Russian Ambassador Visits World Heritage Site Of Takht Bhai

MARDAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Jun, 2022 ) :Danila Ganich, Ambassador of the Russian Federation and other members here Sunday visited the world heritage site of Takht Bhai and took a keen interest in its Buddhists Monestary of the Ghandhara Civilization.

Upon arrival, the delegation was briefed by the senior officials of the KP Archeology Department about the UNESCO world heritage site and its ancient Buddhists monestary.

They briefed the delegates about historical and archaeological importance of Takht Bhai Monestary (Ist CE) and Neighbouring City Remains at Sagri Bahlol.

The Bhuddist Ruins of Takht Bahi (Throne of Origins) and Neigbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol and Jamal Ghari in Mardan was included in UNESCO world heritage list in 1980.

The delegation was further told that monastic complexes of the ruins are spectacularly positioned on various hilltops ranging from 36.6 meters to 152.4 meters height with a covered area of about 33 hectares.

Takht Bhai Monastery was in continuous use till 7th century (CE) composed of an assemblage of buildings constructed of stone on Gandhara patterns in diaper-style using local dressed and semi-dressed stone blocks set in a lime and mud mortar.

Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol located in a five kilometers distance from Takht Bhai's monastery, is a small ancient fortified town of Kushan period.

It was constructed on an elongated mound of nine meters height on 9.7 hectares surrounded by portions of a defensive wall in diaper-style characteristic dates back to the first two or three centuries (BC).

The boundaries of Sahr-i-Bahlol are well defined with a part of fortification walls still intact.

The delegation was informed that both these historical sites had been declared as protected monuments under an Ancient Preservation Act (1904) of the colonial era and Antiquity Act (1975) of the Government of Pakistan.

To control urbanization at Bahlol, the KP government has declared the entire mountain area of 445 hectares as "Archaeological Reserve." The delegation expressed its admiration for what they had witnessed and appreciated the efforts of Directorate of Archaeology & Museums, KP and Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for its maintenance and preservation.