Hinduism in Afghanistan dates back to the Vedic periods when the country shared a common culture with India. Along with Buddhism and Zoroastrianism, Hinduism was also practiced among the local people, who were a heterogeneous mix of Iranian, Nuristani and Indo-Aryan background. Many of the local Iranian peoples embraced the Hindu religion and culture, including… Continue reading Hinduism in Afghanistan
Category: History
Some Excerpts
Source: “Ahmad Shah Durrani” By Ganda Singh – 1959 Page: 339 Relevant Information: “Although the Afghan country was populated predominately by Muslims and there were not many Hindus and Sikhs in the villages. The cities and towns had a good sprinkling of them. “The cities and towns” said George Forster who traveled through Afghanistan in… Continue reading Some Excerpts
Origins
Origins Different communities of Afghan Hindus and Sikhs have different histories. Following are some theories: Hindus have always lived in Afghanistan. That’s one reason why they call themselves Kandharis and Kabulis. Some of the old temples in the area also point to this theory. The word Kandh in Seraiki means wall. Kandahar used to have… Continue reading Origins
some historical pointers
Referred to as Gandhara and Vahlika in ancient Hindu-Buddhist scriptures, Hinduism (Saivite) and Buddhism (Mahayana) were the dominant faiths of the ancestors of present day Pathans inhabiting the Eastern and Southern parts of Afghanistan, before the advent of Islam. Around 654 C.E., Arab forces started attacking the Hindu Kingdoms of Kabul and Zabul ruled by… Continue reading some historical pointers
Afghanistan research newsletter – No. 20
Feature: Hidden Kabul by Jolyon Leslie Full Report “Let the reader conceive a broken succession of houses, composed of mud walls of different elevations, pierced here and there with wooden pipes to carry off the rain from the flat roofs…..then let him imagine… the entrance to the residence of some great man, with a mulberry… Continue reading Afghanistan research newsletter – No. 20
Afghan Hindu and Sikh Refugees in Germany
Afghan Hindus came to Germany fleeing the civil war during the 1980s. Of the about 66.000 Afghans in Germany, a minority of some 5.000 refugees are Hindus. They maintain four nicely constructed temples in Hamburg, Frankfurt and two in Cologne. The temples are often visited by Indian Hindus and Sikhs too. Finally, there is the… Continue reading Afghan Hindu and Sikh Refugees in Germany
Hindu king of Afghanistan who compelled caliphs to pay tributes
Source By Ganeshi Lal Verma THE land mass around Ghazni, especially the high lands of Kandhar along the upper water of Setumant (Mohd. Helmund) was once known as Zabulistan and was ruled by the Hindu kings. The kings there bore the title of Sahiyas or Shahianushahi, from where the title of Shahanshah was derived. Sahiyas… Continue reading Hindu king of Afghanistan who compelled caliphs to pay tributes