NAME: ISRA IQBAL

COURSE NAME: HISTORY OF IDEAS

DEPARTMENT: KARACHI UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL (KUBS)
INTRODUCTION
Takht-i-Bahi (Throne of the water spring), commonly mispronounced as Takht-i-Bhai (Brother's
throne), Takht-i-Bahi is one of the most well preserved Budhist monasteries in Pakistan. The
ruins are located about 15 kilometers from Mardan in Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province.
Due to the location of the Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi on high hills, it escaped successive
invasions and is exceptionally well-preserved A small fortified city, dating from the same era,
sits nearby. The Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighboring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol
(approximately 5 km away in a fertile plain) are one of the most imposing relics of Buddhism in
the Gandhara region of Pakistan. The Buddhist monastic complex of Takht-i-Bahi was founded
in 1st century A.D and remained an important Budhist educational and cultural center until the 7 th
century A.D. Takht-i-Bahi was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.

Many of the rooms and buildings inside the monastery are still quite well preserved though most
of the relics and statues have been taken
away over a period of time. Today the
ruins comprise a main stupa court, votive
stupas court, a group of three stupas, the
monastic quadrangle with meditation
cells, conference hall, covered stepped
passageways and other secular buildings.

BUSINESS IDEA:
we perceive archaeological sites as dead, which also implies they are insensible, inactive,
and dull. To make an archaeological site more attractive, we have to treat it as alive, relevant,
and a narrative. When talking about
Takht-i-Bahi, from the top of the hills
one can see the overall view of amazing
and beautifull Takht-i-Bahi city area full
of greenery, hills, and well designed
architectural structure of budhist
monastry of Takht-i-Bahi. To make this
possible the business of Hot Air Ballon
services can be provided to the tourists
which will not only attract them to see
the beautiful scenery but could also
increase the intererest of people in archeological sites. This site can also be included in the list of
adventure explorer. Balloons can start to fly from the down hills area then flying over the hills,
Takht-i-Bahi monastry, greenery, fields and come down back taking the trip around.

PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECT:
Since it’s religious site for Budhist mostly monks and relative religious people come to visit this
archeological site. So when they visit this site they have feelings respect for their ancestors and
their Idols. They must feel proud of their ancesetors who made this budhist monastry possible to
built on hill when at that time there was no advance technology but yet so well designed and
constructed. Others must feel the joy of eyes and appreciate the beauty of this monastry.
The service of Hot Air Balloons will be refresshing, joyfull, interesting, peaceful, amazeful,and
will also calm their mind and soul as the budhist of that time used to do meditation in Takht-i-
Bahi.

PHYLOSOPHICAL ASPECT:
The philosophy behind the establishment of Takht-i-Bahi monastry complex was to provide the
base for the provision of their religious education, meditation and a place to worship their Gods.
The phylosophical aspect of starting the business of Hot Air Balloon service is to show the
development of monastic and urban communities in the Gandharan region and also to help them
in gaining knowledge about the lifestyle, practices and religious and cultural values of the people
of that place and to attract more tourists which is important for the nourishment of tourism in the
country.

CONCLUSION:
This budhist monastry brings the importance of cultural and religious values of the people of that
era. But the fact is that not so many people see the importance of these sites or they don’t have
much awareness only few people who are either emotionally attached to their religious
importance or to gain social status by being able to brag about all the famous places they have
been (social status).
Luckily, by re-visioning those historical sites as remarkable narratives, we can bring them back
to life and make them once again relevant and interesting to attract more tourists.