Gor Khatri

Gor Khatri

گورکهتری
A view over Gorkhatri
Shown within Pakistan
Location	Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Coordinates	34°00′31″N 71°34′54″E / 34.0086403°N 71.5816924°E / 34.0086403; 71.5816924

Gor Khatri (Pashto: ګورکترۍ; Hindko and Urdu: گورکهتری) (or Gor Khuttree; literally meaning "Grave of Kshatriya" or Hindu warriors)^[1] is an archeological site located in Peshawar, Pakistan.^[2] It was built in the Mughal-era by Jehan Ara Begum, daughter of Shah Jahan, as a caravanserai.^[1][3]

History

Gor Khatri is an archaeological site which includes a square shaped compound that has been excavated and researched, located in Peshawar, Pakistan.^[2] In 1641, Jehan Ara Begum, daughter of Shah Jahan, built Gor Khatri and a caravanserai.^[1]

Alexander Cunningham identified Gor Khatri with where Kanishka stupa initially was. Ahmad Hasan Dani further discovers that it was also where the Buddha bowl tower once stood.^[2][3]

The celebrated Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang, who visited Gandhara in the early 7th Century CE, had paid glowing tribute to the city and the Kanishka stupa in his memoirs. He also talked about a site, which many historians argue refers to Gorkhatri where "Buddha's giant bowl was kept". Mughal Emperor Babar, who recorded its importance in his autobiography, visited the place in the Babur Nama^[4]

In the early 16th century, Jahanara Begum, daughter of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, built a pavilion at the ancient site,^[5] and converted the site into a caravanserai, and named it Sarai Jahanabad. She also constructed a Jama Masjid, a sauna bath and two wells inside Sarai Jahanabad for the convenience of travelers.

The Sikhs converted the site into the residence and official headquarters of their mercenary general Paolo Avitabile who was governor of Peshawar from 1838-1842.^[6] They constructed a Hindu temple for Shiva there.^[6] Prof. S.M. Jaffar, in his monumental book "Peshawar: Past and Present", identified it with the place of Hindu pilgrimage where they performed the Sardukahr ritual (shaving off heads). Between the 1917 till 2002, Gor Khatri was used as a police headquarters and fire brigade station.^[2]

Compound

Gor khatri is a 160x160 square meter compound located in the south-east side of Peshawar, Pakistan. It includes two prominent gateways, the Goraknath Temple at the center, and a network of cells and buildings in the southern and western side of the complex.^[2]

Excavations

Dr. Farzand Ali Durrani initiated the first vertical excavations at Gor Guthrree in 1992-93 but his excavation work could not be completed due to lack of funds. However, he confirmed the city foundation went back to at least the 3rd Century BC.

The second round of excavations carried on until 2007 in the north eastern aspect of Gorkhatri pushed Peshawar's age by another couple of centuries, officially making it the oldest living city in South Asia.

Gallery

• 
  Entryway to the site as viewed from the site's park
• 
  Hindu temple at the site
• 
  Goraknath Temple Peshawar
• 
  Old fire brigade
• 
  Closeup of Gorkhatri's entryway
• 
  Plaque marking the former residence of Sikh-era General Paolo Avitable

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gorkhatree, Peshawar.

• Feature on Gor Khatri - The News 07-01-2007
• Article lamenting decline of Gor Khatri - DAWN 04-11-2012