Charsadda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chārsadda
چارسده
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District Headquarter / City
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Bacha Khan chowk
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 Chārsadda
Location in Pakistan
Chārsadda
Location in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
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| Country | Pakistan |
| Province |  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| District | Charsadda |
| Tehsil | Charsadda |
| Government | |
| • Type | Tehsil-council |
| Population
(2023)
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| • Total | 120,170 |
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PKT) |
Chārsadda (Pashto: چارسده; Urdu: چارسدہ) is a city in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is the main city of Charsadda District. In 2017, it was the 85th largest city in Pakistan. Charsadda is located in the Valley of Peshawar, about 29 kilometers (18 miles) from Peshawar, the provincial capital. It sits at an elevation of 276 meters (905 feet) above sea level. The entire Charsadda District covers an area of about 996 square kilometers (385 square miles).
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name Chārsadda means "four roads". It comes from two words: chār which means "four", and sadda which means "road". This suggests it was a place where many paths met. Some people also believe the city was named after a son of a Pashtun leader named Ilyas Khan Muhammadzai.
A Look Back in Time
Charsadda has a very long history. The oldest discoveries at a place called Bala Hisar date back to around 1400 BCE. At that time, a small group of people lived there. They built simple homes from timber posts. Later, more permanent buildings were made using stone.
Ancient Capital of Gandhara
From the 6th century BCE to the 2nd century CE, Charsadda was the capital city of Gandhara. Its ancient name was Pushkalavati, which means "Lotus City" in Sanskrit. A famous grammarian, Pāṇini, who helped create the rules for the Sanskrit language, lived in this area around the 4th century BCE.
Many different groups have ruled Charsadda throughout history. These include:
- The Maurya Empire
- The Gupta Empire
- Alexander the Great's Macedonian army
- The Indo-Greeks
- The Kushans
- The British Empire
The modern town of Charsadda is newer. It is connected to the town of Prang. These two places are thought to be the ancient Pushkalavati.
People and Religions
Most people in Charsadda follow the Islamic faith. There are also smaller groups of Christians and Hindus living in the city.
Rivers of Charsadda
Charsadda is lucky to have three rivers flowing through it:
- The River Jindi
- The Kabul River
- The Swat River
These rivers are very important because they provide water for farming. All three rivers eventually join together and flow into the mighty Indus River.
How the City is Run
Charsadda District is divided into three main areas called tehsils. These are Charsadda, Tangi, and Shabqadar. Together, they have 49 smaller areas called Union Councils.
Learning in Charsadda
Bacha Khan University is a public university located in Charsadda. It is named after Abdul Ghaffar Khan, also known as Bacha Khan. In January 2016, the university was attacked by gunmen.
The Old Cemetery
Charsadda has a very large cemetery south of the main market. It covers a huge area and is still used today. Many graves in this cemetery are decorated with small black and white stones. These stones are arranged to create cool patterns like geometric shapes or flowers. This special way of decorating graves is called Da Kanro Gulkari.
Families in Charsadda often visit the graves of their relatives. They do this on special days like Ashura and the first day of Eid al-Adha. During these visits, they pray and remember their loved ones.
Famous People from Charsadda
- Lala Nisar (1930–2016) – A well-known politician who served as a senator and cabinet minister.
See also
In Spanish: Charsadda para niños
