Mardan, Pakistan
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Mardan مردان |
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Guides Memorial, Mardan
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 Mardan
Mardan
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| Coordinates: 34°12′N 72°03′E / 34.200°N 72.050°E | |
| Country |
Pakistan 
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| Province | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| District | Mardan division |
| Tehsil | Mardan |
| Government | |
| • Commissioner | Kifaiat Ullah Khan. |
| • Deputy Inspector General Police | Aalam Shinwari |
| Area | |
| • Total | 632 km2 (244 sq mi) |
| Population (1998) | |
| • Total | 245,926 |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
| Calling code | +92 937 |
| Website | MardanJALALA |
Mardan (Urdu and Pashto: مردان) is a city and the headquarters of Mardan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. The name Mardan was given to a small area after the name of Pir Mardan Shah, a prominent religious figure. Gradually, a large surrounding area came to be known as Mardan. The area constituting Mardan district is a part of the Peshawar valley, which first appeared in history as a part of the Gandhara Kingdom. Until 1937, Mardan district was a part of Peshawar district. In 1937, Mardan was set up as an independent district after the name of its headquarters town. Mardan is the 19th largest city of Pakistan. It is the de facto headquarters of the Yousafzai tribe, although a significant number of Momands have settled there over the past years. It is the second most populous city in the province, located in the south west of the district at 34°12'0N 72°1'60E and an altitude of 283 metres (928 ft).
The villages are divided into Kandis (congested houses). Each kandi is further divided into sub-sections. The divisions of Kandis are on the pattern of agricultural lands. Their houses generally consist of two or three rooms and a court-yard known locally as ghollai and varandah. The cattle and poultry are also accommodated beside the shelter for family.
Each Kandi of the village has its own mosque and its own Maulvi and a place of meeting or for public assembly called Hujra. In most cases it is the property of elders of the Kandi; who are expected to feed and give shelter to visitors/travelers. Nowadays, the people in service abroad have accumulated sufficient wealth which brought a distinct change in the life of the villagers who construct pacca houses of cement, bricks and timber.
A Tandoor (Oven) is also found for baking bread in many houses and sometimes women of three or four houses use one tandoor for baking bread turn by turn. The houses have huge compound walls along with gates. Chairs and tables are used in the houses of well-to-do people whereas others use the ordinary cot (Charpoy).
The city of Mardan is featured in the novel The Far Pavilions by M. M. Kaye.
Coordinates: 34°15′N 72°15′E / 34.25°N 72.25°E
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Wikipedia