Swat is known as the Switzerland of Pakistan. Swat,
the
land of romance and beauty, is celebrated throughout the
world as the holy
land of Buddhist learning and piety. Swat
acquired fame as a place of Buddhist
pilgrimage.
Buddhist tradition holds that the Buddha himself came to Swat during his last reincarnation as the Guatama Buddha and preached to the people here.
It is said that the Swat was filled with fourteen hundred imposing and
beautiful stupas and monasteries, which housed as many as 6,000 gold images of the Buddhist pantheon for worship and education. There are now more than 400
Buddhist sites covering and area of 160 Km in Swat valley only. Among the
important Buddhist excavation in swat an important one is Butkarha-I,
containing the original relics of the Buddha.
The lush-green valley of Swat, with its rushing torrents, icy-
cold lakes,
fruit-laden orchards and flower-decked slopes is
ideal for holidaymakers. It
has a rich historical past, too. This
is "Udayana" (The Garden) of
the ancient epics; the land of
enthralling beauty, where Alexander of Macedonia
fought and
won some of his major battles before crossing over to the
delta of
Indus River. This is the "valley of hanging chairs", as
described by
the famous Chinese pilgrim-chroniclers, Huaen
Tsang and Fa-Hian in the fifth
and sixth centuries. Swat was
once the cradle of Buddhism of all of its schools
– Mahayana,
Hinayana and Tantrayana, where once 1,400 monasteries
flourished.
It was the home of the famous Gandhara School
of Sculpture that was an
expression of Greco-Roman form in
the local Buddhist tradition.
WHAT TO SEE IN SWAT?
Saidu Sharif, Mingora & Murghzar: Headquarters of Swat Valley, Saidu Sharif houses the Swat Museum that contains one of the finest collections of Gandhara art in the world. Mingora, the twin city of Saidu Sharif, has yielded magnificent pieces of Buddhist sculpture and the ruins of great stupas. Marghazar, 16 km from Saidu Sharif, is famous for its “Sufed Mahal” the white marble palace of the former Wali (Ruler) of Swat. Kabal is 6 km from Saidu Sharif with its excellent golf course.
Malam Jabba
At 2,636 m above sea level, Malam Jabba Ski Resort stands on top of a mountain of the Hindukush range, north east of Saidu Sharif. It is 314 km from Islamabad and 51 km from Saidu Sharif. After driving for 10 kms on Saidu Sharif-Kalam road, turn right from Manglor for Malam Jabba. Amidst its natural beauty and imprints of Gandhara civilization, lie the modern tourist facilities of a 52 rooms motel, 2 skiing platforms, chairlifts, roller/ice skating rinks, restaurant, telephone and snow clearing equipment etc. The food, lodging and skiing facilities are all managed by foreign trained staff and offered at competitive prices. The summer temperatures of 10oC to 25oC give way to lush green meadows and thick green forests of Pine & Deodar trees. In the winter when the temperature falls to –5oC to –10oC, the angel white snow makes it an ideal place for skiing.
Around Swat
Miandam: At 1,830 m above sea level, Miandam Valley is 50 km from Saidu Sharif and recommended for those looking for a peaceful place full of fragrance and scenic beauty.
Madyan & Bahrain: Both the towns are a good stop-over while travelling from Saidu Sharif to Kalam. Madyan is famous for its trout hatcheries and Bahrain for its meeting of two rivers and its handicrafts.
Kalam: The most popular tourist spot in Swat Valley (2,073 m) is 100 km away from Saidu Sharif. In addition to PTDC’s seasonal coach service, there is a regular private bus and van service between Mingora and Kalam.
Ushu, Matiltan and Mahodand Lake: This is the most spectacular area of upper Swat Valley. While staying overnight at Kalam, you can enjoy a day trip by jeep to these beautiful tourist spots. Distance is just 13-16 km from Kalam.
Utrot-Gabral: Another scenic valley of upper Swat, located 21-29 km from Kalam. The road is jeepable and jeeps can be hired from Kalam. A day trip with picnic lunch is recommended.
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