The lush green and historic Swat
Valley lies between 34°-40′ to 35° N latitude and 72′ to 74°-6′ E
longitude and is part of the Provincially Administrated Tribal Area
(PATA) of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. The valley is an
integral part of the strategic and significant region where three parts
of the Asian continent–South Asia, Central Asia and China, meet.
The names found in ancient sources for Swat
are Udyana and Suvastu because of the scenic beauty of the valley and
the name of the river respectively.The historical and cultural remains
of the area provide evidence about human activities covering a large
span of time.
Alexander the Great came here in 327 BC en
route India and conquered Bazira and Ora. At his departure the
inhabitants of the area threw off Greek yoke, and enjoyed either
independent or semi-independent status subsequently. In the meantime
Buddhism penetrated here and Swat became center of Buddhist/Gandhara
civilization. The Turki Shahis incorporated Swat in their kingdom but at
the decline of their power it remained exposed to Hindu Shahis’
influence.
In early tenth century CE/AD, the Muslims
occupied Swat. Consequently, Afghans from different tribes, commonly
called Swati Pukhtun, came and settled here. They remained independent
of the neighboring powers.
The Yusufzais conquered Swat in the first
quarter of the sixteenth century and emerged and remained dominant
segment. Instead of forming a government they lived in the tribal
fashion, divided into two dalas (factions) headed by their own tribal
chiefs called Khans and Malaks. The Swat Yusufzai enjoyed freedom and
neither had paid taxes to Delhi or Kabul not yielded obedience to any
foreign law or administrative system. They fought Akbar's mighty arms
for years and incurred great losses over them.
Buddhist Shrines in Valley Swat
Swat
or Udyana as it is in the Sanskrit sources, is a valley in the
mountainous region to the north of the Peshawar Plain, at the foot of
the mountain range connecting the Hindu Kush with Karakorum; it includes
the main valley of the upper course of the River Swat, for a length of
about 200 Km from the source as far as the gullies through which the
river flows down to the plain, and the lateral valleys of its
tributaries. Research Papers
- Administrative System of the Princely State of Swat
Situated in the North-West Frontier Province of British India and later Pakistan, Swat State has the distinction of not being imposed by an imperial power or an individual but was founded in 1915 by jarga of a section of the right bank Swat Valley - MUGHULS AND SWAT
Swat lies in the strategic region at the juncture of the Indian subcontinent, China, and Central Asia. For most of its known history, Swat retained its separate entity - The Durand Line Agreement (1893): —Its Pros and Cons
The English came to India for trading purposes but with the passage of time they made their position strong enough to play a prominent role in the politics
Eco-Tourism
Swat,
is the only region upon which the Creator has been over gracious and
benevolent regarding natural beauty and serenity. This realm of beauty
and serenity is situated to the north of Pakistan in Hindukush mountain
range and has been the abode of several ancient cultures. Apart from its
historical significance, valley Swat is reputed all over the globe for
its fascinating landscapes, crystal clear water torrents, diverse flora
and fanna, hospitality, ancient relics and mesmerizing lakes which
attract innumerable number of diverse nature lovers from all over the
world.Art and Craft of Valley Swat
Swat
or Udyana as it is in the Sanskrit sources, is a valley in the
mountainous region to the north of the Peshawar Plain, at the foot of
the mountain range connecting the Hindu Kush with Karakorum; it includes
the main valley of the upper course of the River Swat, for a length of
about 200 Km from the source as far as the gullies through which the
river flows down to the plain, and the lateral valleys of its
tributaries. 
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