{{Short description|Village in District Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan}} {{Multiple issues| {{Over-quotation|date=April 2025}} {{AI-generated|date=September 2025}} }} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Use Pakistani English|date=July 2017}} {{Infobox settlement |name = Hund |native_name = {{Nastaliq|ہنڈ}} ([[Urdu]])<br /> {{lang|ps|هنډ}} ([[Pashto]]) |native_name_lang = |settlement_type = Village |image_skyline = The Great Alexander's Memorial.jpg |imagesize = 250px |image_alt = Symbol of Hund Village |image_caption = The [[Alexander the Great]] Memorial |image_flag = |flag_alt = |image_seal = |seal_alt = |image_shield = |shield_alt = |etymology = Possibly from Sanskrit "Udabhandapura" meaning "city of water pots" or "high village" |nickname = (Swabi Ka Paris – صوابی کا پیرس)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hund, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Facebook Group |url=https://www.facebook.com/groups/1855890537920559 |website=Facebook |access-date=2025-03-18}}</ref> |motto = |image_map = |map_alt = |map_caption = |pushpin_map = Pakistan |pushpin_map_alt = Location of Hund in Pakistan |pushpin_map_caption = Location of Hund in Pakistan |pushpin_mapsize = 300 |pushpin_label_position = right |mapframe = Yes |coordinates = {{coord|34.0173521|N|72.4312554|E|display=inline,title|region:PK_type:city_source:GNS-enwiki}} |coor_pinpoint = Right bank of the Indus River |coordinates_footnotes = |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = {{flag|Pakistan}} |subdivision_type1 = Province |subdivision_name1 = [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] |subdivision_type2 = District |subdivision_name2 = [[Swabi District]] |subdivision_type3 = Tehsil |subdivision_name3 = [[Lahor Tehsil]] |established_title = Established |established_date = Ancient (pre-4th century BC) |established_title1 = Historical Significance |established_date1 = Capital of Turk Shahi and Hindu Shahi dynasties |founder = Unknown (ancient origins) |seat_type = |seat = | parts_type = [[Union councils of Pakistan|Union council]] | parts = Khunda |government_footnotes = |government_type = Local government |governing_body = Swabi District Administration |leader_party = |leader_title = [[Nazim]] |leader_name = Israr Khan<ref>{{Cite web |title=Delimitation of Constituencies 2022 |url=https://ecp.gov.pk/storage/uploads/67866.pdf |website=Election Commission of Pakistan |access-date=2025-03-18}}</ref> |leader_title1 = |leader_name1 = |leader_title2 = |leader_name2 = |leader_title3 = |leader_name3 = |leader_title4 = |leader_name4 = |unit_pref = Metric |area_footnotes = <ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics – Hund Swabi Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/table_31_kp_districts.pdf |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=[[Pakistan Bureau of Statistics]]}}</ref> |area_urban_footnotes = <!-- <ref> </ref> --> |area_rural_footnotes = <!-- <ref> </ref> --> |area_metro_footnotes = <!-- <ref> </ref> --> |area_note = Total area includes agricultural and residential land |area_water_percent = |area_rank = |area_blank1_title = |area_blank1 = <!-- square kilometers --> |area_total_km2 = 28.09 |area_land_km2 = |area_water_km2 = |area_urban_km2 = |area_rural_km2 = |area_metro_km2 = |area_blank1_km2 = |area_blank2_km2 = <!-- hectares --> |area_total_ha = 2809 |area_land_ha = |area_water_ha = |area_urban_ha = |area_rural_ha = |area_metro_ha = |area_blank1_ha = |area_blank2_ha = |length_km = |width_km = |dimensions_footnotes = |elevation_footnotes = |elevation_m = 340 |population_footnotes = <ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics – Hund Swabi Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/table_31_kp_districts.pdf |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=[[Pakistan Bureau of Statistics]]}}</ref> |population_as_of = [[2023 Census of Pakistan|2023 census]] |population_total = 13,897 |population_density_km2 = auto |population_note = Pathan population |population_demonym = Hundian |timezone1 = PST |utc_offset1 = +5 |timezone1_DST = |utc_offset1_DST = |postal_code_type = Postal code |postal_code = 23560 |area_code_type = Calling code |area_code = |area_codes = <!-- for multiple area codes --> |iso_code = | blank_name_sec1 = Languages | blank_info_sec1 = [[Pashto]], [[Hindko]], | blank_name_sec2 = Historical rulers | blank_info_sec2 = * [[Achaemenid Empire]] (6th–4th century BC) * [[Alexander the Great]] (327–323 BC) * [[Maurya Empire]] (321–185 BC) * [[Greco-Bactrian Kingdom]] & [[Indo-Greek Kingdom]] (185 BC–c. 50 AD) * [[Kushan Empire]] (1st–3rd century AD) * [[Kidarites]] (4th century AD) * [[Hephthalites]] (5th–6th century AD) * [[Turk Shahi]] Dynasty (7th–9th century AD) * [[Hindu Shahi]] Dynasty (9th–11th century AD) * [[Ghaznavid Empire]] (11th–12th century AD) * [[Ghurid dynasty]] (12th century) * [[Delhi Sultanate]] (1206–1526 AD) * [[Mughal Empire]] (1526–18th century AD) * [[Sikh Empire]] (1818–1849 AD) * [[British Raj]] (1849–1947) * [[Pakistan]] (1947–present)
|website = |module = |footnotes = Hund is home to the [[Hund Museum]], preserving artifacts from Gandhara and Hindu Shahi periods. }}
'''Hund''' ({{Langx|ps|هنډ}}), known in antiquity as '''Udabhandapura''',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/excavation-sought-in-pak-s-hund-capital-of-hindu-shahi-dynasty-116032700218_1.html|date=March 27, 2016|title=Excavation sought in Pak's Hund, capital of Hindu Shahi dynasty|publisher=[[Business Standard]]}}</ref> is a small [[village]] in [[Swabi district]], situated on the right bank of the [[Indus River]] in the [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] province of [[Pakistan]]. It is about 15 km upstream of [[Attock Fort]] and is located 80 km to the east of [[Peshawar]].
