TAKSHASHILA
(TAXILA)
![](takshishlalocation.jpg)
Taxila
or Takshashila
Country
: Pakistan
Province : Punjab
Division : Rawalpindi Division
District : Rawalpindi District
Tehsil : Taxila Tehsil
Taxila
or Takshashila (Sanskrit: TakSasila; Pali: Takkasila; Prakrit: Takkhasila;
Ancient Greek: Táxila), is a city in Punjab, Pakistan. Located
in the Taxila Tehsil of Rawalpindi District, it lies approximately
25 kilometres (16 mi) northwest of the Islamabad–Rawalpindi
metropolitan area and is just south of Haripur District in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa.
Old
Taxila was an important city of ancient India, situated on the eastern
shore of the Indus River—the pivotal junction of the Indian
subcontinent and Central Asia; it was founded around 1000 BCE. Some
ruins at Taxila date to the time of the Achaemenid Persian Empire
in the 6th century BCE, followed successively by the Maurya Empire,
the Indo-Greek Kingdom, the Indo-Scythians, and the Kushan Empire.
Owing to its strategic location, Taxila has changed hands many times
over the centuries, with many polities vying for its control. When
the great ancient trade routes connecting these regions ceased to
be important, the city sank into insignificance and was finally
destroyed by the nomadic Central Asian Hunas in the 5th century.
In the mid-19th century, British archaeologist Alexander Cunningham
rediscovered the ancient city's ruins. In 1980, Taxila was declared
a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
By
some accounts, the university in ancient Taxila is considered to
be one of the earliest universities in the world. Other scholars
do not consider it to have been a university in the modern sense,
in that the teachers living there may not have had official membership
of particular colleges, and there did not seem to have existed purpose-built
lecture halls and residential quarters in Taxila, in contrast to
the later university of Nalanda in Magadh (Bihar, India). In a 2010
report, the Global Heritage Fund identified Taxila as one of 12
worldwide sites that "on the verge" of irreparable loss
and damage, citing insufficient management, development pressure,
looting, and armed conflict as primary threats. However, significant
preservation efforts have been carried out by the Pakistani government
since then, which has resulted in the site being declared as "well-preserved"
by different international publications. Because of the extensive
preservation efforts and upkeep, the site is a popular tourist spot,
attracting up to one million tourists every year.
Etymology
:
![](Takhkhasila_in_the_Heliodorus_Pillar_inscription.jpg)
The
name for the city of Taxila (Pali Brahmi: Takhkhasila), as it appears
on the Heliodorus Pillar inscription, circa 100 BCE.
In ancient times, Taxila was known as TakSasila in Sanskrit (per
IAST) and as Takhkhasila in Pali. The city's Sanskrit name translates
to "City of Cut Stone" or "Rock of Taksha" in
reference to a story in the Ramayana that states that the city was
founded by Bharat, the younger brother of the Hindu deity Rama,
and named in honour of Bharata's son, Takshak.
The
city's modern name, however, is derived from the ancient Greek rendering
noted in Ptolemy's Geography. The Greek-language transcription of
Taxila became universally favoured over time, and both the Sanskrit
and Pali names fell out of use.
Faxian,
a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim who visited the city via the Silk Road,
had given its name's meaning as "cut-off head". With the
help of a Jatak, he had interpreted it to be the place where Buddha—in
his previous birth as Pusa or Chandaprabha—cut off his head
to feed a hungry lion. This tradition still persists with the area
in front of Sirkap (also meaning "cut-off head"), which
was known in the 19th century as Babur Khana ('House of Tiger'),
alluding to the place where Buddh offered his head. In addition,
a hill range to south of the Taxila Valley is called Margala (lit.
'cut-off throat').
In
traditional sources :
In Vedic texts such as the Shatapath Brahman, it is mentioned that
the Vedic philosopher Uddalaka Aruni (c. 7th century BCE) had travelled
to the region of Gandhar. In later Buddhist texts, the Jataks, it
is specified that Taxila was the city where Aruni and his son Shvetaketu
each had received their education.
One
of the earliest mentions of Taxila is in Panini's Ashthadhyayi,
a Sanskrit grammar treatise dated to the 5th to 4th centuries BCE.
