Shahbaz Garhi

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Shahbaz Garhi located in Mardan district, North West Frontier Province, Pakistan. Shahbaz Garhi is situated on the junction of three ancient routes; first from Kabul to Pushkalavati, second to Swat through Buner, and third to Taxila through Hund on the bank of Indus River. Situated on the modern Mardan-Swabi Road, the town was once a thriving Buddhist city surrounded by monasteries and stupas.

This area has following archaelogical sites:

[edit] Ashokan Inscriptions

Rock edicts of Ashoka (272-231 BC) were carved on two rocks on a hill. This edict was inscribed in Kharoshthi script.

[edit] Stupas to Commemorate the legend of Prince Visvantara

According to one Buddhist legend, Buddha in one of his previous life as Prince Visvantara gave in charity a white miraculous elephant that have the power to produce rain to neighbouring hostile country suffering from draught. His own people banished him. Prince with his wife and two children lived on Mekha-Sanda Hill. Later he gave his two sons to a Brahman in charity who sold them in the market of Shahbaz Garhi. Grandfather of the children recognized his grandchildren and acts of charity of the Prince were recognized by his people and invited him back to the city. Two stupas were built to commemorate these acts by which the Prince achieved dana paramita (Perfection of Charity).

Japanese team in 1960’s excavated sites of this legend as per directions given by Sun Yung and Xuan Zang who visited in 520 AD and 630 AD respectively.

The stupa at Chank Dheri commemorate the while elephant. Sahri Stupa commemorated Prince Visvantara giving up his children. There are ruins of stupa and monasteries on the hill of Mekha-Sanda.

According to a Buddhist legend Buddha in one of his previous life visited this area as Prince Sudana, means ‘of noble charity’. The surrounding plain is still known as Sudana Plain.