Kandahar
Kandahar, Afghanistan | |
|---|---|
 View of Arghandab Valley | |
| Country | Afghanistan |
| Province | Kandahar |
| Population (2002) | |
| • Total | 316,000 |
| Time zone | GMT+04:30 Kabul |
- For the film Kandahar, see Kandahar (film)
Kandahar or Qandahar (Pashto, Persian: قندهار) is the second largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of 316,000 people (2002 official estimates). It is the capital of Kandahar province on the Arghandab River, approximately 3,297 feet (1,005 meters) above sea level. It is linked by highways with Herat to the west, Ghazni and Kabul to the east, Tarin Kowt to the north, and Quetta in Pakistan to the south.
Kandahar is a major trading center for sheep, wool, cotton, silk, felt, food grains, fresh and dried fruit, and tobacco. The region produces fine fruits, especially pomegranates and grapes, and the city has plants for canning, drying, and packing fruit. Kandahar has an international airport and extensive road links. Together with Peshawar in Pakistan, Kandahar is the main city of ethnic Pashtuns.
Alexander the Great founded Kandahar in the 4th century BC and named it Alexandria.[1] Many empires long fought over the city, due to its strategical location along the trade routes of Southern and Central Asia. In 1748, Ahmad Shah Durrani, the founder of the Afghan Empire, made Kandahar the capital of Afghanistan.[2][3]
Name
 | This section's factual accuracy is disputed. |
There is speculation about the origin of the name "Kandahar". It is believed that Kandahar bears Alexander's name from the Arabic and Persian rendering of "Alexander", which derives from Iskandariya for Alexandria).[1]
Many people from India[citation needed] believe the name "Kandahar" might derive from Gandhara, a nearby kingdom along the Kashmir and Afghanistan border or even Gandar[citation needed] the seventh satrapy of the Persian Achaemnid Empire. A temple to the deified Alexander as well as an inscription in Greek and Aramaic by the emperor Ashoka, who lived a few decades later, have been discovered in the old citadel (see image below in the history section).
History
| This section's factual accuracy is disputed. |
Kandahar is one of the oldest cities that the world has known. Early peasant farming villages came into existence in ancient Afghanistan 7,000 years ago. The Morasi Ghundai, the first prehistoric site to be excavated in Afghanistan, lies 17 miles southwest of Kandahar.[4]
Kandahar was founded in 330 BC by Alexander the Great, near the site of the ancient city of Mundigak (established around 3000 BC). It was part of a territory that was called Arachosia, named by the Greeks and was ruled by the Achaemenid Empire. The main inhabitants of Arachosia were the Pactyans, an ancient Iranian tribe. They were probably the ancestors of today's Pashtuns. Kandahar was named Alexandria or Alexandropolis, after its founder, Alexander.
The city has been a frequent target for conquest because of its strategic location in Southern Asia, controlling the main trade route linking the Indian subcontinent with the Middle East, Central Asia and the Persian Gulf. It became part of the Mauryan Empire after the departure of Alexander. The Indian emperor Ashoka erected a pillar there with a bilingual inscription in Greek and Aramaic.
In 674 AD, the Muslim armies reached western Afghanistan, conquering Kandahar by 750 AD. However, between then and 809 AD, the Abbasids (second phase of Muslim Arab conquerors) attempted to conquer Kandahar on several occasions but were defeated by the local Afghans.[5] During the 9th century, after loya jirgas (peaceful meetings) were held [citation needed], the locals decided to make Islam their official religion, but retaining their language and culture.
Kandahar was invaded by the Ghaznavids in the 10th century and Genghis Khan in the 12th century, followed by Timur Lang in 1383.
Emperor Babur, the founder of Moghal Empire, annexed Kandahar in the 16th century. Babur's son, Humayun, lost Kandahar to the Shah of Persia (Iran). Humayun's son, Akbar, regained control of Kandahar but by the early 1700s subsequent Mughal emperors lost the territory to the Persian Safavids.