Much
of the Hindu epic, the Mahabharat, is a conversation between Vaishampayan
(a pupil of the sage, Vyas) and King Janamejay. It is traditionally
believed that the story was first recited by Vaishampayan at the
behest of Vyasa during the snake sacrifice performed by Janamejay
at Takshashila. The audience also included Ugrashravas, an itinerant
bard, who would later recite the story to a group of priests at
an ashram in the Naimisharanya Forest from where the story was further
disseminated. The Kuru Kingdom's heir, Parikshit (grandson of Arjun)
is said to have been enthroned at Takshashila.
The
Ramayan describes Takshashila as a magnificent city famed for its
wealth which was founded by Bharat, the younger brother of Ram.
Bharat, who also founded nearby Pushkalavati, installed his two
sons, Taksh and Pushkal, as the rulers of the two cities.
In
the Buddhist Jataks, Taxila is described as the capital of the kingdom
of Gandhar and a great centre of learning with world-famous teachers.
The Takkasila Jatak, more commonly known as the Telapatta Jatak,
tells the tale of a prince of Benares who is told that he would
become the king of Takkasila if he could reach the city within seven
days without falling prey to the yakshinis who waylaid travellers
in the forest. According to the Dipavamsa, one of Taxila's early
kings was a Kshatriya named Dipankar who was succeeded by twelve
sons and grandsons. Kuñjakarna, mentioned in the Avadanakalpalat,
is another king associated with the city.
In
the Jain tradition, it is said that Rishabh, the first of the Tirthankars,
visited Taxila millions of years ago. His footprints were subsequently
consecrated by Bahubali who erected a throne and a dharmachakra
('wheel of the law') over them several miles in height and circumference.
History
:
Early settlement :
The region around Taxila was settled by the neolithic era, with
some ruins at Taxila dating to 3360 BCE. Ruins dating from the Early
Harappan period around 2900 BCE have also been discovered in the
Taxila area, though the area was eventually abandoned after the
collapse of the Indus Valley civilisation.
The
earliest settled occupation in Taxila Valley was found at Sarai
Khola, located 2 km to the south-west of Taxila Museum, where three
radiocarbon dates from Period I suggest the site was first occupied
between the late 4th and early 3rd millennium BCE, with deposits
of polished stone celts, chert blades and a distinctive type of
highly burnished pottery that shows clear signs of the use of woven
baskets in the manufacturing process and the application of a slurry
to the exterior surface. Periods IA and II at Sarai Khol seem to
show continuity from Period I, with the appearance of red burnished
wares. However, Kot Diji-style wares were found in greater numbers,
and the Kot Diji-style forms show signs of having been wheel-thrown,
marking a clear technological change from the Period I material.
Seven radiocarbon dates were also taken from the earlier and later
Period II/Kot Diji, and seem to show this phase dates from the mid-late
3rd to early 2nd millennium BCE.
Later
on, the first major settlement at Taxila, in Hathial mound, was
established around 1000 BCE. By 900 BCE, the city was already involved
in regional commerce, as discovered pottery shards reveal trading
ties between the city and Pu?kalavati.
Later,
Taxila was inhabited at Bhir Mound, dated to some time around the
period 800-525 BCE with these early layers bearing grooved red burnished
ware.
![](520px-Eastern_border_of_the_Achaemenid_Empire.jpg)
Eastern
border of the Achaemenid Empire
Achaemenid :
Archaeological excavations show that the city may have grown significantly
during the rule of the Persian Achaemenid Empire in the 6th century
BCE. In 516 BCE, Darius I embarked on a campaign to conquer Central
Asia, Ariana and Bactria, before marching onto what is now Afghanistan
and northern Pakistan. Emperor Darius spent the winter of 516-515
BCE in the Gandhar region surrounding Taxila, and prepared to conquer
the Indus Valley, which he did in 515 BCE, after which he appointed
Scylax of Caryanda to explore the Indian Ocean from the mouth of
the Indus to the Suez. Darius then returned to Persia via the Bolan
Pass. The region continued under Achaemenid suzerainty under the
reign of Xerxes I, and continued under Achaemenid rule for over
a century.
Taxila
was sometimes ruled as part of the Gandhar kingdom (whose capital
was Pushkalavati), particularly after the Achaemenid period, but
Taxila sometimes formed its own independent district or city-state.
