Takht-i-Bahi is an Indo-Parthian archaeological site of an ancient Buddhist monastery in Mardan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The site is considered among the most imposing relics of Buddhism in all of Gandhara and has been “exceptionally well-preserved.” It was founded in the 1st century and was in use until the 7th century. The complex is regarded by archaeologists as being particularly representative of the architecture of Buddhist monastic centers from its era. Takht-i-Bahi was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.
The word Takht-i-Bahi got its name from two wells on the hill or the springs nearby. In Persian, Takht means ‘top’ or ‘throne’ while bahi means ‘spring’ or ‘water’. When combined together its meaning is ‘spring from the top’ or ‘high spring’, and there were two springs on the top of mountains. Another meaning suggested is ‘throne of origin’.
There are four main areas of the Takht Bahi complex:
- The Stupa Court
- The monastic chambers
- A temple complex
- The Tantric monastic complex