SWAT – the paradise on earth
Swat is a district, situated in the Malakand division of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It is also the capital of the Malakand division. Swat is considered to be the central part of the northern areas of Pakistan. There are a large number of incredible sites in swat that attract the tourists towards it. Because of its natural beauty and majestic views swat is considered a piece of paradise on earth.
Swat Valley – the Switzerland of Asia
Swat Valley is located in the northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Swat valley lies at an elevation of 3,220 ft. from the sea level. Swat valley has one of the most heartwarming views in the natural world. Swat Valley has orchards of fruits, gushing streams, beautiful lakes, and greenish mountains that give delightful scenery to the tourists. The screaming river, lush green forest, and snow-covered peaks attract tourists and explorers from all around the world. This is the reason that almost 550,000 tourists visit swat valley every year.
Geography of Swat
Swat is in the central region of the northern areas of Pakistan. Its geographical location makes it more noteworthy. It is served as the base point to visit and discover the hidden beauty of the northern areas of Pakistan. Because of its central position in the northern sites, swat also served as the main corridor for the business community. Swat shares its border with major connecting cities and provinces. In the north, Swat shares its border with Gilgit Baltistan, Malakand in the south, Shangla in the east, Kohistan in the north-east, Chitral in the north-west, and Bunner in the south-east.
History of Swat
In 1961, Queen Elizabeth second and Prince Philip of the United Kingdom visited Pakistan. During their visit, the Prince and the Queen also stayed in the northern areas of Pakistan. During the visit of swat, Queen Elizabeth was stunned and amazed by the beauty of swat valley. Because of its glorious mountains, beautiful lakes, lush green gardens, snow-covered peaks, and heartthrob scenery. Queen Elizabeth expressed her thoughts “Swat Valley is the Switzerland of the East.
Old names of Swat
Swat has the privileged to be called the paradise on the earth. Therefore, based on its scenic beauty and splendid sights it has also been given some other names as well in the local languages. Swat is also known as Udyana – the land of gardens. In history, people also used to call swat valley Suvastu.
Buddhism in Swat
Swat Valley is enriched with the archival reaming of the Buddhist civilizations. The famous Chinese Buddhist travelers and preachers who came to swat but the top of the list is, Fa-Hsien (403 AD), Sung Yun (519 AD), and Wu Kung (572 AD). They came to swat by crossing the Hindukush range through the Shangla Pass. Swat valley has many archeological sites which portray the ancient custom, norms, values, and traditions of the Buddhist Civilization. At present, archeologists have found 5000 years old rocks, materials, and remains of ancient civilizations.
Popular Places in Swat
Saidu Shareef – the capital of swat
Saidu Shareef is the capital of the Swat district. It served as the political headquarter and office for the administrative services also. It is believed that, during the time of Buddhist civilization, this place Saidu Shareef was used by the Buddhists as the central point for their religious activities. This place Saidu Shareef has one of the most ancient Stupas of Buddhist civilization, which is proof that Swat was one of the major religious spots during the Buddhist civilization.
Mingora Bazar – the business hub
Adjacent to Saidu Shareef, at a distance of 2.6 KM there is Mingora Bazar, which is the central business center of the swat valley. Mingora Bazar is the main and busiest market in the valley. People from all around the valley, visit this market and it remained busy till late at night. Mingora Bazar has the biggest market which fulfills all the needs of the locals as well as the tourists. This market has thousands of local shops, where local people sell different products including their local handmade art and craft pieces. Mingora Bazar has a variety of restaurants, hotels, cafes, takeaways, and western food stalls.
Swat Museum
The famous Swat Museum is located in Mingora, in the center of Saidu Shareef and Mingora. Swat Museum portrays a large variety of old heritages of different cultures and traditions. Swat museum is famous for having the archives of Gandhara and Buddhist Civilizations. Ancient Jewelry, wooden articles, antique piece of art, and handicrafts have been preserved in this museum of both Gandhara and Buddhist Civilizations.
Kalam Valley – swat
Kalam Valley is a sub valley of Swat. It is located at the height of 6,600 ft from sea level. Kalam valley is situated in the north of Mingora and it can be reached by covering 96 km through the N95 route. Kalam valley is of the most beautiful valleys in the northern sites of Pakistan. Kalam valley has a humongous number of attractions to offer to tourists and explorers from all around the globe. Kalam Valley is situated on the bank of the Swat River.
Malam Jabba – swat
Malam Jabba is located in the north-eastern side of Mingora in swat. Malam Jabba is situated at the height of 9,199 ft from sea level. Malam Jabba is a fantastic tourist destination as it is situated on a hill station. Mallam Jabba has a lot to offer to tourists. It has a Mallam Jabba Ski resort which is a majestic scenic resort. Every year hindered of thousands of people visit Mallam Jabba’s ski resort and enjoy its famous airlift which lies at the height of 9,199 ft from sea level. This chairlift ride of Malla Jabba is the most attractive place for tourists in swat.
Comment (0)