Things to do in Hazara
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Ashoka Rocks
On the north side of town is Mansehra's tourist attraction, three granite boulders on which 14 edicts were engraved by order of the Mauryan king Ashoka in the 3rd century BC. Appalled by the destruction wreaked by his military campaigns, Ashoka converted to Buddhism and tried to dictate a new morality based on piety, moderation, tolerance and respect for life. He was greatly revered, but his reforms (and his empire) didn't last much longer than he did.
The inscriptions have done better, but they too are fading away; despite the shelters, the ancient Karoshthi script is now almost impossible to see. The rocks uphill are better than the one below the road.
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Lake Saiful Mulk
At 3200m, surrounded by moody, snowy mountains, Lake Saiful Mulk (or Muluk) is said to be inhabited by fairies. Legend has it that in ancient times a mortal, Prince Saiful Mulk, fell in love with a fairy there and married her.
It's a hot two- to three-hour uphill walk from Naran to the lake; the path starts just above the bazaar. Alternatively, you can hire a jeep for Rs700 from Naran, which can take up to six passengers. The driver will stay at the lake for about an hour, allowing you to go for a horse ride before returning.
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Sikh Fort
Up a laneway 300m past the library is a fort, built in the early 19th century by Sikh governor general Man Singh (after whom Mansehra is named), and rebuilt by the British after the Second Sikh War and the annexation of the Sikh state. It now houses a police office and a jail. Very few traces of the original mud-and-rock structure can be seen inside.
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Shimla Peak
The hills cradling Abbottabad are Shimla Peak to the northwest and Sarban Peak to the south. Shimla's cool, pine-clad summit is woven with trails and features fine panoramas of the town and its surroundings. You can walk up (three steep kilometres) or take a passenger Suzuki from upper Pine View Rd; ask for Shimla pahari (pa-ree).
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Cable Cars
Across the Nandihar River, about 12km north of the bazaar on the KKH, watch for the Cable Cars (some of them just rickety seats suspended from a single cable) that connect villages on the west side of the river to the KKH. For a cheap (make an offer) thrill, try one yourself.
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Ilyasi Mosque
This striking mosque, which includes a complex of spring-fed bathhouses and pools, is 5km east on the Murree road, near Nawan Sheher village. A small bazaar nearby has basic teashops. Catch a Suzuki (Rs10 to Rs20) to Nawan Sheher from the Suzuki stand on Id Gah Rd.
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New Friends Cafe
This busy curry and chapati eatery has a small selection of mutton and chicken dishes, such as the ubiquitous mutton karai (mutton braised with vegetables and served bubbling in its own pan. Vegetarians will hopefully find dhal but not much else.
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Mansehra Municipal Library
Up Kashmir Rd is the three-storey Gurdwara Siri Guru Singh Saba, a pastiche of colours and styles. Built in 1937 as a gurdwara, it's now the Mansehra Municipal Library. The ornate interior hasn't been altered much.
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Mona Lisa Restaurant
Adjacent to the PTDC in the Cantonment, this bright roadside eatery boasts a huge menu of Pakistani, Chinese and Continental mains plus snacks and barbecue fare. But first ask what is available and fresh.
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Buddhist Ruins
Archaeological researchers say there are Buddhist Ruins near Pishora village, 8km north of Batagram, though you would need good local help to find them.
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Thai Hotel & Food Mella
The bright Thai Hotel & Food Mella restaurant features a Thai Airways colour scheme but no Thai dishes - just Pakistani curries.
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Kashmir Bazaar
Shinkiari and Kashmir Rds curve round a hill, with Kashmir Bazaar sprawled across the top, its narrow lanes in semipermanent shadow.
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Gurdwara
In Gurdwara Bazaar, beneath the arch, is a former Gurdwara built in 1943, abandoned at Partition and now used as municipal offices.
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Bazaar
A congested quarter of crumbling colonial architecture, full of noise and traffic and the smells of cooking oil and barbecued meat.
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St Luke's Church
St Luke's Church, near the PTDC, is as old as the town. A melancholy Christian cemetery can be found 500m up Circular Rd.
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Fisheries Office
Fishing licences are available at the Fisheries Office, and tackle can be hired from shops in the bazaar.
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Nadia
The upmarket Nadia has an extensive Chinese, Continental and Pakistani menu.
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Neelam Bazaar
Across the bridge along Jaffar Rd is the smaller, older Neelam Bazaar .
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New Kaghan Café
This inexpensive restaurant is the best option close to the bazaar. Recommended dishes are the chicken qormaa (yogurt-based curry), mutton palak (spinach mutton), chicken tikka and fragrant chicken biryani.
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