Hellenistic
:
![](613px-AlexanderIndiaMap.jpg)
A map of Alexander's campaign in ancient India
During his invasion of the Indus Valley, Alexander the Great was
able to gain control of Taxila in 326 BCE without a battle, as the
city was surrendered by its ruler, king Omphis (Ambhi). Greek historians
accompanying Alexander described Taxila as "wealthy, prosperous,
and well governed". Arrian writes that Alexander was welcomed
by the citizens of the city, and he offered sacrifices and celebrated
a gymnastic and equestrian contest there.
Mauryan
:
By 317 BCE, the Greek satraps left by Alexander were driven out,
and Taxila came under the control of Chandragupta Maurya, who turned
Taxila into a regional capital. His advisor, Kautilya/Chanakya,
was said to have taught at Taxila's university. Under the reign
of Ashoka the Great, Chandragupt's grandson, the city was made a
great seat of Buddhist learning, though the city was home to a minor
rebellion during this time.
Taxila
was founded in a strategic location along the ancient "Royal
Highway" that connected the Mauryan capital at Pataliputra
in Bihar, with ancient Peshawar, Puhkalavati, and onwards towards
Central Asia via Kashmir, Bactria, and Kapis. Taxila thus changed
hands many times over the centuries, with many empires vying for
its control.
Indo-Greek
:
In the 2nd century BCE, Taxila was annexed by the Indo-Greek kingdom
of Bactria. Indo-Greeks built a new capital, Sirkap, on the opposite
bank of the river from Taxila. During this new period of Bactrian
Greek rule, several dynasties (like Antialcidas) likely ruled from
the city as their capital. During lulls in Greek rule, the city
managed profitably on its own, to independently control several
local trade guilds, who also minted most of the city's autonomous
coinage. In about the 1st century BCE or 1st century CE, an Indo-Scythian
king named Azilises had three mints, one of which was at Taxila,
and struck coins with obverse legends in Greek and Kharoshthi.
The
last Greek king of Taxila was overthrown by the Indo-Scythian chief
Maues around 90 BCE.Gondophares, founder of the Indo-Parthian Kingdom,
conquered Taxila around 20 BCE, and made Taxila his capital. According
to early Christian legend, Thomas the Apostle visited Gondophares
IV around 46 CE, possibly at Taxila given that city was Gondophares'
capital city.
Kushan
:
Around the year 50 CE, the Greek Neopythagorean philosopher Apollonius
of Tyana allegedly visited Taxila, which was described by his biographer,
Philostratus, writing some 200 years later, as a fortified city
laid out on a symmetrical plan, similar in size to Nineveh. Modern
archaeology confirms this description. Inscriptions dating to 76
CE demonstrate that the city had come under Kushan rule by that
time, after the city was captured from the Parthians by Kujul Kadphises,
founder of the Kushan Empire. The great Kushan ruler Kanishk later
founded Sirsukh, the most recent of the ancient settlements at Taxila.
Gupta
:
In the mid-fourth century CE, the Gupta Empire occupied the territories
in Eastern Gandhar, establishing a Kumaratya's post at Taxila. The
city became well known for its trade links, including silk, sandalwood,
horses, cotton, silverware, pearls, and spices. It is during this
time that the city heavily features in classical Indian literature
– both as a centre of culture as well as a militarised border
city.
Taxila's
university remained in existence during the travels of Chinese pilgrim
Faxian, who visited Taxila around 400 CE. He wrote that Taxila's
name translated as "the Severed Head", and was the site
of a story in the life of Buddha "where he gave his head to
a man".
Decline
:
The Kidarites, vassals of the Hephthalite Empire are known to have
invaded Taxila in c. 450 CE. Though repelled by the Gupta Emperor
Skandagupt, the city would not recover- probably on account of the
strong Hunnic presence in the area, breakdown of trade as well as
the three-way war between Persia, the Kidarite State, and the Huns
in Western Gandhar.
The
White Huns and Alchon Huns swept over Gandhar and Punjab around
470 CE, causing widespread devastation and destruction of Taxila's
famous Buddhist monasteries and stupas, a blow from which the city
would never recover. From 500 CE to 540 CE, the city languished
after falling under the control of the Hunnic Empire ruled by Mihirakula.