.jpg){kind=link}
Mirwais Khan Hotak, a local Afghan from the Ghilzai clan of the ethnic Pashtuns, was mayor of Kandahar city in 1709 when he killed Gurgin Khan, the Georgian governor that ruled in the name of the Persian Shah. Mirwais Khan succefully defeated the Persians, who were attempting to convert the local people from Sunni to Shia sect of Islam. As a result of several battles more than 30,000 Persian army soldiers and their top generals were killed by the local Afghans.[13] Mirwais Khan remained in power until his death in 1715 and was succeeded by his son Mir Mahmud Hotaki.[14]
In 1722, Mir Mahmud led an Afghan army to Isfahan (now in Iran), sacked the city and proclaimed himself King of Persia. Mahmud was eventually removed from power by a new ruler, Nader Shah, who conquered Kandahar in 1738 but was assassinated nine years later.[15]
Ahmad Shah Durrani, a Pashtun from the Abdali clan, gained control of Kandahar in 1747 and made it the capital of his new Afghan Empire. Previously, Ahmad Shah served as a top military commander and personal bodyguard of Nader Shah. His empire included present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, Khorasan and Kohistan provinces of Iran, along with Delhi in India. In October 1772, Ahmad Shah retired to his home in Maruf, Kandahar, where he died peacfully.[7] The (now) "Old City" was laid out by Ahmad Shah and is dominated by his mausoleum. In 1776, his son Timur Shah Durrani transferred the capital of Afghanistan from Kandahar to Kabul, and the Durrani legacy continued there.[8]
Kandahar was sometimes a center of jihad and mujahideen activities, but local Pashtun tribes tended to live by their pre-Islamic code of honor known as Pashtunwali. On 28th Muharram 1242 Hijri (September 2, 1826) Syed Ahmad Shaheed's forces reached Kandahar en route to Peshawar. Their purpose was to wage a jihad against the Sikh kingdom of Ranjit Singh and aid their fellow Pashtuns of Peshawar, and within a few days more than 400 Kandarians presented themselves for jihad, out of whom 270 were selected. Syed Deen Muhammad Kandarai was appointed their leader.
British-India occupied the city during the First Anglo-Afghan War (1839-42) and during the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-80) in which the British were forced to withdraw, despite winning a victory near the city (see Battle of Kandahar). Kandahar again became part of the modern state of Afghanistan nonetheless and remained peaceful for the next 100 years.
In the 1960s, Kandahar International Airport was built 10 miles (16 kilometers) south-east of the city. It was used by the Red Army during their ten years occupation of the country. As of 2001, the airport is used by the US and NATO forces as a military base.
During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan (1979-1989), Kandahar was under Soviet command and witnessed heavy fightings. Soviet troops surrounded the city, and subjected it to a savage artillery and air bombardment in which great number of innocent civilians lost their lives.[16] After the Soviet withdrawal, Kandahar slowly fell into the hands of a local Pashtun millitia leader (Gul Agha Sherzai).
In August 1994, the Taliban captured the city and set out to conquer the rest of the country. Since their removal in late 2001, smaller bands have spread throughout the nearby provinces, and Kandahar again came under the control of Gul Agha Sherzai, who had controlled the province and city before the rise of the Taliban, and was credited with permitting the same corruption that first fueled the growth of the Taliban.
The new Afghan government, which is supported by US and NATO forces, is gradually expanding its authority and presence throughout the entire country. Kandahar is presently in full control of the new Afghan government, which is led by US-backed President Hamid Karzai. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) maintains its military command headquarters in Kandahar, as well as being the main NATO-led security force in the province.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Kandahar International Airport serves the population of the city as a method of traveling to far destinations. Since late 2001, the airport has been used by the NATO forces to deliver troops and humanitarian supplies. It was also being repaired and upgraded, which re-opened for civilian use in late 2006.[17]
Kandahar has its own public buses that take commuters on daily routes to many destinations throughout the city. There are also yellow taxicabs that can be spotted just about anywhere in and around the city.
Private vehicles are on the rise in Kandahar, with huge dealerships of fine imported cars from Dubai, UAE. More and more people are buying cars as the roads and highways are being improved. The average car driven in Kandahar is a Toyota Corolla.
Communications and technology
Telecommunications in the city are provided by Afghan Wireless, Roshan and Areeba mobile companies. All three have boasted increase in rapid cellular phone usage. In November 2006, the Afghan Ministry of Communications has signed a US 64.5 million dollar agreement with a company (ZTE Corporation) on the establishment of a countrywide fibre optical cable network. This will improve telephone, internet, television and radio broadcast services not just in Kandahar but throughout the country.[18]
Local (Afghan) television channels include:
- Ariana TV
- Lamar TV
- Shamshad TV
- Tolo TV
- Ariana Afghanistan TV
Reconstruction and developments
.JPG){kind=link}
Due to almost 30 years of destruction and no development, Kandahar along with the rest of the country is going through a nationwide reconstruction period. As of 2002, large amounts of money has been pouring in for construction purposes. New modern-style buildings are slowly replacing the older ones. Kandahar's major highways were repaired and completed. However, works on smaller roads in some parts around the city are still in progress. Kandahar's residents have access to clean drinking water and electricity. Although not every part of the city may receive it, plans and works are underway to extend these services to every home.
