Nature Lover's Paradise's video: Takhit-i-Bahi: Buddhist Monastic Complex of Gandhara Civilization - UNESCO World Heritage Site 4K

Takhit-i-Bahi: Buddhist Monastic Complex of Gandhara Civilization - UNESCO World Heritage Site [4K] The Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol are one of the most imposing relics of Buddhism in the Gandhara region of Pakistan. The monastic complex of Takht-i-Bahi spreads over an area of 33 ha, founded in the early 1st century A.D and remained in continual use until 7th century A.D. and is spectacularly perched on various hilltops ranging from 36.6 metres to 152.4 metres in height, typical for Buddhist sites. The Indo-Parthian archaeological site of an ancient Buddhist monastery in Mardan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan was declared as protected in 1916 and inscribed on World Heritage list by UNESCO in 1980. The site is considered to be the most important remains of Buddhism in all of what was once Gandhara, and has been "exceptionally well-preserved." The ruins are located about 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) from Mardan in Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. A small fortified city, dating from the same era, sits nearby. The ruins also sit near a modern village known by the same name. There are four main areas of the Takht-i-Bahi complex: • The Stupa Court, a cluster of stupas located in a central courtyard. • The monastic chambers, consisting of individual cells arranged around a courtyard, assembly halls, and a dining area. • A temple complex, consisting of stupas and similar to the Stupa Court, but of later construction. • The Tantric monastic complex, which consists of small, dark cells with low openings, which may have been used for certain forms of Tantric meditation. Additional structures on the site may have served as residences or meeting halls, or for secular purposes. All of the buildings on the site are constructed from local stone, and are plastered with lime and mud. Pakistan is home to some of the most stunning vistas and extraordinary terrains across the globe. Simultaneously, it is also home to some of the most sacred sites for the believers of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism amongst other faiths. Sacred places of Buddhism are scattered all across Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh in Pakistan known to be the the "Gandhara Trail". Today, there are approximately 500 million people in the world who identify themselves as Buddhists. They are 7% of the world’s population, making Buddhism the 4th largest religion, behind Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. Pakistan has been the cradle of Buddhist art and culture since time immemorial. The Gandhara civilization flourished in the north-western region of Pakistan from the 6th Century BC to the 5th Century AD. The Gandhara School of Art is said to have created the present image of the Buddha. Carved in stone, stucco, terracotta and bronze, these images were enshrined in monasteries and stupas in the Gandhara region. Despite being a predominantly Muslim country, Pakistan has meticulously preserved the world's richest Buddhist heritage sites and artifacts. Political History of Gandhara Gandhara witnessed the rule of several major powers of antiquity as listed here: • Persian Achaemenid Empire (c. 600-400 BCE) • Greeks of Macedon (c. 326-324 BCE), • Mauryan Empire of Northern India (c. 324-185 BCE), • Indo-Greeks of Bactria (c. 250-190 BCE), • Scythians of Eastern Europe (c. 2nd century to 1st century BCE), • Parthian Empire (c. 1st century BCE to 1st century CE), • Kushans of Central Asia (c. 1st to 5th century CE), • White Huns of Central Asia (c. 5th century CE) • Hindu Shahi of Northern India (c. 9th to 10th century CE) Music: Long Road Ahead B by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attibution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100588 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Date of Visit: 08.05.2022 Camera Gear: Sony A7-III with Sony 16-35 Lens DJI Mavic Air 2 GoPro Hero 9 Black You may love to watch these videos of this channel: This is Pakistan - Top 66 Things to Do [4K] https://youtu.be/pz--L5OBKno 10 Most Beautiful Beaches in Balochistan [4K] https://youtu.be/zmhcjiHfS4Q 7 Best Things to Do in Hingol National Park [4K] https://youtu.be/EFuASb4LWz4 12 Most Beautiful Lakes in Pakistan [4K] https://youtu.be/u_9VBcHZkI0 10 Top Things to Do in Neelam Valley [4K] https://youtu.be/E29iuVxsgUI 15 Best Things to Do in Gilgit-Baltistan [4K] https://youtu.be/KL1H94uETTA 16 Best Drives in Gilgit-Baltistan [4K] https://youtu.be/ZRawoOtmshA 12 Best Things to Do in Skardu [4K] https://youtu.be/TdTyoe7JAAQ Caution: Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.