A patron of Hindu Shaivism, Mihirakul presided over some destruction
of Buddhist sites and monasteries across northwestern regions of
the Indian subcontinent.
Xuanzang
visited India between 629 and 645 CE. Taxila which was desolate
and half-ruined was visited by him in 630 CE, and found most of
its sangharamas still ruined and desolate. Only a few monks remained
there. He adds that the kingdom had become a dependency of Kashmir
with the local leaders fighting amongst themselves for power. He
noted that it had some time previously been a subject of Kapis.
By the ninth century, it became a dependency of the Kabul Shahis.
The Turki Shahi dynasty of Kabul was replaced by the Hindu Shahi
dynasty which was overthrown by Mahmud of Ghazni with the defeat
of Trilochanpal.
Al-Usaifan's
king during the reign of Al-Mu'tasim is said to have converted to
Islam by Al-Biladhuri and abandoned his old faith due to the death
of his son despite having priests of a temple pray for his recovery.
Said to be located between Kashmir, Multan and Kabul, al-Usaifan
is identified with kingdom of Taxila by some authors.
Centre
of learning :
![](SirkapCity.JPG)
A
view over the ruins of Sirkap
By some accounts, Taxila was considered to be one of the earliest
(or the earliest) universities in the world. Others do not consider
it a university in the modern sense, in that the teachers living
there may not have had official membership of particular colleges,
and there did not seem to have existed purpose-built lecture halls
and residential quarters in Taxila, in contrast to the later Nalanda
university in eastern India.
Taxila
became a noted centre of learning (including the religious teachings
of Buddhism) at least several centuries BCE, and continued to attract
students from around the old world until the destruction of the
city in the 5th century. It has been suggested that at its height,
Taxila exerted a sort of "intellectual suzerainty" over
other centres of learning in India and its primary concern was not
with elementary, but higher education. Generally, a student entered
Taxila at the age of sixteen. The ancient and the most revered scriptures,
and the Eighteen Silpas or Arts, which included skills such as archery,
hunting, and elephant lore, were taught, in addition to its law
school, medical school, and school of military science. Students
came to Taxila from far-off places such as Kashi, Kosala and Magadha,
in spite of the long and arduous journey they had to undergo, on
account of the excellence of the learned teachers there, all recognised
as authorities on their respective subjects.
Notable
students and teachers :
Taxila had great influence on Hindu culture and the Sanskrit language.
It is perhaps best known for its association with Chanakya, also
known as Kautilya, the strategist who guided Chandragupt Maurya
and assisted in the founding of the Mauryan empire. Chanakya's Arthshastra
(The knowledge of Economics) is said to have been composed in Taxila.
[failed verification] The Ayurvedic healer Charak also studied at
Taxila. He also started teaching at Taxila in the later period.
[unreliable source?] Panini, the grammarian who codified the rules
that would define Classical Sanskrit, has also been part of the
community at Taxila.
The
institution is significant in Buddhist tradition since it is believed
that the Mahayan branch of Buddhism took shape there.] Jivak, the
court physician of the Magadh emperor Bimbisar who once cured the
Buddh, and the Buddhism-supporting ruler of Koshal, Prasenajit,
are some important personalities mentioned in Pali texts who studied
at Taxila.
No
external authorities like kings or local leaders subjected the scholastic
activities at Taxila to their control. Each teacher formed his own
institution, enjoying complete autonomy in work, teaching as many
students as he liked and teaching subjects he liked without conforming
to any centralised syllabus. Study terminated when the teacher was
satisfied with the student's level of achievement. In general, specialisation
in a subject took around eight years, though this could be lengthened
or shortened in accordance with the intellectual abilities and dedication
of the student in question. In most cases the "schools"
were located within the teachers' private houses, and at times students
were advised to quit their studies if they were unable to fit into
the social, intellectual and moral atmosphere there.
Knowledge
was considered too sacred to be bartered for money, and hence any
stipulation that fees ought to be paid was vigorously condemned
[citation needed]. Financial support came from the society at large,
as well as from rich merchants and wealthy parents [citation needed].
Though the number of students studying under a single Guru sometimes
numbered in the hundreds, teachers did not deny education even if
the student was poor; free boarding and lodging was provided, and
students had to do manual work in the household [citation needed].
