By Farhan Umer ;
A VISIT TO A PESHAWAR
Peshawar
With a population of more than 2.3 million,
Peshawar ranks sixth in terms of population in Pakistan. It is near the
international border with Afghanistan in the northwest of the nation. It serves
as the largest city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and serves as the province's capital.
The second-largest ethnic group in the nation, Pashtuns, makes up the majority
of the population in Peshawar. Peshawar, one of the oldest cities in South
Asia, is located in the Valley of Peshawar, a large region to the east of the
famed Khyber Pass. Peshawar's recorded history stretches back to at least 539
BCE. Peshawar is one of the nation's oldest cities still inhabited today. 
The region that
includes modern-day Peshawar is referenced in Vedic texts; it served as the
Kushan Empire's capital under Kanishka's rule and was the location of the
Kanishka Stupa, one of the largest structures in ancient times. Before several
Muslim empires arrived, Peshawar was ruled by the Hephthalites, then the Hindu
Shahis. Prior to joining the Durrani Empire in 1747, the city was a significant
Mughal commerce hub. It then served as the Durrani winter capital from 1776
until the city was taken over by the Sikh Empire in 1823.The city was taken
over by the East India Company in 1849, and after that it came under the
control of the British Raj. This rule persisted until 1947, when Pakistan
gained independence after the division of British India. Peshawar is also known as 'The City of Flowers'
ETYMOLOGY
The [reconstructed] Sanskrit word "Purushapura" (Sanskrit: Purushapura, meaning "City of Men" or "City of Purusha") may have inspired the city's current name, "Peshawar", Akbar, the Mughal emperor, gave it the new name after rejecting the meaning of its previous name, Parashawar. Purush, a Hindu raja (king) whose name means "city" in Sanskrit, may have served as the city's first ruler. The Buddhist kings that dominated the region throughout its oldest recorded period spoke Sanskrit, which was written in the Kharosthi script. The Sanskrit word for "City of Flowers" may also have inspired the city's name.
Possibly referring to Peshawar is the name Pushpapura that was discovered in an old Kharosthi inscription.
By the middle of the tenth century, the city had acquired the name Parashwar, according to the Arab historian and geographer Al-Masudi. Al-Biruni stated that the name was both Purushavar and Purshawar. By the time of Emperor Akbar, the city had adopted the name Peshawar. Some claim that the city's new name was inspired by the Persian for "frontier town," or more precisely, "forth city," however transcription errors and linguistic changes could also be to blame. According to one explanation, the name of the city comes from the Persian word "Pesh Awardan," which means "place of first arrival" or "border city," because Peshawar was the first city reached after passing over the Khyber Pass.
The following are the famous places of Peshawar are,
CHOWK YADGAAR
You soon arrive at the main square, chowk Yadgaar, which has historically served as the location of political gatherings. Here, the two approaches from the old city converge. Only in this area of the ancient city may cars be parked safely.
THE OLD CITY
The Old City of Peshawar is the main attraction. It is crowded with bullock carts, motorcycles, Tongas, rickshaws, and a wonderful parade of diverse individuals, all shouting at the top of their lungs.
MOSQUE OF MOHABAT KHAN
Muhabat Khan, who served as Peshawar's twice-elected governor under the Mughal Emperors Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, constructed the city's only significant existing Mughal mosque in 1670. In 1898 AD, a fire nearly destroyed the mosque. The prayer chamber's inside has been ornately adorned with calligraphy and flower design.
BALA HISAAR FORT
On both of Peshawar's eastern approaches is the massive Bala Hisaar Fort. When arriving from Rawalpindi or the Khyber, it is apparent. As its name suggests, it is a large frowning building, and a visitor passing beneath the shadow of its imposing battlements and walls cannot not but be impressed. It was initially constructed in 1526–1530 by Babar, the first Mughal, but was later restored in its current design in the 1830s by Hari Singh Nalva, a Sikh governor of Peshawar, under the direction of French engineers. Currently, it is home to government offices.
THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM
In Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province's ancient capital city of Peshawar, there is a museum called the Peshawar Museum. 14,101 artifacts total, including Gandhara sculptures, coins, manuscripts and copies of the Quran, inscriptions, weaponry, costumes, jewelry, Kalash effigies, paintings from the Mughal era and later periods, domestic items, and local and Persian handicrafts are currently on display in the museum.
UNIVERSITY OF PESHAWAR
In the Pakistani city of Peshawar, there is a public institution known as the University of Peshawar (abbreviated UOP). The first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan, founded the institution in October 1950.
THE QISSA KHWANI BAZAAR
The Qissa Khwani Bazaar, often known as the "Market of Story-tellers," is located in Peshawar, Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa region. Bamboo, sweets, faluda, and silver kitchenware are a few of the enterprises at Qissa Khwani Bazaar. There are also a variety of book publishing houses there.
KHYBER PASS
A mountain crossing that connects Pakistan and Afghanistan is called the Khyber Pass. It has historically served as both a vital commerce route connecting Central Asia and South Asia and a vital military outpost. The Khyber Pass crosses the northern portion of the Safed Koh Mountains in Landi Kotal, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) inside Pakistan. Pakistan's most vibrant city is Peshawar. Peshawar is a fantastic destination because of the amazing places I've just discussed. It's crucial to see the Peshawar sights that are particular to this city when you travel there.
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