Afghanistan: The Heart Of Asia

1) Afghanistan

1. Official name: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
2. Capital: Kābul
3. Total Area: 652,225 km²
4. Approximate population: 27,145,000
5. Location: Central Asia
6. Languages: Dari, Pushtu, Uzbek, Turkmen
7. Religions: Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim
8. Currency: Afghani
9. Organizations: United Nations
10. World's 41^st largest country/territory (area)

In keeping with my earlier post about talking about all the countries i decided the best way to cover all of them without missing any would be to categorize them alphabetically.....hence i present to you my first country on the "road less travelled" section: Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in the heart of Asia and has been the centre of many powerful regimes with a vivd history to its credit. It has however spent its last few decades in international limelight for all the wrong reasons. Having said this it is not advisable to travel there any time soon but for the more intrepid traveller it has much to offer.

Let us begin at the capital city of  Kabul. I personally am not that interested in history but in this case i will say that it has been mentioned in the hindu rigveda text as a "vision of paradise set in the mountains" and true to that it is a sight to behold (mainly from pictures from the internet). It used to boast of beautiful gardens,pristine lakes and architectural magnificence as seen in it's palaces. However due to years of war and instability it is now but a shadow of it's former self.

Bagh-e-Babur

The garden in question is the Bagh-e-Babur or the gardens of Babur,the first Mughal Emperor. His wish was to be buried here but after his death he was buried in Agra,India before later being moved to his tomb in these gardens. It still is remarkably well kept and is a popular destination for locals for picnics and lazy afternoons. However another popular picnic spot is the Bagh-e Bala which was once an emir's summer palace, the area around which has been converted into a large park.

Bala Hissar Fort

Located to the south of Kabul at the end of a mountain,the Bala Hissar Fort was an ancient citadel and home of many of afghanistan's kings.However this place is off limits owing to unexploded bombs and landmines. Of course there are rumors of it's beauty during spring giving it a nickname: the "Emerald Hill".

Darul Amman palace

The Darul Amman Palace was by King Amanullah Khan as part of an endeavor to modernise afghanistan. However years of neglect,fires and bombings have left it in ruins.Visitors can still enter as long as they are willing to bribe the guards. Nearby places of interest include the Tajbeg palace,the residential home of the king and his wife,the Green Palace (aslo in ruins) and the Daoud Khan memorial, at the site where President Daoud's body was found along with his relatives in mass graves after his assassination.

Lake Qargha

There is not much to say about Lake Qargha except that it is a beautiful reservoir and is home to boating and swimming. However plans to organise more water sports are underway. 

The Panjishir valley is possibly the most beautiful valley in Afghanistan though it is now adorned with armored tanks that have been destroyed.It is located near the Hindukush range and is home to the ethnic Tajiks.It was once a popular tourist destination but later became a symbol of resistance to the soviets. The tomb of the leader, Ahmad Shah Massoud is nearby and is a must see for any visitor.

Tomb of Bala Hissar

Next we come to the city of Balkh. Here the most noted monument is the Tomb of Bala Hissar or the Khoja Abu Nasar Parsa dargah, adjacent to which is the tomb of the famous Persian poet Rabia Balkhi. the story goes that her brother sealed her in a basement for having an affair and that she wrote her most famous poem on the wall in her own blood as she died. Also a must visit is the Haji Piyada mosque which is on a watch list of the 100 Most Endangered Sites in the world!

Bamiyan Buddha

For a country that is an Islamic republic, it is interesting to find hints of periods where no one religion dominated....this can be seen at the famous place called Bamiyan where one can or rather could see a 55 metre tall buddha statue. Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world used to flock here to stay in its many caves and admire it's spectacular and sacred sites. However this was all before the many wars that plagued the area.....and finally the taliban destroyed up the statue with dynamite,making it lose it's status as the largest statue in the world. It also is one of the more picturesque regions of the country.

Shrine of Hazrat Ali

The impressive blue tiled mosque seen here is in the Mazar-e Sharif, the capital of the Balkh province. It is also known as the shrine of Hazrat Ali, who was the son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammad and is one of the 4 caliphs of Islam. Also nearby are said to be ancient Greek ruins but not much has been said about that.

Band-e Amir

Of course one cannot leave this place without a visit to the beautiful Band-e Amir, a chain of 6 natural lakes separated but natural calcium carbonate dams and is on the UNESCO's world heritage list and is Afghanistan's most scenic destination.

There are obviously more places to see especially for visitors wanting a more picturesque vacation....two such places are the Shamali Plain and the Salang Pass  .

Shamali Plain

Salang Pass

For a country riddled with problems and instability there is still a part of it that calls out to the world, albeit in a bleak voice. Any chance for reform has been set back hundreds of years by wrong interpretations of holy scripts and years of wars that could have been spent on preserving heritage and uplifting standards. If however an opportunity arises for me to visit, I would do so in a heartbeat. A country as beautiful as this has the potential to become a calming voice in an otherwise obstreperous political agenda.

Being one of the world's most dangerous countries at the moment, due to taliban led insurgencies,  a country that was once proud to display it's beauty has been reduced to a cowering lady,hidden behind a veil that,denied face and form by age-old custom.