Chuha Gujar Bridge

Chuha Gujar Bridge چوہا گجر پل
Coordinates	33°59′46″N71°37′33″E / 33.99611°N 71.62583°E / 33.99611; 71.62583
Carries	Historic roadway (now chiefly pedestrian)
Crosses	Bara River
Locale	Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Begins	Chuha Gujar (south bank)
Ends	Bara Road (north bank)
Other name(s)	Bara Bridge, Speen Bridge, Sethian Bridge
Named for	Nearby village of Chuha Gujar
Owner	Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Heritage status	Provincial heritage site
Characteristics
Design	Arch bridge
Material	Brick
Total length	88 m (289 ft)
Width	10 m (33 ft)
Traversable?	yes
No. of spans	13 arches
Piers in water	26
History
Designer	Abdul Lateef Khan
Constructed by	Lashkar Khan (provincial governor)
Built	c. 1629
Location
Interactive map of Chuha Gujar Bridge

Chuha Gujar Bridge, also known as the Bara Bridge, Speen Bridge, and sometimes Sethian Bridge, is a historic bridge over Bara River located southeast of Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It lies approximately 30 minutes from the city center and is flanked by ancient, deep-rooted Bodhi trees. It is the oldest surviving bridge in the province.

History

Scholarly opinion on the commissioning of the bridge is divided. Some sources attribute its construction to Sher Shah Suri of the Suri dynasty (r. 1540–1545). ^[1] However, archaeological evidence more strongly supports a Mughal origin. ^[1] A marble slab recovered during the excavation of a mosque in Qissakhwani Bazaar bears Persian inscriptions naming the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1627–1658), the provincial governor Lashkar Khan, and the project’s engineer, Abdul Lateef Khan, which suggests that the bridge was constructed in 1629. ^{[1] [2]}

The bridge is also referred to as the Sethian Bridge, a name derived from oral traditions that attribute its construction to Haji Karim Bakhsh Sethi, a merchant of the Mughal period. ^[1]

Architecture

The bridge was constructed in the Mughal architectural tradition using small, traditional Waziri red bricks. ^[1] It rests on 26 pillars of varying dimensions, incorporating twelve spillways designed to regulate water flow during periods of high discharge. ^{[1] [2]} Above these spillways are thirteen arched supports, each crowned with a decorative dome. ^[2] The bridge measures approximately 290 feet (88 meters) in length and 33 feet (10 meters) in width. ^[1]

References

1. Shinwari, Sher Alam (January 23, 2019). "Mughal-era bridge still stands intact with past glory". Dawn.
2. "Heritage site: Mughal bridge still stands tall over Bara River". The Express Tribune. November 29, 2013.