Mardan
Pakistan · Asia
About Mardan
Mardān is a city in the Mardan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Located in the Valley of Peshawar, Mardan is the second largest city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (only after Peshawar). It is a fast growing city that experienced a population boom in the latter half of the 20th century.
Around 1800 BCE, the area around Mardan was part of the homeland of the Gandhara grave culture. Rock edicts of the ancient Indian King Ashoka in the nearby Shahbaz Garhi, written in the right-to-left Kharosthi script, dates from the Mauryan period (mid-200s BCE) and represent the earliest irrefutable evidence of writing in South Asia. The nearby Takht-i-Bahi has remains of an ancient Buddhist monastery was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.
Mardan is located in a region which is rich in archaeological sites. In 1962, the Sanghao Caves were discovered outside of Mardan, which yielded artefacts from the Middle Paleolithic period, over 30,000 years ago. Other sites in the immediate area have yielded evidences of human activity from the Upper Paleolithic period. Further excavations in the area around Jamal Garhi near Mardan recovered artefacts from the Mesolithic period...
Mardan travel guide
Understand
Mardan is the largest city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after the provincial headquarters, Peshawar. Mardan is well known in the area for its hospitable people. Mardan is also famous for its archaeological importance, particularly the Buddhist stupas of Takht-e-Bhai. Asia's biggest sugar mill is also situated in Mardan.
Getting there
There's only a limited number of trains to Mardan. However, the nearby town of Nowshera is located along the main railway line connecting Peshawar with the rest of the country.
1 Mardan Junction railway station. (updated Jun 2022) Travelling by bus is very common and there are numerous daily departures from most Pakistani cities to Mardan. Few companies offers online ticketing so it is always advised to buy tickets at the station.
2 Naway Adda bus station. The main bus station in Mardan. Most, but not all, long-distance routes arrives here. (updated Jun 2022)
See
1 Takht-i-Bahi. Exceptionally well-preserved ancient Buddhist monastery dating back to the Indo-Parthian Kingdom. The monastery was founded in the 1st century CE, and was in use until the 7th century. The site is considered among the most important relics of Buddhism in the whole region. Takht-i-Bahi was has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980. (updated Jun 2022) 2 Mardan Museum. (updated Jun 2022) 3 Bacha Khan Monument. Dedicated to Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Pashtun freedom fighter and independence activist against British colonial rule in India known for his nonviolent opposition and lifelong pacifism. (updated Jun 2022) 4 Guides Memorial. Built in 1892 to honour fallen soldiers who fought during the 1879 Siege of the British Residency in Kabul. (updated Jun 2022)
Buy
There are a number of shopping plazas with standard shops like The Mall of Mardan", the Mega Mart, Ocean Mall, Home Center, Khobsurat Mall and Yousaf Sons. There are a number of under construction plazas emerging around the Nowshera Road and Bacha Khan Monument.
The Mall of Mardan deals in Fabrics and ready-to-wear garments of any size.The prices of the commodities are fixed and reasonable.It also deals in shoes and other foot wears. The Mega Mart is another plaza on Nowshera Road which provide great services to its customers at reasonable prices.It deals in fabrics, garments, foot wears, and stationaries at reasonable prices. The Ocean Mall is another Mart that deals in fabrics of all sorts and ready made garments. The Home Center is another awesome plaza with all the monthly home needed things and groceries under one roof.The Prices are a bit higher but the services are of great standards.
Eat
A number of newly opened restaurants provide local and international dishes at good prices.There are a number of new restaurants and cafes like "The Bakery Cafe", Italian Pizza, Sheliton Hotel, Pizza Hut, Royal Hotel and Marhaba Bakery.The special Badayoni Paira of Mardan are famous all over the region.All of these cafes are located on Nowshera Road.
Sheliton Hotel is a hotel that provides hygienic and delicious food to the customers at somewhat high prices. The orders are ready in a quick time. All of the above cafes and hotels provide free WiFi hotspots for the customers, except Marhaba Bakrey.
Drink & nightlife
All the cafes deals in Cold Drinks in Summers and Coffee and Tea in winters. The "Papa Juice and Burgers" are famous cold drink and fresh juices dealers in Mardan.The Shop is Located near Malakand chowk Mardan Cannt. Alcohol is not available as a beverage in Mardan.
Sleep
1 Shelton Hotel Mardan, House 4, Street 4, Pohan Colony Maqam Chowk, ☏ +92 345 8555993. (updated Jun 2022)
Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.