The city of Peshawar does not
appear in the early literary accounts. However, as Pushkalavati
is rich in the Hindu traditions, Peshawar draws its inspiration from the
Persians as if it is the latter city which inherited the great
traditions of Achaemenians, the Sassanians and the later
Persian tradition and culture in this region has been persistent and
that alone is responsible for the origin of the story that the city was
founded by a Persian ruler.
Gopal Das records that the founder is
said to be Hoshang, the grandson of Kaimers of Shahnama
fame. And this tradition suggests the correct restoration of the
name to Parashpur (i.e., the city of the Persians) rather than to the
pedantic Sanskrit Purushapura.
Another tradition recorded by Hamadullah
Mustawfi, the author of Nuzhatul Qulub (composed in 740 H./A.D. 1340),
also gives credit to the Sassanian emperor: "Shahpur, son of Ardeshir,
reconstructed the city and called it Bashapur after his own name.
Indeed it was originally Shahpur but in course of time it became Bashapur
(Peshawar).