Up to 20,000 single-family homes and associated infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer systems, and community buildings, including schools, are under construction on a new empty land in Kandahar.[19]
About 6 miles (10km) east of Kandahar, a huge industrial park is under construction with modern facilities. The park will have professional management for the daily maintenance of public roads, internal streets, common areas, parking areas, 24 hours perimeter security, access control for vehicles and persons. [20]
A railroad track from the Pakistani town of Chaman to Kandahar is planned for the near future. The feasibility study was completed in or about early 2006, allowing for the next step to lay-down the railtrack. The work on the railtrack will take approximately 2 years to complete.
Places of interest
The most important historical monument in Kandahar is the mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani, fondly known as Ahmad Shah Baba (Father of Afghanistan) who ruled an empire from Kandahar. The shrine of the Cloak of Prophet Mohammad adjoins Ahmad Shah’s mausoleum. This is one of the holiest shrines in Afghanistan. Ahmad Shah received the Prophet’s Cloak from Murad Beg, Amir of Bokhara, in 1768, as part of a treaty settling the northern boundaries.
The city of Kandahar was laid out by Ahmad Shah with amazing regularity. The four principal bazaar streets meet in the center of the city at the Char Suq, a square once covered with a lofty dome where public proclamations were made. The Mosque of the Hair of the Prophet is located inside the covered bazaar, on the left as you enter from the Kabul Bazaar. It was built by Kohendil Khan, one of the Kandarai Sardars who held sway over Kandahar during the first half of the 19th century.
The charming village of Sher Surkh is located southeast of the city, about a mile south of Jadi Haji Jamal, in the suburbs of the old city of Nadirabad. Jadi Haji Jamal continues to Zakud, the homelands and mausoleum of the 18th century Barakzai chief who stepped down in favor of Ahmad Khan, later Ahmad Shah Durrani, in 1747. His son, Payenda Khan, who was murdered by Ahmad Shah’s grandson, is also buried here. Payenda Khan was the father of Amir Dost Mohammad who was destined to take the throne from Ahmad Shah’s grandsons and establish the dynasty which ruled at Kabul until 1973.
Kandahar Museum is located at the western end of the third block of buildings lining the main road east of Eidgah Durwaza (gate). It has many paintings by the now famous Ghiyassuddin, painted while he was a young teacher in Kandahar. He is acknowledged among Afghanistan’s leading artists.
Just to the north of the city, off its northeast corner at the end of buria (matting) bazaar, there is a charming shrine dedicated to a celebrated saint who lived in Kandahar more than 300 years ago. The grave of Hazratji Baba, 23 feet long to signify his greatness, but otherwise covered solely by rock chips, is undecorated save for tall pennants at its head. The graves of the Kandarai Sardars lie near the saint’s tomb.
A Monument to Pious Martyrs (Shahidan: those who died in battle defending their land) stands in the center of Kandahar’s main square called Da Shahidanu Chawk, which was built in the 1940s.
The Chilzina is a rock-cut chamber high above the plain at the end of the rugged chain of mountains forming the western defence of Kandahar’s Old City. Forty steps, about, lead to the chamber which is guarded by two chained lions, defaced, and inscribed with an account of Moghul conquest. The rugged cliffs from which the Chilzina was hewn form the natural western bastion of the Old City of Kandahar which was destroyed in 1738 by Nadir Shah Afshar of Persia. The very last battle for Kandahar, however, was fought among these ruins when the armies of Amir Abdur Rahman and his cousin, Ayub Khan, the hero of the Battle of Maiwand, faced each other here on September 22nd, 1881.
A short distance from Chilzina, going west on the main highway, a bright blue dome suddenly appears above a grove of trees on the right. This is the mausoleum of Mir Wais Khan, the Ghilzai chieftain who declared Kandahar’s independence from the Persians in 1709.
The shrine of Baba Wali, its terraces shaded by pomegranate groves beside the Arghandab River, is also very popular for picnics and afternoon outings. The terrace in front of an elaborate teahouse affords a fine view of the valley. The British forces, in 1842 and 1878, fought several battles in this same exact location.[8]
- Districts
- Arghandab Valley
- Daman
- Dand
- Kandahar Valley (under construction)
- Karz
- Mirwais Mina
- Sarpuza
- Shāri Noe
- Zoar Shār (Old City)
- General
- Baba Saab (picnic area & weekend spot)
- Bāghi Pull (picnic area & weekend spot)
- Chilzina View (Emperor Babur's inscription site)
- Kandahar Stadium
- Shāri Noe Fairground (local amusement park)
- Mosques and Shrines
- Friday Mosque
- Jumi Wraishtan Mubārak (displaying Prophet Mohammad's Hair piece)
- Shrine of Baba Wali
- Mausoleums
- Mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani
- Mausoleum of Mirwais Khan Hotak
- Museums
- Kandahar Musuem
- Shopping
- Herat Bazaar
- Kabul Bazaar
- Shah Bazaar
- Shkar Pur Bazaar
- Communication
- Airports
Trivia
- Kandahar is known for its finest pomegranates and grapes.
