Content area
Full Text
Abstract
The present-day Charsadda, one of the capitals of Gandhara, is known by different names in its long and rich history. The most prominent among them are Pushkalavati, Hashtnagar and now Charsadda. This paper discusses the historical evolution of these names in a comprehensive way according to historical and archaeological evidences.
The district of Charsadda, known in early history as Pushkalavati, is situated in the center of Peshawar valley From the time immemorial, its economy is agricultural based, which is depended on the availability of sufficient quantity of river water, drawn from the rivers flowing in its terrain. The Swat and Kabul rivers meet here and its numerous branches enrich the lands of this area, making it really the bread basket of the Peshawar valley. Moreover, in ancient past commercial routes leading to east and west passed through this land. It was indeed because of its geographical location, that the armies of Alexander the great thought it necessary to conquer it and establish a Macedonian garrison on the point close to the meeting point of Kabul and Swat rivers. The subsequent Mauryans, Indo-Greeks, Scytho-Parthians, Kushans, Kushano-Sassanians, White Huns and the Hindo-Shahis held their rule here, traces of which could be seen in their many settlements found throughout the Charsadda District.
The area with its different names in different ages has been mentioned in various literary sources. Similarly there are several archaeological sources that have either direct link with the area or connected with the ancient history of the land in one way or the other. The land of Charsadda District is mentioned with various names, but three of these e.g. Pushkalavati, Hashtnagar and Charsadda are attested through ancient and medieval literary sources. In which conditions these names evolved and for how long these remained in use is discussed in the following pages.
Pushkalavati
This name with its variants of Pushkaravati, Pukkala-vati, Pukkalaoti, Peukhlaoti, Peukela, Peucolaitis, Peukelaotis, Peukelas, Pokhala, Pushkala and Pushkara is mentioned in different Greek, Hindu and Buddhist literary sources. How ancient is the name Pushkalavati is though difficult to guess, however the name for the first time appeared in the Hindu Puranic accounts. It is also mentioned in Raghuvamsha, Brhatsamhita, Markandeya-purana and Adbhuta-sagara (Marshall & Vogel 1902-03: 143). The Ramayana, one...