Balochistan students brief on Gandhara civilization at Peshawar Museum

PESHAWAR, Nov 22 (APP):The students from different colleges and universities of Balcohstan province visited the historic Peshawar Museum, Sethi House, and GorKathri where they took a keen interest in its ancient architecture and artifacts of Gandhara civilization including the founder of Buddhism, Lord Buddha.

The 30-member delegation visited these historical sites of Peshawar under the Youth Exchange Program.

They were briefed about senior officials of the Culture and Tourism Authority and the Department of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs. The students were informed that Peshawar Museum was established some 150 years back on SherShah Suri Road and has over 30,000 antiques of Gandhara civilization attracting tourists, archeologists, historians, Buddhists, and monks from across the world.

Tahir Orakzai, secretary of culture, sports, tourism, and archeology informed the students that it was the lone museum of Gandhara Art in the world that houses a complete life story of the founder of Buddhism, Lord Buddha.

He said renovation and conservation work of the Peshawar Museum’s building was recently completed without compromising on its original architecture. Later, the students visited the historic Sethi House where a museum was established. Sethi House Peshawar is a historical building of the British era that had a unique architectural value and eye-catching wood craftsmanship.

The students took a keen interest in the house’s rare woodwork along with architectural designs of Muslim art and Central Asia reminisced tourists of the past’s glory after visiting this architectural masterpiece constructed by the wealthy Sethi family in 1886.

Inspired by the Muslims and vernacular architecture of Bukhara Uzbekistan, the Sethi family associated with international trade constructed the masterpiece after migrating from Jehlum Punjab to Peshawar in the early 19th century at Mohallah Sethian where about seven Havelis were built in almost the same style, signifying an affluent Sethis estheticism passion.

Built by Sethi Karim Bakhsh, Sethi House is spread over 33 marlas having three portions including a basement, courtyard, and the first floor its construction was started in 1835, and finally completed after 49 years in 1884. Sethi House’s conservation was achieved under the Cultural Heritage Trail Project(CHTP) in Peshawar.