Afghanistan

by Omrani, Bijan

• ISBN13: 9789622177468
• ISBN10: 9622177468
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-06-30
• Publisher: Odyssey Books & Maps

Summary

Thanks to 20 years of civil war and its association with terrorism, Afghanistan is often unjustly thought of in the West as a barbarous backwater. This guide dispels that image in a comprehensive introduction to 3,500 years of Afghan culture. Starting with a full history of the country from 1500 BC, each chapter looks at the major cities and regions, describing their distinctive cultural and ethnic traditions, and their associations with poets, artists, musicians, travelers, and holy men, as well as warriors and conquerors. Ancient and modern sources from Afghanistan are extensively quoted, as well as the thoughts, musings, and experiences of writers from America, Europe, Russia, China, India, and the Middle East. Wonderfully illustrated, this book also features engravings, paintings, and images of priceless museum artifacts. A number of specialist essays by leading experts present topics such as archeology, architecture, carpets, flora and fauna, miniature painting, and music. This new edition contains the latest travel updates from the ground, a new special topic on Kabul's Bala Hissar--one of the world's greatest but least well-known Mughal forts--and a new essay on Afghanistan's search for unity, providing the full historical background for the political struggle which Afghanistan is now facing. 307 color photos, 19 maps & plans.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION by Elizabeth Chatwin	12	(7)
EDITOR'S NOTE	19	(1)
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS	20	(514)
1. A BRIEF HISTORY OF AFGHANISTAN: FROM 1500 BC TO THE PRESENT DAY	30	(64)
TIMELINE	36	(56)
CHRONOLOGY OF 20TH CENTURY AFGHAN HISTORY	92	(2)
2. TRAVEL OVERVIEW: GENERAL ADVICE FOR TRAVELLERS	94	(23)
3. A JOURNEY TO THE SOURCE OF THE OXUS: BADAKHSHAN, THE WAKHAN AND THE GREAT PAMIR	117	(68)
Marco Polo, Hsuen-Tsang, the love story of Farhad and Shirin, accounts of the Badakhshi and Wakhani Ismailis by Wood and Olufsen; the poetry of Nasir Khusraw, Ismaili mystic and exile; remains of Zoroastrianism under Islam; mining for lapis lazuli and rubies, and the golden fleece; the Kirghiz nomads; Lake Zorkul and the question of the source of the Oxus.
BADAKHSHAN AND THE WAKHAN AREA GUIDE	154	(31)
4. A SHORT WALK IN THE HINDU KUSH: BAGRAM AND THE PANJSHIR VALLEY	185	(49)
Alexander the Great founds Bagram and marches through Panjshir, finding the rock of Prometheus; the Greek Philosopher Apollonius of Tyana walks over the mountains to India; the Afghan legend of Bagram, and other folk tales; silver mining and emerald hunting; the paradise of the Panjshir-Rosanne Klass; Newby's meeting with Thesiger; Mujahedin a Russian soldier's account; the life and death of Ahmed Shah Massoud, Lion of the Panjshir.
PANJSHIR VALLEY AREA GUIDE	222	(12)
5. BALKH: CITY OF THE HIGH-LIFTED BANNERS	234	(71)
The legendary invasion by Ninus, King of Babylon, and Queen Semiramis; Zoroaster, King Goshtasp and the Gathas; Firdousi and the Shahnameh-Sohrab and Rustam; the adventures of Alexander and the marriage of Roxane; the Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom and the site of Ai Khanoum; Buddhist foundations under the Kushan Empire; The Poetess Rabi'a Qozdari; Visits of the travellers, Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo; the Uzbeks and Buzkashi; the modern remains-Robert Byron.
