Daily Times

Famed as the sole repository of the Gandhara art, Peshawar museum continues to captivate domestic and foreign tourists with its rich array of artifacts from an ancient civilization.

For Malaika Bibi, a sixth grade student and a resident of Nowshera, the lone Gandhara museum in the world offers a profound attraction to the life of Lord Buddha, the founder of Bhuddism.

With wide-eyed wonder, Malaika studied the intricate biographical panels that chronicle the Buddha’s journey, a testament to the Gandhara period’s artistic mastery.

Accompanied by her parents, Malaika’s visit highlighted the museum’s role as a beacon of historical and cultural preservation of the Gandhara art.

Renowned for its extensive collection of Buddhist sculptures from the Gandhara era (2nd century BC to 6th century AD), the Peshawar museum stands out as one of Southeast Asia’s premier cultural and archeological institution, attracting followers of Bhuddism, tourists and archeology lovers from across the globe.

Constructed some 150 years back on Sher Suri Road opposite of Governor House where over 30,000 rare antiques, artifacts, coins, swords, guns and other antiquities including 16,000 are showcased and around 14,000 artifacts are lying in cupboards.

“I have heard a lot about Peshawar Museum being a home to Gandhara art and today after seeing the rare artifacts and statues of Lord Bhuddha has impressed me immensely besides took me to the golorous past history of Gandhara civilization that flourished in northern Pakistan,” she told APP.

Suggesting of showcasing these treasures abroad through digital media, she said that the ancient antiquities and life stories of Bhuddha has made Pakistan a home to religious tourism.

With around 30,000 rare antiquities and panels of Bhuddha”s life stories  showcased here,  Malaika and her family took keen interest in its Mughal-era architecture of the colonial era building, ancient weapons of British army and swords of freedom fighters.

“It is the only Museum in the world where the complete life story of the Founder of Buddhism, Lord Bhudda was preserved in the form of panels and statues,” said Bakhtzada Muhammad, Assistant Director Archeology and Museums Department while talking to APP.

The museum is famous all over the world for Gandhara period collections (200 BCE-600 CE) discovered from different archaeological excavations in Peshawar, Mardan, Charsadda and Swabi that were the center of Gandhara civilization.

The historic building itself is a landmark structure with historic archeological and architecture significance has recently been conserved after years of the archaeological work.

A mixture of British and Mughal architecture, the museum hall was used as ballroom during the British rule however; the building was converted into a museum in 1906–07 in the memory of Queen Victoria.

Following completion of conservation and renovation work by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, the museum is a centre of attraction of foreign and domestic tourists, followers of Buddhism, monks, diplomats, general public, archeologists and architectural lovers these day and was also opened for tourists even at night.

Bakhtzada said its exterior and interior structure and designs have completely been rehabilitated and conserved by renowned experts without compromising on its original architecture and designs.

Its two side aisles on ground and first floor, surmounted by four elegant cupolas and small pinnacle on all corners has also been rehabilitated and conserved leaving in-erasable imprints on the visitors’ minds.

The completed renovation and conservation work includes an ancient main hall constructed in memory of Queen Victoria where the complete life story of Lord Bhudda, Buddha Gallery with statues of Lord Bhudda and Buddha Savatta Gallery having princely life of Lord Bhudda were preserved.

He added during last 50 years have been removed by the archaeologists restoring its structure in original conditions. The museum structure is made of red brick so it was painted in its original colour.

He said the main hall and two side aisles on ground and 1st flour, surmounted on all corners by four graceful cupolas and miniature pinnacles, were restored.

The dilapidated ceilings were removed, arches reopened, rooftop and minarets rehabilitated.

Likewise, unnecessary oil paints have been removed after original “Paka kali” was applied. The original wooden floor has been conserved, which was especially crafted from the ballroom during the British government

He said the renovation work was necessitated after its exterior and interior structure was badly damaged by earthquakes, torrential rains and harsh weather.

Besides its colonial era dorms and ceilings all the outdated plastic pipes as well as electrical wires were replaced with imported electrification and other relevant materials to prevent water seepage and ensure uninterrupted power supply in a unique style of colorful lighting that looks awesome at night.

Its galleries of ancient dresses of Waziristan tribes, primitive cooking plates and jewelry besides muzzle-loader guns mostly used by British Army and Swords of freedom fighters and punch marked coins are the most frequented visit by tourists after renovation.

Malaika highly appreciated the efforts of Directorate of Archeology and Museums KP for the renovation and conservation of Peshawar Museum and preservation of the Gandhara artifacts in its original grandeur.