Takht-i-Bahi 5.76

Takht-i-Bahi, commonly mispronounced as Takht-i-Bhai, is a Parthian archaeological site of an ancient monastery in Mardan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The site is considered the among the most imposing relics of Buddhism in all of Gandhara, and has been "exceptionally well-preserved."The monastery was first a Zoroastrian complex which, after the later arrival of Buddhism, was then converted into a Buddhist monastic complex. The monastery was founded in the 1st century CE, and was in use until the 7th century. The complex is regarded by archaeologists as being particularly representative of the architecture of Buddhist monastic centers from its era. Takht-i-Bahi was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.EtymologyThe word Takht-i-Bahi may have different explanations. Local believes that site got its name from two wells on the hill or the springs nearby. In Persian, Takht means "top" or "throne" while bahi means "spring" or "water". When combined together its meaning is Spring from the Top or High Spring, and there were two springs on the top of mountains. Another meaning suggested is Throne of Origin.LocationThe ruins are located about 15 kilometers from Mardan in Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province. A small fortified city, dating from the same era, sits nearby. The ruins also sit near a modern village known by the same name. It is located around 500 feet atop the small hill and around 2 km from village bazar. The surrounding area is famous for sugar cane, wheat, maize, vegetable, and orchard cultivation.