BALKH AREA GUIDE	273	(32)
6. HERAT: THE PEARL OF KHURASAN	305	(73)
Foundation legends from Harawi's History; Alexander passing through Herat (Alexandria Ariana); story of the Mosque and the Fire Temple under the Tahirids; the love of Nasr ibn Ahmad for Herat; geographers' accounts-Ibn Hawqal and Yaqut al-Hamawi; Ansari's poetry and Gazargah accounts and inscriptions, Bruce Chatwin; the disaster of Genghis Khan-history of the sieges by Khwandamir; the Timurid renaissance-architecture, the Musalla of Gawhar Shad, poetry of Arifi of Herat, Jami's Lawa'ih, writings and apologia of Sultan Husayn Bayqara, the visit of Babur and the wine party; Herat in the 19th century Charles Masson; the Persian Siege of 1838 and the hero, Lt Pottinger; Christina Lamb describes women's education under the Taliban.
HERAT AREA GUIDE	347	(31)
7. BAMIYAN AND TH E HAZARAJAT	378	(59)
Accounts of early Buddhist travellers, the Great Buddhas and the Silk Route; the Islamic conquest; the devastation by Genghis Khan and the legend of Shahr-i-Gholghola; geology and folk stories of Mir Ali the Dragon of the Red Valley; the Hazaras, accounts and folk poetry.
BAMIYAN AREA GUIDE	411	(26)
8. GHAZNI AND MAHMUD THE GREAT	437	(46)
First mentions of Ghazni in late Greek epics; Chinese travellers; accounts from Ferishta and Juzjani of Subuktigin and Sultan Mahmud's Ghaznavid Empire; Patronage of Firdousi and his satire of Mahmud; Ghaznavid architecture; the poetry of Sana'i; Towers of Victory; Babur's visit; the karaiz underground canals; the British siege in the First Afghan War and the visit of its army of retribution story of the Gates of Somnath.
GHAZNIAREA OVERVIEW	470	(13)
9. KANDAHARAND THE PUSHTUNS	483	(51)
Legends of Alexander; Buddhist inscriptions and Asoka; mythical history of the Pushtunsthe lost tribe of Israel; the Durrani and Ghilzai tribes, nomads and farmers; the hill tribes, and a war dance; Pushtunwali, honour code; monuments of Babur; Khushal Khan Khattak, warrior-poet; the new city of Kandahar; Ahmad Shah Durrani, king and mystic poet; the simoom wind; a traveller debates government with the governor; General Roberts and the 1880 march from Kabul; pastimes of the Kandaharis.
KANDAHARAREA OVERVIEW	522	(12)
10. NURISTAN: THE COUNTRY OF LIGHT	534	(36)
Alexander discovers the lost Greeks, worshippers of Dionysus; pagan (Kafir) remnants in an Islamic world; attacks by Timur; Kafir folk tales and religious myths, songs, sacrifices and customs; priests and mediums; a native missionary-slaughter of the Muslims; final conquest of the Kafirs and conversion to Islam a view from Kabul.
NURISTANAREA OVERVIEW	563	(7)
11. KABUL: LIGHT GARDEN OF THE ANGEL KING	570	(54)
Early legends of Kabul; the Kharabat quarter and the city walls; relics and memories of the Buddhist kingdom; Islamic conquest; Arab geographers' accounts; Babur's praise of the climate and fertility of the city and its environs; trips to pleasure gardens; religious tolerance of the Kabulis; everyday life in Kabul-the Kabul Bazaar; the hippie invasion; a mystic unfolds the history of Afghanistan to Lowell Thomas.
KABUL AREA GUIDE	601	(23)
12. KABUL AND THE FIRST AFGHAN WAR	624	(35)
Accounts of the lead characters, pastimes of the British in Kabul, the last stand and capture of Dost Mohammed; the retreat to Jalalabad, and Lady Sale's journal disastrous retreat of the British.
WILDLIFE OF AFGHANISTAN by Anthony Fitzherbert	659	(51)
NGOs IN AFGHANISTAN by Sandy Gall,C.B.E	710	(4)
DIRECTORY AND BIBLIOGRAPHY	714	(21)
GLOSSARY	735	(10)
INDEX	745