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Abstract
The Durrani tribe has ruled Afghanistan and the adjacent areas, now part of Pakistan, since 1747 except for the turbulent period after 1979. During the said long period the Durranis have left a deep imprint on the culture, art and architecture of not only Afghanistan but also the areas centered in Peshawar. Thus the dunasty's history, art and architecture have been the topic of study of many scholars.
So far hardly any comprehensive study of the Durrani monuments has been done, what we find in this regard is in bits and pieces. Through this piece of research an attempt has been made to project new study on the Durrani monuments in a compact form in archaeological and historical context
Introduction
The rule of Durranis in the present Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) had begun in 1747 and remained till the end when eventually it was taken over by the Sikhs in 1818. Although it militarily came under the control of the Sikhs but politically it remained in the hands of the Barakzai Sardars who were very close kiths and kin of Durranis and basically belonged to the same large tribal configuration.
After capturing the main land of Afghanistan, KPK was one the most initial possessions of the Durrani Empire. It remained not only an integral part of the Durrani Empire but also enjoyed central position from political, economic and strategic perspectives, to an extent that KPK's main city, Peshawar used to be the winter capital of the Durrani rulers from the times of Taimur Shah (2nd Durrani ruler) till the last ruler Shah Mahmood.
During their rule the Durrani rulers preferred to reside in Balahisar at Peshawar. To ensure better security to the royal family they constructed their palaces within the compound of the Balahisar. After the Durrani kings, Balahisar was occupied by the Sikh military commanders who destroyed the Durrani monuments. At present Balahisar is occupied by the Frontier Constabulary and it is next to impossible to visit and identify the basic remains of the residential quarters of the royal family.
As the Durranis were defeated by the Sikhs and they established their sway over KPK by destruction and massacre so there is a great likelihood that many monumental contributions of the Durranis...