- Kandahar is the birth-place of Hamid Karzai (President of Afghanistan) and Said Tayeb Jawad (Afghanistan's Ambassador to the United States).
- Kandahar is also known for having the first international Tim Hortons coffee and donut shop, served and run by Canadians. Along with Tim Hortons, there is Burger King, Pizza Hut and Subway located at NATO's military base.
- A number of entertainers from the United States, including some famous ones, have visited Kandahar (NATO's military base) to perform for U.S. troops stationed there. They include:
- Robin Williams (actor)
- David Letterman (late night TV talk host)
- Drew Carey (actor and comedian)
- Angela Lanza (singer)
- Tracy Williams, Eileen Esposito and Cristal Bermudez (singers of the group UC3)
- Hooters Calendar Girls
See also
- Afghanistan
- History of Afghanistan
- Hotaki
- Durrani Empire
- Provincial Reconstruction Team
- International Security Assistance Force
References and footnotes
- ^ a b Alexander the Great: his towns...Link
- ^ Columbia Encyclopedia (Sixth Edition) - Kandahar...Link
- ^ Columbia Encyclopedia (Fifth Edition) - The City of Kandahar...Link
- ^ Nancy Hatch Dupree - An Historical Guide To Afghanistan - Sites in Perspective (Chapter 3)...Link
- ^ John Ford Shroder, B.S., M.S., Ph.D. Regents Professor of Geography and Geology, University of Nebraska. Editor, Himalaya to the Sea: Geology, Geomorphology, and the Quaternary and other books. Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2006 - Afghanistan...Link
- ^ CIA World Factbook - Afghanistan...Link
- ^ a b Encyclopaedia Britannica - Ahmad Shah Durrani...Link
- ^ a b c Nancy Hatch Dupree - An Historical Guide To Afghanistan - The South (Chapter 16)...Link
- ^ Columbia Encyclopedia - Afghanistan: History...Link
- ^ History Of Nations - History of Afghanistan...Link
- ^ Afghanistan Online - Biography (Ahmad Shah Abdali)...Link
- ^ Britannica Student Encyclopedia - Government and History (from Afghanistan)...Link
- ^ Packard Humanities Institute - Persian Literature in Translation - Chapter IV: An Outline Of The History Of Persia During The Last Two Centuries (A.D. 1722-1922)...Link
- ^ Afghanland - Mirwais Khan Hotak...Link
- ^ Encyclopaedia Britannica - The Hotakis (from Afghanistan)...Link
- ^ Conflict Studies Journal at the University of New Brunswick...Link
- ^ Pajhwok Afghan News - AAA begins flights for Kandahar... Link
- ^ Pajhwok Afghan News - Ministry signs contract with Chinese company...Link
- ^ U.S. Department of State - South Asia - U.S. Government Agency Grants $3 Million to Build Afghan Homes...Link
- ^ Afghanistan Industrial Parks Development Authority...Link
- Hill, John E. 2004. The Western Regions according to the Hou Hanshu. Draft annotated English translation.[1]
- Hill, John E. 2004. The Peoples of the West from the Weilue 魏略 by Yu Huan 魚豢: A Third Century Chinese Account Composed between 239 and 265 CE. Draft annotated English translation. [2]
- Thapar, Romila (1963): Aśoka and the Decline of the Mauryas. Oxford University Press. 3rd impression, New Delhi, 1980.
- Frye, Richard N. (1963). The Heritage of Persia. World Publishing company, Cleveland, Ohio. Mentor Book edition, 1966.
- Toynbee, Arnold J. (1961). Between Oxus and Jumna. London. Oxford University Press.
- Vogelsang, W. (1985). "Early historical Arachosia in South-east Afghanistan; Meeting-place between East and West." Iranica antiqua, 20 (1985), pp. 55-99.
- Wood, Michael (1997). In the footsteps of Alexander the Great: A Journey from Greece to Asia. BBC, London. First published 1997. Paperback Edition 2001.