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Top 10 Astonishing Facts about Gor Khatri Caravanserai

The Grand Balcony of GOR Khatri(Gorkhatri) an ancient ruin within the walled city of Peshawar, Jehan Ara Begum, the daughter of Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan, converted Gorkhatri into a caravanserai and named it Sarai Jahanabad. By Azhar Razaq.

Gor Khatri Caravanserai is a public Park in Peshawar, Pakistan, located within a Mughal-era caravanserai that was built at the rite of ancient ruins.

Gor Khatri in the ancient city of Peshawar was identified by Alexander Cunningham with the Kanishka, the giant Stupa of Indian King Kanishka the great, while Professor Dr. Ahmad Hassan Dani identified it with the place where the famous tower of the Buddha bowl once stood.

GorKhatri is a typical Mughal-era Serai and is located at one of the highest points of Peshawar City. It is a fortified compound consisting of an area of 160by 160 square meters. It has two prominent gateways one in the east and one in the west.

The following are some of the astonishing facts about Gor Khatri Caravanserai:

1. Gor Khatri has been used as a sacred site for many years

A sacred place for worship at Gorakhnath. By Teseum –

It has been used as a sacred site for many or several 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. Gor Khatri was home to the Tower of Buddhas 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.

2. Archaeologists have carried out excavations in Gor Khatri

An old excavation site. Photo credit to Ministry of Culture

Archaeologists have carried out excavations in the compound and found artifacts over 2300years old. The large open area of caravanserai lying in the heart of the old city was an enticing site for archaeologists 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. Professor Isham Ali also launched large-scale excavations within the site, to unearth relics and artifacts.

Peshawar is one of the earliest living cities of the Indian subcontinent, with artifacts dating to the 4th century BC.

3. Peshawar was the most prosperous and renowned in Kusha Empire

Kushan Empire map 200 ad Picture by By A.person4301

There are 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” in Sanskrit the capital of the Great Kushan Empire.

However, after the downfall of the Gandhara civilization 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 Khatri into a majestic Caravanserai in 1641 AD, known as then as ” Sarai Jahan Abad”.

4. Gorak Nath Temple is the most impressive building on the site

The most impressive building on the site is the Gorak Nath Temple, located in its center.

According to literal 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.

5. The government built a western gateway of the city to hear petitions

a fire brigade assembly in Peshawar. Picture By Khalid Mahmood

The Sikhs occupied the area in 1818 and completed their occupation in 1834. The Italian governor Paolo De Avitabilee built a pavilion on the western gateway of the city to hear public petitions.

Originally, there were Caravanserai 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 collapsed but a portion of it is restored.

6. Khyber Pakhtunkwa Tourism Department has ensured renovations

Gor Khatri has remained intact throughout the year, 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.

The department started renovations as part of an overall plan t revive Pukhutun heritage.

Each of the cells was decorated with Aluminium gates and was allotted to artists to make and sell local handicrafts and provide a cultural setting for visitors.

7. The government spent millions on the preservation of Gor Khatri

According to government officials, the government spent millions on the preservation of Gor Khatri.

Particularly important for restoration were the two fire engines made by Merryweather and sons, one of the oldest companies in Europe to make fire engines, that were brought to the city by the British. One of the engines was manufactured in 1918 and the other in 1921.

KPDAM has successfully restored 36 caravanserai engine rooms to their original appearance and another 13 rooms were restored with external support.

8. Gor Khatri is a site of attraction for tourists

Tourists at Gor Khatri Entrance By Ali Nawaz Khattak

After its restoration by the government, the archaeological park was set up. This has led to the attraction of tourists, students, artists, and history enthusiasts.

While some artifacts have been unfortunately lost, one should be optimistic about what Gor Khatri can teach us about our colorful, multicultural, and multi-faceted part.

9. Gor Khatri was converted into a residence and official headquarters

The Shiks converted the site into the residence and official headquarters of their mercenary general Paolo Avitabile who w the governor of Peshaarfrom 1838-1842.

They constructed a Hindu temple for Shiwa there. Professor S.M.Jaffer, in his monumental book “Peshawar past and present” identified it as the place of Hindu pilgrimage where they performed the Sardukahr ritual( sharing off heads).

10. Gor Khatri has an impressive monument

In the center of the town, there is what should become an equally impressive monument. This is known as Gor Khuttree and will hopefully become a World Heritage Monument when the current work is completed.

In one corner of it, massive excavations are taking place, to reveal a section of the whole history of the town of Peshawar.

But this is only part of Gor Khuttree. Gor Khuttree in its present form was built in 1641 as a Caravanserai by Jehan Ara Begum, a Mughal Princess, the daughter of Emperor Shah Jahan who built the Taj Mahal which was nearly 3 hectares.