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The only Mughal
Mosque in Andar Shehr in Peshawar to survive the depredation of the
sikhs, its entrance a narrow gateway between jewellery shops. Built
in the 1670s, this beautifully proportioned Mughal structure, named
after a regional governor who served under both Shah Jahan and
Aurangzeb, is orthodox in design. Its open courtyard has an
ablution pond in the middle and a single row of rooms around the
sides. The prayer hall occupies the west side, flanked by two tall
minarets. According to the turn-of-the-century Gazetteer for
N.W.F.P, the minarets were frequently used in Sikh times "as a
substitute for the gallows" by General Avitabile, an Italian
military advisor to Ranjit Singh.. A fire that raged through the
Andar Shehr Bazaar in 1895 (the Gazetteer continues) failed to
destroy the mosque thanks only to the "unremitting efforts of the
faithful". The interior of the prayer hall is sheltered beneath
three low fluted domes and is lavishly and colorfully painted with
floral and geometric designs. |
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Peshawar was
enclosed within a city wall and sixteen gates until the mid 50s,
while on both the eastern and western approaches to the city there
is the mighty Balahisar Fort.
This fort meets the eye when coming from Rawalpindi, or from the
Khyber. It is a massive, frowning structure as its name implies,
and the newcomer passing under the shadow of its huge battlements
and ramparts cannot fail to be impressed. It was originally built
by Babur, the first of the Mughals, in 1526-30, then was rebuilt in
its present form by the Sikh Governor of Peshawar, Hari Singh Nalva,
in the 1830's under the guidance of French engineers. Presently it
houses the government offices. |
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18 kilometer (11,
miles) from Peshawar and at the mouth of the Khyber Pass, is as far
as you can go without a permit. The fort, coarsely constructed of
stone daubed with mud plaster, was built by the Sikhs in 1823 on
the site of an earlier fort. The famous Sikh general Hari Singh
died and is buried here. The modern stone arch spanning the road
dates from 1964. There is also an arch, the Bab-e-Khyber (gateway
to the Khyber) which dates from 1964. There is a viewing platform
for visiting dignitaries and information about the pass on a nearby
wall. |
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Islamia College,
which was the pioneer national institution that lighted the torch
of enlightenment in this region, 63 years ago. was founded in 1913
to educate the sons of Pathan chiefs. if the elegant Mughal-Gothic
hall looks familiar, you may have noticed it on the hundred-rupee
note. The college formed the nucleus of the University of Peshawar
when it was founded in 1950. Various research departments in the
area include the Pakistan Islamia College Academy for Rural
Development and the Pakistan Forest Institute. |
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