Until the mid-fifties Peshawar was enclosed within a city wall and sixteen gates. Of the old city gates the most famous was the Kabuli Gate but only the name remains now. It leads out of the Khyber and on to Kabul.

You come across two-and three-storeyed houses built mostly of unbaked bricks set in wooden frames to guard againt earthquakes. Many old houses have beautifully carved heavy wooden doors and almost all have highly ornamental wooden balconies. There is a tall and broad structure whose lofty portals look down upon the street. This historic building houses the police offices and the site was occupied centuries ago by a Buddhist stupa, then by a Hindu temple and then by a Moghal serai. It was, in Sikh days, the seat of General Avitable, an Italian soldier of fortune in the service of Ranjit Singh.

Qissa Khawani Bazaar

Here perhaps visiting travellers or the relaxing townsmen were regaled with stories by professional story-tellers, in the evening, in the many tea-shops that still adorn the bazaar front with their large brass samovars and numerous hanging tea pots and tea-cups.

As in most eastern bazaars, the shops of delicacies predominate, and here too you will find many colorful fruit-shops displaying the glorious harvest of Peshawar orchards. You will be waylaid by the enticing smell of Peshawar's unrivalled bread and justly celebrated 'Kababs' and 'Tikkas', meat sizzling on hot coals, in the many wayside cafes.

Leather goods shops are the next most numerous selling that wonderful footwear, the Peshawari "chappals" or sandals, belts, holsters and bandoliers and a special variety of light but sturdy suitcases called "Yakhdaan".

Other Bazaars

As you move up, the Qissa Khawani Bazaar turns left and here begins the bazaar of coppersmiths whose jewel-like engraved and embossed jars, bowls, ewers and plates are piled up in shops like glistening treasure trove. Other famous bazaars of Peshawar are the Khyber Bazaar, Bird Bazaar, Fruit Bazaar, Basket Bazaar, Andershahr Bazaar, Jewellery Bazaar and Meena Bazaar for women and Mochilara (Shoe-maker's Bazaar).

In fact, the variety of craft in which Peshawar excels even today is amazing and this is a part of the city's character often eclipsed by its martial tradition. Remember that it was in this valley of Peshawar that there flourished that remarkable school of Gandhara sculpture (roughly from 1st century B.C. to the 5th century A.D.), which is one of the glories of Pakistan's heritage.

Chowk Yadgar

Soon you reach the central square called Chowk Yadgar, the traditional site of political rallies, with a modern monument in abstract design in the center. The two routes from the old city meet here. Parking of cars can safely be done only at this place in the old city.

Mosque of Mahabat Khan

The only significant remaining Moghal mosque in Peshawar was built by Mahabat Khan in 1670 A.D. when he was twice Governor of Peshawar under Moghal Emperors Shah Jehan and Aurangzeb. The mosque was nearly destroyed by fire in 1898 and was only saved by the unremitting efforts of the faithful. The extensive renovation of the mosque was done by traditional craftsmen. The mosque is a fine specimen of Moghal architecture or Emperor Shah Jehan's period. The interior of the prayer chamber has been lavishly decorated with floral work and calligraphy.

Balahisar Fort

The mighty Balahisar Fort lies on both eastern and western approaches to Peshawar city. It meets the eye when coming from Islamabad or from the Khyber. It is a massive frowing structure as its name implies, and the newcomer passing under the shadow of its huge battlements and ramparts cannot fail to be impressed. Originally built by Babur, the first of the Moghals in 1526-30, it 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. It houses government offices at present.

Peshawar Museum

Peshawar Museum is housed in an imposed building of the British days. It was formerly the Victoria Memorial Hall built in 1905. The large hall, side galleries and the raised platform which were used for ball dance have been utilized for arranging in chronological order and labelled display of finest specimens of Gandhara sculptures, projecting the life of Buddha, ethnography, tribal life and the Muslim period.

New Peshawar

Across the railway line was built the new modern Peshawar, the Cantonment, like the ones which the British built near every major city for their administrative offices, military barracks, residences, parks, churches and shops.

The Peshawar 'Saddar' (Cantonment) is a sapciously laid out neat and clean township with avenues of tall trees, wide tarred roads, large single-storeyed houses with large lawns and a pervading scent of rare shrubs and flowers that is Peshawar's own.

The heart of the Saddar is the Khalid Bin Walid (Company) Bagh which is an old Moghal Garden. Its huge ancient trees and gorgeous big roses are a sight to remember. Two other splendid old gardens are the Shahi Bagh in the north-east and the Wazir Bagh in the south-east, all of which give the character of the garden city to Peshawar.

In the Saddar is the splendid modern State Bank building, Governor's House, hotels, old missionary Edwards College, a richly stocked Museum, a fine shopping area and right in the middle is the Tourist Information Centre at Dean's Hotel (Phone: 79781-Ext. 33).

The Peshawar of the hoary past is the old city, the Peshawar of the British period (1849-1947) is the Cantonment but the Peshawar of independent Pakistan is the vast extension of the city west and east.

Westward, on the road to the Khyber, where in the days gone by, no one was assafe from tribal raids, today stretches a long line of educational and research institutions, such as the Academy of Rural Development. the Teachers' Training College, the North Regional Laboratories of the Council of scientific and Industrial Research, and many others.

But the pride of Peshawar today is its University, a vast sprawling garden town of red brick buildings and velvet lawns, which comprises a dozen departments and colleges of Law, Medicine, Engineering and Forestry. Special mention must be made of the Islamia College, which was the poineer national institution that lighted the torch of enlightment in this region, 70 years ago.

The road stretching out east towards Islamabad is lined for miles upon miles with factories producing a variety of goods and also orchards producing some of the world's finest plums, pears and peaches. Rice, sugar-cane and tobacco are the rich cash-crops of the well-watered Peshawar valley through which flows the Kabul River and at the end of which the mighty Indus forms the district boundary for 49km, the two joining near the historic Attock Fort.