associated with Sirsukh is really a temple without having pictures within the Language of ancient Greece time-honored model, along with copy made of sandstone as well as cornices.

TAXILA

The particular customs from the mankind associated with Taxila Pakistan is located in Punjab province, concerning 35 mls through Islamabad. Taxila Pakistan is surely an archaeological internet site incorporates many connected properties, fortifications, debt settlements and the monasteries, as well as demonstrates has impact on from the buildings associated with the duration of it is function being a heart associated with Buddhist teaching, involving the fifth hundred years B.C., from the 2nd hundred years.

Within Taxila, large Buddha is able to see. His little brown eyes the design from an individual soon you are found through the experiencing associated with worry. Taxila Pakistan had been money from the Buddhist Kingdom associated with Gandhara as well as a finding out heart.

Taxila Pakistan can be found concerning 35 mls (22 miles) northwest associated with Rawalpindi, near Wah within the Peshawar highway, and is particularly world renowned with regard to archaeological sites dating back to towards fifth hundred years B.C.. The particular weighty mechanical complex as well as affiliate associated with weighty forging factory as well as installation of Taxila Pakistan Major Industrial sectors (the ex – factory associated with weighty reconstruction), will be in Taxila Pakistan. Checking out Taxila Pakistan is really a multi-dimensional experience.

The particular richness as well as various the particular well-known sculptures associated with Gandhara will be obliged to sketch the attention. There are many Buddha pictures, gemstone as well as stucco as well as a lot of sections depicting all the critical development from the existence from the fantastic sage. You can also find sculptures of the extremely critical adult men from the earth associated with peace. Every bit associated with wooden sculpture demonstrates the particular lavish splendor as well as fascinating beauty associated with colossal small there are actually thousands of learn pieces since this kind of assortment. To learn the particular distinction involving counterpart’s griegos-romanos as well as pieces of art, Gandhara will probably be demanding for you personally.

And then there are the particular several distinct locations that happen to be well conserved. Using your experience curiosity through the wooden those who live in these types of locations, it will have minor problems throughout visualizing the particular throngs on the avenues well post-to exterior, people throughout spacious residences, priests within the huge stupas as well as movie stars throughout grand palaces. To encourage an individual there, are gemstone people who will acquire your pet along with open up arms throughout Taxila Pakistan.

Gandhara Civilization

Gandhara Civilization (some glimpses from Pakistan)

http://voiceoftaxila.blogspot.com/2016/07/blog-post_39.htmlEid'a Days

Miracle of Taxila

Documentary on the History of Taxila

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 visitor, step into Taxila you feel 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 the River Indus. Once a province of the powerful Achaemenian Empire, Taxila was conquered by Alexander in 327 B. C. It later came under the Mauryan dynasty and reached a remarkably mature level of development under the great Asoka.Then appeared the Indo-Greek descendants of Alexander’s warrior and finally came the most creative period of Gandhara. The great Kushan dynasty was established about 50 A.D. During the next 200 year. Taxila became a renowned centre of learning, from as far away as China and Greece. The end came in the fifth century A.D. 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 evoke the life and times of one of the worlds’ 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 A.D., 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 Buddha 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, families 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 B.C. Its irregular streets, cramped houses and mediocre public building indicate its primitive origins. Sirkap, on the opposite side of the Tamara Stream, is much newer, having been built in the second century B.C. You will find Sirkap a 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 Palace, and 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 A.D. It has not been fully excavated as yet but it is clearly a well fortified, well laid out city, patterned after Central Asian cities and 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 lies buried awaiting discovery. If you can’t manage all, you must at least explore the remarkable Dharmarajika Stupa, three kilometers 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. They are all housed in the Taxila Museum.

There is also Jaulian, another impressive complex of chapels, stupas, quadrangles, and a monastery with assembly hall, storerooms, refectory, kitchen and bathrooms. At five small stupas you will see beautiful stucco relief of Buddha and Bodhisatvas supported by rows of stone elephants and lions. Two miles from Jaulian is another well-preserved monastery --- at Mohra Moradu. In one of the monk’ cells here was found a small stupa with almost all the details intact. At Jandial, two kilometers from Sirsukh, is an imageless temple in the classic Greek style, with columns and cornices.

For the climbers, there 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 decoration of the stupas are well worth the climb. No amount of description can do justice to Taxila. To feel and understand its full importance, 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 knew what he was doing when 3,000 years ago he chose to site his cities in this delightful, hill-edged valley.

