Published July 13, 2025
MARDAN:
High in the hills of the Sawaldher Village of Marran district is Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) the time-tested remains of the somewhat 2000-year-old and a walking-Thareli-Buddhist archaeological place from the old Gandhara civilization. It once served as an educational institution and spiritual complex of Buddhism for about 550 years under the Kushan dynasty. While he is rich in history and cultural significance, Thareli remains today on the outskirts of public attention and government attention. With narrow access roads, minimal facilities and limited promotion, the potential of the place remains as a religious tourist destination unused despite its status as the third largest Buddhist place in the Marran district.
Located around nineteen kilometers from Marran City on a hilltop approx. 300 meters high, the site has preserved stupas, and chapels where sculptures of Buddha were placed for worship, as well as a high height residential area in the mountains.
“After Takht Bhai and Jamal Gahri Buddhist are back, Thareli is the third largest historical place in the Marran district,” Dr. Ghayur Shahab, a faculty member of the Department of Archaeology at the University of Malakand and the then responsible for the Marran Museum. “It was constructed in the Kushan period from 1st century BC to 5th century AD.
According to the Directorate of Archaeology and Museum, KP, the complex was first discovered in the 18th century, and then from 1964 to 1967, a Japanese archaeological mission began excavations of the site and revealed the most important stupa next to a spring, surrounded by several votive stupas, students, monkers cells, total halls and chapels.
Constructed with diaper masonry contained the most important stupa nicher that housed Buddhist sculptures. The site spans several terraced spores with proof of multistory structures.
“This place was a religious seminar where Buddhism was taught, studied and practiced,” Dr. Shahab. “Antiques excavated from the site include Buddhist panels that reveal Buddha’s life stories, sculptures, stucco sculptures and coins. This is 1752387577 highlighted on the Peshawar and Lahore museums. “
Junaid Khan, a local resident of the area, said that like other historic places in KP, Thareli Buddhist Complex is suitable and relevant to religious tourism.
“Unfortunately, only tourists from nearby villages visit the place,” he adds. “The Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) Provincial government has so far failed to fulfill its promises of promoting religious tourism in religion. An important obstacle in the promotion of the thousand-year-old historical complex is the way that leads to the archaeological place that is narrow and worn. In addition to the construction of a proper road and wandering track.”
According to Khan, the site was originally under the jurisdiction of the federal government. In 2010, it was handed over to the provincial Directorate of Archeology, and in 2013 the KP government protected it under the Antique Act and carried out some conservation and restoration work.
“By 2023, Peshawar High Court, in a judgment, banned, crushing plants, mining and blasting within a mile from the scene,” revealed officials in the Directorate.
“For the promotion of religious tourism, we need to attract foreigners from Buddhist countries to visit these places,” shares Bakhat Muhammad, Deputy CEO of Archeology and Museums, KP.
He added that Thareli -Archeologically Complex is important to religious tourism, but due to security concerns, the local police do not allow foreigners to visit this monastery complex and the Jamal Garhi site. As a result, they only visit the Takht Bhai monastery complex, which has a negative impact on tourism.
“The site spreads over 253 channels in a mountainous area,” shares the Deputy Director. “Currently, no entry fee is collected and the place is not officially open to visitors.”
As for further excavation and development, Bakhat Muhammad said that a two-year project for eight historic places, including Thareli complex, has been approved and added that excavation, conservation and development during the project will be completed before the site is opened to local and foreign visitors with appropriate facilities.
Thareli’s crumbling chapels, centuries-old stupas and scattered sculptures represent more than just historical objects-they are fragments of a pluralistic and intellectual past that once defined the region. Despite its deep archaeological and spiritual significance, the place lies in neglect, darkened by more accessible or popular monuments like Takht Bhai. With renewed efforts in excavation, preservation and infrastructure, Thareli could not only arise as a key node in Gandharan Heritage Trail, but also as a source of cultural diplomacy and economic opportunity through religious tourism. However, for this to happen, preservation must fulfill promotion – and the story must be given another life.
Razzaq is a Peshawar-based radio and print journalist. He tweets @Theabdurrazzaq
All facts and information is the author’s sole responsibility
