Written by: Hidayat Khan
Posted on: March 03, 2020 | 
| 中文
The Gates of Gor Khatri (photo credits to Saffy H on Flickr)
Standing in the middle of Old City of Peshawar, surrounded by houses several stories high, lies ‘Gor Khatri (also pronounced ‘Gor Gathri’) or ‘Warrior’s Grave’. It has been used as a sacred site by many an empire for almost 2,000 years. Most notably, it was transformed into a majestic caravanserai (an inn for travelers) by Emperor Shah Jahan’s daughter, Jahan Ara Begum, in the middle of the 17th century. It provided a comfortable and accessible resting place for those traveling between India and Central Asia.
In earlier times, Gor Khatri was home to the Tower of Buddha's Bowl, where the sacred alms bowl was kept. After that, it became sacred to Hindus, and was used as the site for religious rituals, or for training priests in the philosophy of Yoga. Archeologists have carried out excavations in the compound and found artifacts over 2300 years old.
The large open area of the caravanserai lying at the heart of the old city, was an enticing site for archeologists as it provided a gateway into Peshawar’s rich past. The site first caught the attention of Professor F.A. Durrani of the University of Peshawar, who excavated there in the 1990s, with work continuing till 2000. In 2002 Professor Ishan Ali launched large scale excavations within the site, to unearth relics and artefacts. What they both discovered, was that Peshawar is one of the earliest living cities of the Indian subcontinent, with artifacts dating to the 4th century BC. And most of this concentrated knowledge and treasure has been found in Gor Khatri.
An Excavation Site at Gor Khatri (photo credits to the writer)
Of the three capitals of the Gandhara region, Peshawar was the most prosperous and renowned in the old Kushan Empire. In those times, the city was known as ‘Purshapur’, ‘Purushapura’ in Sanskrit, or ‘Kanishkapura’, the capital of the Great Kushan Empire (c.AD 60-225). However, after the downfall of the Gandhara Civilisation in the region, Peshawar fell into obscurity, until the arrival of the Mughals into India. The Mughals recognized the city’s important position on the trade routes to Central Asia and began to improve the city.
But it was most notably Jehan Ara Begum, who transformed Gor Kathri into a majestic caravanserai in 1641 AD, known then as ‘Serai Jahanabad’. It was constructed in typical Mughal architecture, and for the first time, mosques were built for Muslim travelers and traders. Historical sources claim that a Shahi Mosque was also built here in 1641 AD, but its remnants have not been found. Additionally, two huge gateways opened into the serai, both from the east and west, which is why it was also called ‘Sarai Do Dar’ or the ‘Inn of Two Gateways’.
Ruins of the Entrance to the Carvanserai (photo credits to the writer)
The most impressive building on the site is the Gorak Nath Temple, located in its centre. According to literary sources, this temple for the Hindu god Shiva, was constructed in the memory of a religious teacher named Gorak Nath. He came from Kashmir to Sheikhupura, and then relocated to Peshawar. It was built in the early 19th century and is still intact in its original condition; it remained a center for Hindu religious practices in the city until a few decades ago. The original fresco work and paintings of Hindu deities still survive in the temple's interior.
Gorakh Nath Temple (photo credits to Pakistan Hindu Post)
The Sikh occupied Peshawar in 1818 and completed their occupation in 1834. Their Italian governor Paolo De Avitabile built a pavilion on the western gateway of the city to hear public petitions. Originally, there were caravanserais all around Gor Khatri, but they were replaced during the British Raj, until only 49 of them remained. The Raj used Gor Khatri as a fire brigade building and office building in 1912. The building they used has now collapsed, but a portion of it restored.
British Era Fire Brigade Office (photo credits to the writer)
Gor Khatri has remained intact throughout the years, but the government has neglected its upkeep. After the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Directorate of Archaeology and Museums (KPDAM) acquired it a few years ago, and conservation work began slowly to restore the site to its original condition. While KPDAM had announced the plan to set up an archaeological Park at Gor Khatri, little or no progress has been made on it.
In 2013, the Khyber Pakhtunkwa Tourism and Archaeological department started renovations, as part of an overall plan to revive Pukhtun heritage. Each of the cells were decorated with aluminum gates and were allotted to artisans to make and sell local handicrafts and provide a cultural setting for visitors.
Cultural Shops in the Compound (photo credits to the writer)
According to government officials, Rs. 12 million were spent on the preservation of Gor Khatri. Particularly important for restoration were the two fire engines made by Merryweather & Sons, one of the oldest companies in Europe to make fire engines, which was brought to the city by the British. One of the engines was manufactured in 1918 and the other in 1921. As for the pre-British structures, KPDAM has successfully restored 36 carvanserai rooms to their original appearance, and another 13 rooms were restored with external support.
Caravanserai Rooms Under Restoration (photo credits to the writer)
If restoration work continues, and the archaeological park is set up, Gor Khatri will attract tourists, students, artists and history enthusiasts. While some artefacts have been unfortunately lost, one should be optimistic about what Gor Khatri can teach us about our colorful, multicultural and multi-faceted past.
Schoolchildren Passing the Compound (photo credits to the writer)
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