It was the site of [[Alexander the Great]]'s crossing of the Indus in 327 BC, and an important site of [[Gandhara]] ruins.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 December 2020 |title=KP govt to promote heritage, archeology tourism |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/755235-kp-govt-to-promote-heritage-archeology-tourism |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=[[The News International]] |language=en}}</ref> It is also the site of [[Hund Museum]].
== History == It was [[Turk Shahi]] capital of Gandhara, which possibly functioned as a winter capital alternating with the summer capital of [[Kabul]], within their kingdom of [[Kingdom of Kapisa|Kapisa]]-[[Gandhara]] in the 7-9th century AD.<ref name="UBA">"The capital of the state of Kapisa–Gandhara (possibly, its winter capital) was Udabhandapura, now the settlement of Hund, situated on the right bank of the Kabul river. Most of the city was surrounded by a defensive rampart." in {{cite book |last1=Harmatta |first1=J. |last2=Litvinsky |first2=B. A.|title=History of Civilizations of Central Asia: Tokharistan and Gandhara under Western Türk Rule (650-750)|year=1992 |publisher=Unesco |isbn=978-92-3-103211-0 |page=391 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mwigmxoCLT8C&pg=PA391 |language=en}}</ref>
Hund was also the last capital of Gandhara, following [[Charsadda]] (then [[Pushkalavati]]) and [[Peshawar]] (then known as [[Peshawar|Purushapura]]), under the [[Hindu Shahis|Hindu Shahi]] rulers until the beginning of 11th century AD, when [[Mahmud of Ghazni]] defeated [[Anandapala]], the last Hindu Shahi ruler in [[Gandhara]]. The Hindu Shahi capital was then shifted to [[Nandana]] in the [[Salt Range]], [[Punjab]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 January 2009 |title=Cafeteria, rest house inaugurated at Hund Museum |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/154619-WB-IMF-meetings-from-October-7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106104437/https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/154619-WB-IMF-meetings-from-October-7 |archive-date=6 January 2019 |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=[[The News International]]}}</ref> It has also been said that the Mongol invader [[Genghis Khan]] also followed Khwarezm Shah up to Hund, before the prince jumped into the Indus River on his way to India.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Ali |first=Manzoor |date=2012-01-01 |title=Lost glory: In Hund, retracing the steps of history |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/314669/lost-glory-in-hund-retracing-the-steps-of-history |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}</ref>
== Geography == The village Hund is surrounded by a fort, remains of which are still visible. There were four gates of the walled city which are visible till to date and were used as entry and exit points. It is said that of the walled city a deep trench was also dug to control un authorized entry. The trench was crossed by a movable wooden bridge which used to be lifted at night by the guards of the gates and Garrison closed at night. According to some historians there was a tunnel inside the walled city which connected Hund Garrison with Attock Fort so that both Garrisons can reinforce each other in case of attack and used the tunnel as a withdrawal route in case a Garrison fell into enemy hands.
Old relics and remains of ancient civilizations have been found in the village after excavation work was undertaken by the government in recent past. The history and past glory of the Hund has been preserved by the govt by constructing a museum in the village on the bank of river Indus. A replica of tower of Olympia has also been constructed watching the mighty Indus in the memory of Alexander the Great who crossed river Indus and stayed in Hund during his last military campaign of the Indian subcontinent.
== Settlements == Before the [[partition of India]], the village had a mixture of Hindu and Muslim population. Remains of Hindu worship places and their residences were visible till near the past, however some are now nearly non-existent after increase in population. After the partition, most of the non-Muslims left for India. Soon the village was mainly inhibited by Pathans who later on invited artisans from other clans and casts to settle down in the village so as to make it an independent entity. The settlements of Balar Khel are mainly in villages [[Zaida, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Zaida]], [[Maini]], Yaqubi, [[Yar Hussain]], Hund, [[Ambar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Ambar]], [[Lahor]], [[Kaddi]] and [[Panj Pir]] in [[Swabi District]] of [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] in [[Pakistan]]. Hund also had the unique honour to be the capital of a Hindu Maharaja and a military garrison of [[Akbar]]. According to historians, Hund is [[List of oldest continuously inhabited cities|one the oldest surviving cities in the world]].
== Gallery == <gallery widths="200px" heights="200px" perrow="4"> File:Museo d'Arte Orientale, Torino 05.jpg|Buddhist Devata statue from Hund, 6-7th century AD. [[Museum of Oriental Art (Turin)]] File:Pakistan, hund, devata maschile, vi-vii sec.JPG|Buddhist Devata, 6-7th century AD, Hund. [[Museum of Oriental Art (Turin)]] File:Hund_Museum.JPG|[[Hund Museum]] </gallery>
==See also== *[[Hund Museum]] *[[Takht Bhai]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
[[Category:Populated places in Swabi District]] [[Category:Archaeological sites in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] [[Category:Kabul Shahi]] [[Category:History of Buddhism in Pakistan]] [[Category:Populated places along the Silk Road]] [[Category:Gandhara]] [[Category:Swabi District]]