The Museum

The archaeological museum a 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 Gandhara sculpture crafted at a time when the world was young. Its impressive collection will help you get to know Gautama, the Lord Buddha, better.

 A bureaucrat, mutated into an ‘intellectual’, hogs the waves of an Urdu television channel and tells the ignorant television viewing public what it wants to hear. One of his not-so-recent gems was about the country that is now Pakistan being a wild and savage land until illuminated by Islam in the early 8th century. That, until that time, this land had no culture or sophistication. The man is a liar and a charlatan.

·

··

  In April 326 BCE, Alexander arrived in Taxila and it is from that time we get the first real notice on this wonderful city. Several members of the Macedonian’s staff wrote diaries that were subsequently published. Some of those works are lost entirely, others preserved by later historians. Whatever the case, they provide a fantastic window into the city.

·

  Taxila, was a city of Buddhists and Brahmans and of yet another class that did not bury its dead. They exposed them in isolated places for the bones to be picked clean by the birds. This was a clear reference to the followers of the great Zartusht or Zoroaster — the people we today know as Parsees. We are told that the Brahmans were a very powerful class, actively engaged in the political life of the city and serving as counsellors to the court.

·

  As for the Buddhists, Greek writers refer to them as ‘sramanes’. Clearly this was a mispronunciation of ‘sramanera’, or a new entry training to be a monk. Though there is no dearth of ruins of post-Alexander Buddhist monasteries in town, we can take this as proof of Taxila being a centre of learning even before the westerners descended upon it.

·

  There is no notice of animosity between followers of the various religious persuasions who lived in total harmony. Taxila, if we are to believe Alexander’s general Nearchus, was a city of peace and the rule of law. Nearchus notes, with evident awe, the rectitude and decency of the townspeople who made all monetary transactions without “either seals or witnesses”. Yet the courts of law were without any cases of fraud! Mendacity was unheard of and when folks went away, either for work or pleasure, they left their homes unlocked and unguarded for theft was not known in Taxila!

·

  The people of Taxila were admirers of physical beauty and never left home improperly dressed or made up. The men wore their beards either in white or in punk shades of bright red, green or purple. The dress, as described by Nearchus, was “an under-garment of cotton which reaches below the knee halfway down to the ankles, and also an upper garment which they throw partly over their shoulders, and partly twist in folds around their heads.”

·

  Their shoes had thick soles to make the wearer seem taller and the clothing of the rich men was worked in gold thread and studded with precious stones. When they went about their business out of doors, attendants shaded them from the harsh Punjabi sun with broad parasols.

·

  Polygamy was common among the rich. But parents with daughters of marriageable age and unable, because of poverty, to wed them off, exhibited the damsels in the town square. There the champions of Taxila fought boxing matches and the winner’s prize was the hand of the girl in marriage.

·

  Arrian called Taxila “the largest [city] between the Indus and the Jhleum” and we can tell from the above description of its richer classes that it was indeed so. Sitting at a spot that made it an important staging post for caravans, it picked off large amounts in custom duties. But much of its wealth also came from its rich agriculture. According to Nearchus, there was no shortage of food in Taxila.

·

  But the noblest aspect of Taxilian society was the respect it bestowed upon its learned men. The philosophers, whose fame had reached Alexander months before he got to Taxila, were held in the highest possible esteem by the Taxilians. They lived outside town, but whenever they wandered in, people mobbed them, oiling their hair and massaging their limbs, begging them to come into their homes so that they could hear their discourse.

·

  Taxila was a city of high culture that valued true learning. And we have a mendacious bureaucrat pretending to be an intellectual who tells us otherwise.

 A bureaucrat, mutated into an ‘intellectual’, hogs the waves of an Urdu television channel and tells the ignorant television viewing public what it wants to hear. One of his not-so-recent gems was about the country that is now Pakistan being a wild and savage land until illuminated by Islam in the early 8th century. That, until that time, this land had no culture or sophistication. The man is a liar and a charlatan.

·

··

  In April 326 BCE, Alexander arrived in Taxila and it is from that time we get the first real notice on this wonderful city. Several members of the Macedonian’s staff wrote diaries that were subsequently published. Some of those works are lost entirely, others preserved by later historians. Whatever the case, they provide a fantastic window into the city.

