Swat is a one of the beautiful valley in Pakistan located 170 kilometer from Islamabad.Saidu Sharif,is the captial of Swat,but the main town in the Swat valley is Mingora.Various religions have flourished here including the cradle of many Buddhist part of Gandhara. The imprints of their culture can be easily seen in archaeological sites.Buddhism, spread to other parts of Asia from here.
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.
This great progress became possible due to personal dedication of King Ashoka to Buddhism. During his reign, Buddhism spread to Japan, Tibet, China and Bhutan.Swat was a princely state in the North West Frontier Province until it was dissolved in 1969. It’s natural beauty of high mountains, green meadows and clear lakes has earned Swat a reputation as “the Switzerland of Pakistan.”
