Heritage Sites That Make Pakistan What It Is

April 11 is celebrated as World Heritage Day.

National heritage is ‘anything of national significance which is handed down and preserved through generations especially, architecture, landscapes, documents, and other artifacts. It can also be a body set up to carry out this preservation’.

Each of us has parts of the past that connects us to the future.

Old photographs turned sepia. The old pan-dan that a grandmother used. A family house holding wonderful memories. A piece of jewelry passed down from one generation to the next. Whatever we treasure, a part of our past is part of our heritage. It’s not just personal heritage that is important. Equally important are the preservation of gardens, parks, and sites declared as national heritage buildings.

Pakistan is a melting pot of cultures. It has a rich cultural heritage Each conqueror, traveler and sage have left behind an imprint that added a step to the cultural evolution of this region.

The value of our cultural past can be gauged by UNESCO’s ‘World Heritage List’, drawn up by the World Heritage Center, that proscribes 6 sites within Pakistan as international heritage sites. These 6 sites are:

1. Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro

“The ruins of the huge city of Moenjodaro – built entirely of unbaked brick in the 3rd millennium B.C. – lie in the Indus valley. The Acropolis, set on high embankments, the ramparts, and the lower town, which is laid out according to strict rules, provide evidence of an early system of town planning. According to Archaeologist, the great bath of Moenjodaro is the earliest swimming pool in the ancient world.”

2. Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol

“The Buddhist monastic complex of Takht-i-Bahi (Throne of Origins) was founded in the early 1st century. Owing to its location on the crest of a high hill, it escaped successive invasions and is still exceptionally well preserved. Nearby are the ruins of Sahr-i-Bahlol, a small fortified city dating from the same period. Today the ruins comprise a main stupa court, votive stupas court, a group of three stupas, the monastic quadrangle with meditation cells, conference hall, covered stepped passageways and other secular buildings.”

3. Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore

“These are two masterpieces from the time of the brilliant Mughal civilization, which reached its height during the reign of the Emperor Shah Jahan. The fort contains marble palaces and mosques decorated with mosaics and gilt. The elegance of these splendid gardens, built near the city of Lahore on three terraces with lodges, waterfalls and large ornamental ponds, is unequaled.”

The Shalamar Gardens, constructed by Shah Jahan in 1641-2 is a Mughal garden, layering Persian influences over medieval Islamic garden traditions.

“The Mughal garden is characterized by enclosing walls, a rectilinear layout of paths and features, and large expanses of flowing water. The Shalamar Gardens cover 16 hectares and is arranged in three terraces descending from the south to the north. The regular plan, enclosed by a crenelated wall of red sandstone, disposes square beds on the upper and lower terraces and elongated blocks on the narrower, intermediate terrace; within, elegant pavilions balance harmoniously arranged poplar and cypress trees, reflected in the vast basins of water.”

4. Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta

“The capital of three successive dynasties and later ruled by the Mughal emperors of Delhi, Thatta was constantly embellished from the 14th to the 18th century. The remains of the city and its necropolis provide a unique view of civilization in Sindh. Kings, queens, governors, saints, scholars, and philosophers are buried here in brick or stone monuments, some of which are lavishly decorated with glazed tiles. The unique assemblage of massive structures presents an impressive order of monumental buildings in different architectural styles. These structures are notable for their fusion of diverse influences into a local style.”

5. Rohtas Fort

“Following the defeat of the Mughal emperor Humayun in 1541, Sher Shah Suri built a strong fortified complex at Rohtas, a strategic site in the north of Pakistan. It was never taken by storm and has survived intact to the present day. The main fortifications consist of the massive walls, which extend for more than 4 km; they are lined with bastions and pierced by monumental gateways. Rohtas Fort, also called Qila Rohtas, is an exceptional example of early Muslim military architecture in Central and South Asia.”

6. Taxila

“From the ancient Neolithic tumulus of Saraikala to the ramparts of Sirkap (2nd century B.C.) and the city of Sirsukh (1st century A.D.), Taxila illustrates the different stages in the development of a city on the Indus that was alternately influenced by Persia, Greece and Central Asia and which, from the 5th century B.C. to the 2nd century A.D., was an important Buddhist center of learning. The Taxila serial site also includes Khanpur cave, a number of Buddhist monasteries and stupas of various periods. Buddhist monuments erected throughout the Taxila valley transformed it into a religious heartland and a destination for pilgrims from as far afield as Central Asia and China.”

Another 26 sites located within Pakistan are on the tentative extension of the UNESCO.

Though the National Archaeological Department has traditionally been responsible for preserving these site, it falls also upon every Pakistani to do their share in ensuring the sites are not damaged or polluted in any manner by their visits. Local heritage has suffered greatly because of vandalism and irresponsible behavior of visitors. The residents should come forward and share responsibility.

Culture can give people a connection to certain social values, beliefs, religions, and customs.

Cultural heritage can provide a sense of unity and belonging within a group and allow us to better understand previous generations and the history of where we come from. A benefit that comes from preserving cultural heritage as a whole is communal support.

Nations preserve their heritage. It is who they are, who their next generation will be. They protect and nurture their roots.

Theodore Roosevelt (conservationist, naturalist, and writer) once said,

“Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children’s children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.”

cover Image via Dribble.com