·

  Taxila, was a city of Buddhists and Brahmans and of yet another class that did not bury its dead. They exposed them in isolated places for the bones to be picked clean by the birds. This was a clear reference to the followers of the great Zartusht or Zoroaster — the people we today know as Parsees. We are told that the Brahmans were a very powerful class, actively engaged in the political life of the city and serving as counsellors to the court.

·

  As for the Buddhists, Greek writers refer to them as ‘sramanes’. Clearly this was a mispronunciation of ‘sramanera’, or a new entry training to be a monk. Though there is no dearth of ruins of post-Alexander Buddhist monasteries in town, we can take this as proof of Taxila being a centre of learning even before the westerners descended upon it.

·

  There is no notice of animosity between followers of the various religious persuasions who lived in total harmony. Taxila, if we are to believe Alexander’s general Nearchus, was a city of peace and the rule of law. Nearchus notes, with evident awe, the rectitude and decency of the townspeople who made all monetary transactions without “either seals or witnesses”. Yet the courts of law were without any cases of fraud! Mendacity was unheard of and when folks went away, either for work or pleasure, they left their homes unlocked and unguarded for theft was not known in Taxila!

·

  The people of Taxila were admirers of physical beauty and never left home improperly dressed or made up. The men wore their beards either in white or in punk shades of bright red, green or purple. The dress, as described by Nearchus, was “an under-garment of cotton which reaches below the knee halfway down to the ankles, and also an upper garment which they throw partly over their shoulders, and partly twist in folds around their heads.”

·

  Their shoes had thick soles to make the wearer seem taller and the clothing of the rich men was worked in gold thread and studded with precious stones. When they went about their business out of doors, attendants shaded them from the harsh Punjabi sun with broad parasols.

·

  Polygamy was common among the rich. But parents with daughters of marriageable age and unable, because of poverty, to wed them off, exhibited the damsels in the town square. There the champions of Taxila fought boxing matches and the winner’s prize was the hand of the girl in marriage.

·

  Arrian called Taxila “the largest [city] between the Indus and the Jhleum” and we can tell from the above description of its richer classes that it was indeed so. Sitting at a spot that made it an important staging post for caravans, it picked off large amounts in custom duties. But much of its wealth also came from its rich agriculture. According to Nearchus, there was no shortage of food in Taxila.

·

  But the noblest aspect of Taxilian society was the respect it bestowed upon its learned men. The philosophers, whose fame had reached Alexander months before he got to Taxila, were held in the highest possible esteem by the Taxilians. They lived outside town, but whenever they wandered in, people mobbed them, oiling their hair and massaging their limbs, begging them to come into their homes so that they could hear their discourse.

·

  Taxila was a city of high culture that valued true learning. And we have a mendacious bureaucrat pretending to be an intellectual who tells us otherwise.

Taxila Museum

Taxila Museum is the first stop for any tourist. Taxila Museum is the ideal place for tourists to get an idea about the archaeological importance of the place. The Taxila museum one of the best collections of Gandhara art in Pakistan: a display of artifacts explaining the daily life of the people of ancient Taxila, and a useful model of the whole valley showing all the archaeological sites. Taxila museum is one of the best and well organized museums in Pakistan. A museum having various parts in which people can find systematic study of past human life and culture. Summer timings are from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Winter timings are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Taxila Museum dedicated to the Gandhara civilization. A hotel of the tourism department offers reasonably good services and kindness to the tourists.

