Buddhism in Pakistan - Taxila, Hindu and Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan, Kashmir Smast, Thatta, Oddiyana (Paperback)

Chapters: Taxila, Hindu and Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan, Kashmir Smast, Thatta, Oddiyana, Hindu and Buddhist Architectural Heritage of Pakistan, Takht Bhai, Kanishka Stupa, Jaulian, Butkara Stupa, Sehri-Bahlol, Siraj-Ji-Takri. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 62. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Taxila from Sanskrit: (Pali: Takkasil, Urdu, Punjabi: ) is an important archaeological site in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Taxila is situated about 32 km (20 mi) to the north-west of Islamabad Capital Territory and Rawalpindi in Panjab; just off the Grand Trunk Road. Taxila lies 549 metres (1,801 ft) above sea-level. It dates back to the Gandhara period and contains the ruins of the Gandhran city of Takail which was an important Hindu and Buddhist centre. Takail, is reputed to derive its name from Taka, who was the son of Bharata (the brother of Rama). Historically, Takail lay at the crossroads of three major trade routes: 1. The uttarpatha, "the northern road" - the later Grand Trunk or GT Road - the royal road which connected Gandhara in the west to the kingdom of Magadha and its capital Paliputra in the valley of the Ganga in the east. 2. The north-western route through Bactria, Kpia, and Pukalvat. 3. The Sindu (English: Indus) route from Kashmir and Central Asia, via ri nagara, Mansehra, and the Haripur valley across the Khunjerab pass to the Silk Road in the north to the Indian Ocean in the south. To fully understand the importance of Takail it must be noted that the Khunjerab pass between Kashmir and Xinjiang - the current Karakoram highway - was already traversed in antiquity. In 1980, Taxila was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site with multiple locations. Recently it has been ranked as the top Tourist Destination in Pakistan by The Guardian. The ruins of Taxila consist of m...More: http: //booksllc.net/?id=22966