Paying students, such as princes, were taught during the day, while
non-paying ones were taught at night. Gurudkshin was usually expected
at the completion of a student's studies, but it was essentially
a mere token of respect and gratitude - many times being nothing
more than a turban, a pair of sandals, or an umbrella. In cases
of poor students being unable to afford even that, they could approach
the king, who would then step in and provide something. Not providing
a poor student a means to supply his Guru's Dakshin was considered
the greatest slur on a King's reputation.
Examinations
were treated as superfluous, and not considered part of the requirements
to complete one's studies [citation needed]. The process of teaching
was critical and thorough- unless one unit was mastered completely,
the student was not allowed to proceed to the next [citation needed].
No convocations were held upon completion, and no written "degrees"
were awarded, since it was believed that knowledge was its own reward.
Using knowledge for earning a living or for any selfish end was
considered sacrilegious.
Students
arriving at Taxila usually had completed their primary education
at home (until the age of eight), and their secondary education
in the Ashrams (between the ages of eight and twelve), and therefore
came to Taxila chiefly to reach the ends of knowledge in specific
disciplines.
Ruins
:
![](640px-Dharmarajika_stupa,Taxila.jpg)
The
Dharmarajik Stup
The sites of a number of important cities noted in ancient Indian
texts were identified by scholars early in the 19th century. The
lost city of Taxila, however, was not identified until later, in
1863-64. Its identification was made difficult partly due to errors
in the distances recorded by Pliny in his Naturalis Historia which
pointed to a location somewhere on the Haro river, two days march
from the Indus. Alexander Cunningham, the founder and the first
director-general of the Archaeological Survey of India, noticed
that this position did not agree with the descriptions provided
in the itineraries of Chinese pilgrims and in particular, that of
Xuanzang, the 7th-century Buddhist monk. Unlike Pliny, these sources
noted that the journey to Taxila from the Indus took three days
and not two. Cunningham's subsequent explorations in 1863–64
of a site at Shah-dheri convinced him that his hypothesis was correct.
Now
as Hwen Thsang, on his return to China, was accompanied by laden
elephants, his three days' journey from Takhshasila [sic] to the
Indus at Utakhanda, or Ohind, must necessarily have been of the
same length as those of modern days, and, consequently, the site
of the city must be looked for somewhere in the neighbourhood of
Kâla-ka-sarâi. This site is found near Shah-dheri, just
one mile to the north-east of Kâla-ka-sarâi, in the
extensive ruins of a fortified city, around which I was able to
trace no less than 55 stupas, of which two are as large as the great
Manikyal tope, twenty eight monasteries, and nine temples.
—
Alexander Cunningham,
Taxila's archaeological sites lie near modern Taxila about 35 km
(22 mi) northwest of the city of Rawalpindi. The sites were first
excavated by John Marshall, who worked at Taxila over a period of
twenty years from 1913.
![](640px-Jaulian_Buddhist_Monastery_in_Taxila.jpg)
Panorama
of the Jaulian monastery
The vast archaeological site includes neolithic remains dating to
3360 BCE, and Early Harappan remains dating to 2900–2600 BCE
at Sarai Kala. Taxila, however, is most famous for ruins of several
settlements, the earliest dating from around 1000 BCE. It is also
known for its collection of Buddhist religious monuments, including
the Dharmarajik stup, the Jaulian monastery, and the Mohra Muradu
monastery.
The
main ruins of Taxila include four major cities, each belonging to
a distinct time period, at three different sites. The earliest settlement
at Taxila is found in the Hathial section, which yielded pottery
shards that date from as early as the late 2nd millennium BCE to
the 6th century BCE. The Bhir Mound ruins at the site date from
the 6th century BCE, and are adjacent to Hathial. The ruins of Sirkap
date to the 2nd century BCE, and were built by the region's Greco-Bactrian
kings who ruled in the region following Alexander the Great's invasion
of the region in 326 BCE. The third and most recent settlement is
that of Sirsukh, which was built by rulers of the Kushan empire,
who ruled from nearby Purushapura (modern Peshawar).
World
Heritage Site :
Taxila was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980 in particular
for the ruins of the four settlement sites which "reveal the
pattern of urban evolution on the Indian subcontinent through more
than five centuries". The serial site includes a number of
monuments and other historical places of note in the area besides
the four settlements at Bhir, Saraikala, Sirkap, and Sirsukh. They
number 18 in all :
1.