ANCIENT TAXILA

As a visitor, when you step into Taxila, you are taken to an altogether different world that was alive during 5th century. Here you come face-to-face with Lord Buddha, Alexander of Macedonia, Emperor Asoka and Emperor Kanishka.  Taxila was conquered by Alexander in 327 BC and later on came under the rule of the Mauryan dynasty. Under the king Asoka, the city touched its peak in terms of development. Taxila after this saw the most creative period under the rule of Gandhara. In the next 200 years, Taxila became a center of great learning. But as everything is bound to have an end, the Buddhist monasteries and many stupas at Taxila were destroyed on a large scale by the Hephthalites (nomadic unions in Central Asia) and, after this, the city was never able to recover. Exploring Taxila is a great experience in itself. You will find Gandhara sculptures, endless images of Lord Buddha, and the remarkable ruins of Taxila. The ruins are well preserved. You can see well laid out streets, houses, stupas and great palaces, etc. Historically, Taxila is an immensely significant place for Hindus and Buddhists and currently it is an important archaeological site. Taxila, before Partition, was located in India, but the city is now in the Rawalpindi District of Punjab, Pakistan. The city is the top tourist destination in Pakistan. Taxila was excavated by Sir John Hubert Marshall (British Archaeologist) in 1920s who at the time of excavation was the Director General of the Indian Archaeological Survey (1902-31). Taxila ruins can be divided into three parts or major cities and these parts belonged to different time period. Bhir Mound is the earliest city and belonged to the 6th century BC. It looks very primitive from its irregular streets. Sirkap that is located on the opposite side of the Tamara stream was built in the 2nd century BC. It is a well planned city. The streets are wide and fortification looks very strong and impressive. The Kushan rulers constructed the last city of Taxila that is located at Sirsukh. Though it has not been completely excavated but this is also a well-built city. Apart from this, there are many structural remains of Taxila that include the Jandial and Pippala temples, the Mohra Moradu and Jaulian monasteries and Kunala stupas. But it seems that more of these kinds are still waiting to be excavated.

Generally, a day seems small to visit all these historical places. But if you can manage, then do visit Dharmarajika Stupa located at a distance of about three kilometres from the Taxila Museum. This stupa has one main building, a monastery area and many small chapels. During excavation lots of gems, gold and silver coins were discovered from this place that are now kept in the Taxila Museum.

Associated Legends

From different historical investigations, it has been found that Taxila may have dated back to the 5th entury BCE. As per the Indian epic, Ramayana, the city name Takṣaśilā came from wordtaksa. Taksa was the son of Bharata and Mandavi. Bharata was the brother of Lord Rama. It is believed that Taksa was the first ruler of the kingdom Taksa Khanda and founder of the city Takṣaśilā. But there is another story behind Taxila that was given by Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi. As per this, the variant of the name Takṣaśilā is very closely related to Taksaka that in Sanskrit means ‘carpenter’. In ancient India, this was another name given to the Nagas. In Buddhist literature, the Jatakas have details of Taxila that were written in Sri Lanka around the 5th century. In this text, Taxila has been mentioned as the capital of the kingdom of Gandhara and a great learning center. Then there was the Chinese monk Faxian who visited Taxila in 450 CE and his visit has been mentioned in his writings. Another famous monk from China, Hieun Tsang has also visited Taxila in during his travel to India in 630-643.

Famous Taxila University

The city was very popular for the university at Taxila, a renowned center of education in ancient India. Now the university’s ruins are located at a distance of twenty miles from the modern city of Rawalpindi. At the time when this university was active, about 10,500 students from different parts of India and all across the world studied there. In this university, more than sixty different disciplines were taught including science, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, music, philosophy, religion etc. But the study of medicine was the most advanced in this university. Students used to enter the university at the age of sixteen. Though this university was not as organized as the university at Nalanda, Bihar, pupils used to stay with their teachers for education. The pupil either would pay for his stay or lend services to the teacher and his family. Chanakya (Kautilya) an advisor to Chandragupta Maurya was teacher at this university.  Taxila produced many brilliant minds such as Panini (the great Sanskrit grammarian), Chandragupta Maurya (the great ruler), Kautilya (Chanakya) and Charaka (a popular physician of ancient India).

During the rule of Asoka, Taxila was famous as a Buddhist centre. Also during his reign, many roads were constructed for trade and there was one main road connecting Pataliputra with Taxila.

The Taxila Museum

A must-visit place apart from the ruins is the archaeological museum, the Taxila Museum. Here a great collection of coins, gems, jewellery, caskets along with many other artifacts are on display. But the main attraction of the museum is the stone and stucco – an exquisite Gandhara sculpture. Also there is an impressive collection of different forms of Lord Buddha.

If you want to visit Taxila, then hire a taxi for a day as the entire site is really very huge. You can also hire a local guide as the guide can show the highlights and explain the historical importance of the place.

