Q7) Write a short note on “Importance of Taxila”.
Answers
Answer:
What was the importance of Taxila?
Taxila (formerly Takshashila) is an ancient city in northwestern Pakistan. It is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. In 1980, Taxila was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It is a Tehsil (smaller region of a city) in the district of Rawalpindi. Situated 31 Km west of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, Taxila possesses a recorded history that dates back to 6th century BC.
The city is well known for its strong ties and being the center of Buddhism in the country at that time. Many statues of Buddha depicting the various stages of his life have been excavated and are currently present both at the Taxila museum as well as various Stupas in the city. However the best of these statues have been taken abroad and are displayed in museums there.
There are 5 small stupas in the city.
Dharmarajika Stupa
Dates back to 2nd century CE. Built to house the bone fragments of Buddha.
Glen of the Giri
Dates back to 2nd century CE. In the highest peak of the range of hills are two stupas and a fortress built in a cleft near a spring of pure, sweet water…
Jaulian
Dates back to 2nd century CE. Another marvelous complex of chapels, stupas and a monastery with assembly hall, store rooms, refectory, kitchen and bathrooms still very well preserved.
Mohra Moradu
Dates back to 2nd century CE. The monks could meditate in all stillness at this place. In one of the monk’s cells here there was found a stupa with almost all the details intact.
Jandial
The site of an ancient temple well known for its Ionic columns.
Statues of Alexander the Great and the eminent ruler Asoka were also found in the city of Taxila.
Taxila was a well-planned city with wide streets and well-built houses as well as stupas for the priests. The royalty of the time lived in splendid palaces in the city. Gold, silver coins and other jewelry items have also been excavated from Taxila.
The present day Taxila is not as well maintained as it was in the past with the shops encroaching on the main city roads and the town planning over all has been very poor since after the fall of the Gandhara civilization.
Taxila museum is one of the most famous museums in Pakistan. The artifacts displayed at the museum depict the ancient cultural as well as the history of the area and displays countless artifacts from the Gandhara civilization.
The major jewels and statues found in the stupas around the museum are, however, not present in the museum now.
The city of Taxila also has an industrial significance. Pakistan ordinance factory, heavy industry Taxila, cement factories as well as small cottage industry for stoneware, pottery and footwear add to the significance of the city. The industry found in Taxila is important both from the military as well as other commercial reasons.
Taxila is a fairly educated city over all and it was also known as the centre of learning and culture in the past. Taxila was the prime seat of learning in the subcontinent as well.
The city has two prominent universities namely HITEC university and University of Engineering and Technology Taxila. Apart from this several small local school systems are also present. Heavy industries Taxila Education City is a monumental addition to the cities educational institutes.
Masjid-e-Noor. The mosque in HITEC.
The historical significance of the city overall has no impact on the lives of the people of the area, there are no ruminants of the Buddhist culture in the lives of the natives of Taxila and their lives are dictated primarily by the Punjabi culture, whether these are their own personal individual lives or their lives in a social capacity.