Khanpur Cave
2. Saraikala , prehistoric mound
3. Bhir Mound
4. Sirkap (fortified city)
5. Sirsukh (fortified ruined city)
6. Dharmarajika stupa and monastery
7. Khader Mohra (Akhuri)
8. Kalawan group of buildings
9. Giri complex of monuments
10. Kunala stupa and monastery
11. Jandial complex
12. Lalchak and Badalpur Buddhist stuppa
13. Mohra Moradu stupa and monastery
14. Pippala stupa and monastery
15. Jaulian stupa and monastery
16. Lalchak mounds
17. Buddhist remains around Bhallar stupa
18. Giri Mosque and tombs
In a 2010 report, Global Heritage Fund identified Taxila as one
of 12 worldwide sites most "on the Verge" of irreparable
loss and damage, citing insufficient management, development pressure,
looting, and war and conflict as primary threats. In 2017, it was
announced that Thailand would assist in conservation efforts at
Taxila, as well as at Buddhist sites in the Swat Valley.
Geography
:
Taxila is located 32 km (20 mi) north-west of the Pakistani capital
Islamabad. The city is located approximately 549 metres (1,801 ft)
above sea level.
Tourism
:
![](Double-Headed_Eagle_Stupa_at_Sirkap_06.jpg)
Taxila's
ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, date from as early as 1000
BCE, and are a major tourist draw
Taxila is one of northern Pakistan's most important tourist destinations
and is home to the Taxila Museum which holds a large number of artifacts
from Taxila's excavations. Though the number of foreign visitors
to the site drastically declined following the start of an Islamist
insurgency in Pakistan in 2007, visitor numbers began to noticeably
improve by 2017, after the law and order situation in the region
had greatly improved following the start of the 2014 Zarb-e-Azb
campaign launched by the Pakistani Army against radical Islamist
militants.
In
2017, the Pakistani government announced its intention to develop
Taxila into a site for Buddhist religious pilgrimage. As part of
the efforts, it announced that an exhibition on the Buddhist heritage
of the region would be held in Thailand, and that the Thai government
would assist in conservation efforts at the site. Relics from Taxila
were also sent to Sri Lanka for the 2017 Vesak holiday as part of
an effort to showcase the region's Buddhist heritage. The Pakistan
Tourism Development Corporation also announced in 2017 that a tour
bus service would be launched between the Taxila Museum and Islamabad.
In
addition to the ruins of ancient Taxila, relics of Mughal gardens
and vestiges of historical Grand Trunk Road are also found in Taxila.
Nicholson's Obelisk, named in honor of Brigadier John Nicholson
who died during the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, is a monument from the
British era that welcomes travelers arriving from Rawalpindi/Islamabad.
Industry
:
Taxila is home to Heavy Industries Taxila, a major Pakistani defence,
military contractor, engineering conglomerate. The city's economy
is also closely linked to the large Pakistan Ordnance Factories
at nearby Wah Cantt, which employs 27,000 people. Cottage and household
industries include stoneware, pottery and footwear. Heavy Mechanical
Complex is also located in Taxila city.
Transportation
:
Rail
:
Taxila
is served by the Taxila Cantonment Junction railway station. Taxila
Junction is served by the Karachi–Peshawar Railway Line, and
is the southern terminus of the Khunjerab Railway, which connects
Taxila to the Havelian railway station. A planned extension of the
railway will eventually connect Taxila to China's Southern Xinjiang
Railway in Kashgar, as part of the China–Pakistan Economic
Corridor.
Road
:
![](Motorway_taxila.jpg)
The
M-1 Motorway, pictured near Taxila, links the city to Islamabad
and Peshawar
The ancient Grand Trunk Road is designated as N-5 National Highway,
and connects the city to the Afghan border, and northern Punjab.
The Karakoram Highway's southern terminus is in nearby Hasan Abdal,
and connects Taxila to the Chinese border near the Hunza Valley.
The
city is linked to Peshawar and Islamabad by the M-1 Motorway, which
in turn offers wider motorway access to Lahore via the M-2 Motorway,
and Faisalabad via the M-4 Motorway.