Taxila is the most important Buddhist sites in Pakistan housing about 50 archeological remains from the 2nd century BC to 6th century AD. Taxila was discovered in 1911 - 1922 by Sir Joh Marshal who has been regarded as the discoverer of many other archeological sites including the Indus Cvilization's Moen Jo Daro & Harrappa. Taxila is situated 40 Kilometers away from Islamabad and Rawalpindi. As one drives to Peshawar on grand Trunk road just after Margala pass there is a sign of Taxila Remains on the right. The archeological sites of Taxila include buildings and buddhist stupas from 5th centurey to 6th century AD. The main ruins of Taxila are divided into three major cities, each belonging to a distinct time period. The oldest of these is the Hathial area, which yielded surface shards similar to burnished red wares (or 'soapy red wares') recovered from early phases at Charsadda, and may date between the 6th century BCE and the late 2nd millennium BCE. Bhir Mound dates from the 6th century BCE. The second city of Taxila is located at Sirkap and was built by Greco-Bactrian kings in the 2nd century BCE. The third and last city of Taxila is at Sirsukh and relates to the Kushan kings. In addition to the ruins of the city, a number of Buddhist monasteries and stupas also belong to the Taxila area. Some of the important ruins of this category include the ruins of the stupa at Dharmarajika, the monastery at Jaulian, the monastery at Mohra Muradu in addition to a number of stupas.

How to tour Taxila

Taxila can be visited as an excursion from Islamabad or can be seen enroute to Peshawar or to Besham either way it is best to see the archeological remains of Sirkap and Julian first which are the most important one. Sirkap is the citadal of the city and was a planned city having multicultural people living in it. When you visit Sirkap you can see the interesting style of masonary from Kashan period to the last period of 6th century when the city was destroyed by the while Huns. You will also see some well marked structures which include temples markets and halls the most important of them is the double headed eagle's temple which was a memorial to celebrate all the groups of cultures living in the city. Julian is a 300 meters easy climb you will see a well preserved monestry and the main stupa beautifuly decorated with the statues of Buddha and other deities. THe local guide will explain all the important aspects of the monestry and Stupa. Julian was the place where sanskirat script was invented and it was a well known college in its times (2nd to 6th century AD) After visiting Julian & Sirkap it will be best to see the museum which is well organised and houses some of the most important

Travel of Taxila

Documentary movie about Taxila

SIRKAP

Sirkap (Western Punjabi: سر کپ) is the name of an archaeological site on the bank opposite to the city of Taxila, Punjab, Pakistan. The city of Sirkap was built by the Greco-Bactrian king Demetrius and his son Stultus. after he invaded ancient India around 180 BC. Demetrius founded in the northern and northwestern modern Pakistan an Indo-Greek kingdom that was to last until around 10 BC. Sirkap is also said to have been rebuilt by king Menander I. The excavation of the old city was carried out under the supervision of Sir John Marshall by Hergrew from 1912-1930. In 1944 and 1945 further parts were excavated byMortimer Wheeler and his colleagues.

One of South Asia’s richest archaeologicalsites, Taxila is a must-see trip from Islamabad, particularly if you have an interest in Buddhism and the art of Gandhara. The city excavations, most of which are found around the museum, are open to the public, along with dozens of smaller sites over a 25-sq-km area. Gandhara is the historical name for the Peshawar Plain, and Taxila has always been one of Gandhara’s more important cities. In the 6th century BC, the Achaemenians made Takshasila (Taxila) the Gandharan capital, at a site now called Bhir Mound. In 326 BC Alexander the Great paused here en route to India. The Mauryan emperor Ashoka, a patron of Buddhism, built a university here, to which pilgrims and scholars came from all over Asia. In about 180 BC, Bactrian Greeks developed a ‘new’ Taxila, at the site called Sirkap.

In the 1st century AD came the Kushans, building their own city at the Sirsukh site. Until the 3rd century Taxila was the cultured capital of an empire stretching across the subcontinent and into Central Asia. It was the birthplace of a striking fusion of Greek and Indian art, and also the place from which Buddhism spread into China. The city fell into obscurity after it was destroyed by White Huns in the 5th century. The modern-era excavation of the site was led by Sir John Marshall between the years of 1913 and 1934.

