Pushkalavati (in and near modern-day
Charsadda) is an ancient site situated in
Peshawar valley in the
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (formerly NWFP) of
Pakistan. It is located on the banks of
Swat River, near its junction with
Kabul River. Pushkalavati meaning
Lotus City was the capital of ancient kingdom
Gandhara from the 6th century BC, when it became an
Achaemenid local capital, to 2nd century AD. According to
Ramayana, it was named Pushkalavati because it was founded by Pushkala, the son of
Bharat (and hence nephew of
Rama, the hero of Ramayana).