Air
:
The
nearest airport to Taxila is Islamabad International Airport located
36.5 kilometers away. Peshawar's Bacha Khan International Airport
is 155 kilometers away.
Education
:
![](640px-UET_Taxila_Gate000.jpg)
University
of Engineering and Technology, Taxila is a local branch of the University
of Engineering and Technology, Lahore
Taxila is home to many secondary educational institutes including
CIIT Wah Campus, and HITEC University. The University of Engineering
and Technology, Taxila was established in 1975 as a campus of the
University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, and offers bachelor,
master, and doctoral degrees in engineering.
Ancient
ruins :
The Ruins of Taxila include four major cities, each belonging to
a distinct time period, at three different sites. The earliest settlement
at Taxila is found in the Hathial section, which yielded pottery
shards that date from as early as the late 2nd millennium BCE to
the 6th century BCE. The Bhir Mound ruins at the site date from
the 6th century BCE, and are adjacent to Hathial. The ruins of Sirkap
date to the 2nd century BCE, and were built by the region's Greco-Bactrian
kings who ruled in the region following Alexander the Great's invasion
of the region in 326 BCE. The third and most recent settlement is
that of Sirsukh, which was built by rulers of the Kushan empire,
who ruled from nearby Purushapura (modern Peshawar).
Culture
:
Modern Taxila is a mix of relatively wealthy urban, and poorer rural
environs. Urban residential areas are general in the form of planned
housing colonies populated by workers of the heavy mechanical complex
& heavy industries, educational institutes and hospitals that
are located in the area.
Museums
:
Taxila Museum has one of the most significant and comprehensive
collections of stone Buddhist sculpture from the first to the seventh
centuries in Pakistan (known as Gandharn art. The core of the collection
comes from excavated sites in the Taxila Valley, particularly the
excavations of Sir John Marshall. Other objects come from excavated
sites elsewhere in Gandhar, from donations such as the Ram Das Collection,
or from material confiscated by the police and customs authorities.
![](TaxilaCoinBM.JPG)
A
coin from 2nd century BCE Taxila
![](Coin_of_Antialcidas.jpg)
The Indo-Greek king Antialcidas ruled in Taxila around 100 BCE,
according to the Heliodorus pillar inscription
![](640px-Taxila_Pakistan_juillet_2004.jpg)
Jaulian, a World Heritage Site at Taxila
![](609px-JaulianTaxilaSilverReliquaryAndContent.jpg)
Jaulian silver Buddhist reliquary, with content. British Museum
![](Double-Headed_Eagle_Stupa_at_Sirkap_08.jpg)
Stup base at Sirkap, decorated with Hindu, Buddhist and Greek temple
fronts
![](Stupa_in_Taxila_Pakistan.JPG)
Stup in Taxila
![](TaxilaCoin200-100BCE.jpg)
A Taxila coin, 200–100 BCE. British Museum
Archaeological
artifacts from the Indo-Greek strata at Taxila (John Marshall "Taxila,
Archeological excavations"). From top, left: * Fluted cup (Bhir
Mound, stratum 1) * Cup with rosacea and decorative scroll (Bhir
Mound, stratum 1) * Stone palette with an individual on a couch
being crowned by a standing woman, and served (Sirkap, stratum 5)
* Handle with a double depiction of a philosopher (Sirkap, stratum
5) * Woman with smile (Sirkap, stratum 5) * Man with moustache (Sirkap,
stratum 5)
Gallery :
![](CrystalGoose.JPG)
Reliquary in the form of a crystal goose dating to the 1st
Century AD in the British Museum
![](SirkapJainTemple.JPG)
Jain Temple at Sirkap
Archaeological
artifacts from the Indo-Greek strata at Taxila (John Marshall "Taxila,
Archeological excavations"). From top, left: * Fluted cup (Bhir
Mound, stratum 1) * Cup with rosacea and decorative scroll (Bhir
Mound, stratum 1) * Stone palette with an individual on a couch
being crowned by a standing woman, and served (Sirkap, stratum 5)
* Handle with a double depiction of a philosopher (Sirkap, stratum
5) * Woman with smile (Sirkap, stratum 5) * Man with moustache (Sirkap,
stratum 5).
Source
:
https://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Taxila