Budha's Video

ANCIENT TAXILA

As a visitor, when you step into Taxila, you are taken to an altogether different world that was alive during 5th century. Here you come face-to-face with Lord Buddha, Alexander of Macedonia, Emperor Asoka and Emperor Kanishka.  Taxila was conquered by Alexander in 327 BC and later on came under the rule of the Mauryan dynasty. Under the king Asoka, the city touched its peak in terms of development. Taxila after this saw the most creative period under the rule of Gandhara. In the next 200 years, Taxila became a center of great learning. But as everything is bound to have an end, the Buddhist monasteries and many stupas at Taxila were destroyed on a large scale by the Hephthalites (nomadic unions in Central Asia) and, after this, the city was never able to recover. Exploring Taxila is a great experience in itself. You will find Gandhara sculptures, endless images of Lord Buddha, and the remarkable ruins of Taxila. The ruins are well preserved. You can see well laid out streets, houses, stupas and great palaces, etc. Historically, Taxila is an immensely significant place for Hindus and Buddhists and currently it is an important archaeological site. Taxila, before Partition, was located in India, but the city is now in the Rawalpindi District of Punjab, Pakistan. The city is the top tourist destination in Pakistan. Taxila was excavated by Sir John Hubert Marshall (British Archaeologist) in 1920s who at the time of excavation was the Director General of the Indian Archaeological Survey (1902-31). Taxila ruins can be divided into three parts or major cities and these parts belonged to different time period. Bhir Mound is the earliest city and belonged to the 6th century BC. It looks very primitive from its irregular streets. Sirkap that is located on the opposite side of the Tamara stream was built in the 2nd century BC. It is a well planned city. The streets are wide and fortification looks very strong and impressive. The Kushan rulers constructed the last city of Taxila that is located at Sirsukh. Though it has not been completely excavated but this is also a well-built city. Apart from this, there are many structural remains of Taxila that include the Jandial and Pippala temples, the Mohra Moradu and Jaulian monasteries and Kunala stupas. But it seems that more of these kinds are still waiting to be excavated.

Generally, a day seems small to visit all these historical places. But if you can manage, then do visit Dharmarajika Stupa located at a distance of about three kilometres from the Taxila Museum. This stupa has one main building, a monastery area and many small chapels. During excavation lots of gems, gold and silver coins were discovered from this place that are now kept in the Taxila Museum.

Associated Legends

From different historical investigations, it has been found that Taxila may have dated back to the 5th entury BCE. As per the Indian epic, Ramayana, the city name Takṣaśilā came from wordtaksa. Taksa was the son of Bharata and Mandavi. Bharata was the brother of Lord Rama. It is believed that Taksa was the first ruler of the kingdom Taksa Khanda and founder of the city Takṣaśilā. But there is another story behind Taxila that was given by Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi. As per this, the variant of the name Takṣaśilā is very closely related to Taksaka that in Sanskrit means ‘carpenter’. In ancient India, this was another name given to the Nagas. In Buddhist literature, the Jatakas have details of Taxila that were written in Sri Lanka around the 5th century. In this text, Taxila has been mentioned as the capital of the kingdom of Gandhara and a great learning center. Then there was the Chinese monk Faxian who visited Taxila in 450 CE and his visit has been mentioned in his writings. Another famous monk from China, Hieun Tsang has also visited Taxila in during his travel to India in 630-643.

Famous Taxila University

The city was very popular for the university at Taxila, a renowned center of education in ancient India. Now the university’s ruins are located at a distance of twenty miles from the modern city of Rawalpindi. At the time when this university was active, about 10,500 students from different parts of India and all across the world studied there. In this university, more than sixty different disciplines were taught including science, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, music, philosophy, religion etc. But the study of medicine was the most advanced in this university. Students used to enter the university at the age of sixteen. Though this university was not as organized as the university at Nalanda, Bihar, pupils used to stay with their teachers for education. The pupil either would pay for his stay or lend services to the teacher and his family. Chanakya (Kautilya) an advisor to Chandragupta Maurya was teacher at this university.  Taxila produced many brilliant minds such as Panini (the great Sanskrit grammarian), Chandragupta Maurya (the great ruler), Kautilya (Chanakya) and Charaka (a popular physician of ancient India).

During the rule of Asoka, Taxila was famous as a Buddhist centre. Also during his reign, many roads were constructed for trade and there was one main road connecting Pataliputra with Taxila.

The Taxila Museum

A must-visit place apart from the ruins is the archaeological museum, the Taxila Museum. Here a great collection of coins, gems, jewellery, caskets along with many other artifacts are on display. But the main attraction of the museum is the stone and stucco – an exquisite Gandhara sculpture. Also there is an impressive collection of different forms of Lord Buddha.

If you want to visit Taxila, then hire a taxi for a day as the entire site is really very huge. You can also hire a local guide as the guide can show the highlights and explain the historical importance of the place.