Farah

Farah Province is situated on western Afghanistan and shares border with Iran in the west, Herat Province on the north, Nirmuz Province on the south, Helmand Province on the southeast and Ghor Province on the east. This province is located 480 km to Kabul and shares 290 km border with Iran. Farah Province in the past The pleasing nature of Farah Province Farah Province is one of the dry regions in Afghanistan Farah Province is an arid area in Afghanistan with hot summers. However, the weather is quiet temperate and sometimes a little cold. There is a relatively big river in Farah Province often used for agricultural purposes. Nevertheless, it is one of the most fertile provinces in Afghanistan. Its famous fruits include watermelon, pomegranate, grapes and jujube; its pomegranate was selected second top in Afghanistan in 2009. The majority of population in the province are from Pashtun and Tajik ethnicities. Beauties of Farah Province New Garden Park in Farah Province Old houses in Farah Province A bridge on Farah River Farah River Another view of Farah River Farah River Poze Sultan Amir Aqa Dam in Farah Province Another view of Poze Sultan Amir Aqa Dam Images from Poze Sultan Amir Aqa Dam Cultural and historical locations in Farah Province Kak Kohzad Citadel which goes back 2000 years ago is one of the historical places in this province. It is located 15 km to the southeast of Farah Province which is built from stone, chalk and bricks. Qala Fereydon positioned in the center of Farah Province is known as “old city” and dates back 2000 years ago. It is a memorial of Fereydon ruling mentioned in prominent books such as Shahnama (from Ferdowsi), History of Sistan and a number of other books. Fereydon is a heroic character in Shahnama. According to Shahnama and historical references, Kaafer Qala has been owned by Kak Kohzad (Farah). Kaafer Qala is located on a high mountain 15 km to the Farah City Qala Fereydon is one of the historical locations in Farah Province Another view of Qala Fereydon in Farah Province Qala Bala is another historical region in Farah Province Kojar Village is another historical region in Farah Province Qala Iskandar Another view of Qala Iskandar in Farah Province Kaafer Qala, an ancient location in Farah Province that dates back 2000 years ago; according to Shahnama it was owned by Kak Kohzad. Qala Fereydon in Farah Province which goes back two thousand years ago is on the verge of collapse. Qala Fereydon covers an area of 300 acres and consists of 99 small and big towers. Qala Fereydon famous as “Old City”; as stated in Shahnama one of the biggest monuments in Sistan. Administrative units in Farah Province Farah Province is one of the big provinces in the western Afghanistan which includes 11 administrative units: Farah City Farah City is the center of Farah Province. A century ago Farah City was positioned in the old city of Farah (historical Qala Fereydon). Also, ancient Kak Kohzad Qala (Kaafer Qala) was situated a few kilometers away from Farah City. The big Farah River is positioned on the near west of the Farah City. Swimming in Farah River A view from Farah City outskirts Regions near Farah City Posht-e-Rod District Posht-e-Rod District is located 28 km to the north of Farah and is the closest district to the capital city of Farah. Khak Safid District Khak Safid District is situated 48 km to the north of Farah. It shares border with Adraskan District in Herat Province. Bakwah District Bakwah District is situated 95 km to the southeast of Farah City. It has fertile agricultural lands. Posht-e-koh District This district is positioned 60 km to the west of Farah City and shares border with Iran. Gulistan District This district is located 240 km to the east of Farah City. Purchaman District Purchaman District is situated 320 km to the east of Farah City and is a distant district in the province. Purchaman District, Farah Province Anar Dara District Anar Dara District is located 75 km to the north of Farah City and shares border with Iran on the west. It is a verdured district in Farah Province. Beautiful images from Anar Dara District Anar Dara District The marvelous nature of Anar Dara District in Farah Province Anar Dara District Shibkoh District Shibkoh District is positioned 70 km to the west of Farah City and shares border with Iran. Balablok District Balablok District is situated 50 km to the south of Farah City and shares border with Adraskan District in Herat Province in the north. Moreover, Farah-Herat and Farah-Kabul Highways pass through this district. Jowin District Jowin District is situated 93 km to the south of Farah City. It shares border with Iran. Jowin District is a historical location in Afghanistan with many ancient regions such as Qala Lash (Peshavaran City). Sand storm in Lash-va-Jowin Market Ancient Qala Sistan Zamin, Jowin District, Farah Province Another view of Qala Sistan Zamin

The Farah region was part of the ancient lands of Drangiana and later of Sistan, the basin around the lower Helmand and the Hamun lakes. Its main town has long been a station on the routes linking Herat with Sistan and Kandahar. In the Islamic period the area belonged to Sistan and was governed in turn by the Saffarids, Ghaznavids, Ghurids and others. Its towns and irrigation systems suffered severely during the Mongol and Timurid invasions, and parts of the province never fully recovered. The ruins of fortified towns such as Lash and Juwayn, above the Farah Rud near the Iranian border, are reminders of that past, and the district that contains them still carries their names. From the 18th century the area was part of the Durrani state, lying between the domains of Herat and Kandahar, and its position on the road between them kept it in the path of later struggles for both. Like its neighbours, it was affected by the conflicts of recent decades.

Pashto and Dari are both widely spoken across the province, and Baluchi is heard in some southern and border areas. Many families keep close ties with relatives and trading partners across the Iranian border, and Persian-language media and goods are part of daily life. Religious life centres on the mosque and on local shrines, which people visit to pray and to make vows, particularly on Fridays and religious holidays. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are the year's largest family gatherings, and Nowruz is marked with picnics and visits as spring arrives. Hospitality is a strong tradition in both towns and villages. Folk music, including Pashto songs accompanied by the rubab and the music of the Baluch communities, is performed at weddings, and poetry is recited and widely valued.

Much of Farah is desert and semi-desert: gravel plains, dry river beds and low ranges of bare rock, with sand drifting in the south. Green belts of fields and trees follow the Farah Rud and the other rivers, where wheat, melons and fruit are grown with water carried by canals and by karez, the underground channels that tap groundwater at the foot of the hills. To the south-west lie the Hamun wetlands, a chain of shallow lakes and reed beds that expands and shrinks with the rivers and can dry out almost completely in years of drought. When filled, they attract large numbers of migratory waterbirds. The north-east of the province rises into the dry foothills of the western highlands, where the rivers emerge from the mountains. In summer the region is swept by the wind of 120 days, which blows from the north and can carry dust and sand for weeks.

Farah's cooking is the hearty fare of western and southern Afghanistan. Bread baked in the tandoor accompanies most meals, along with yoghurt, dugh and dishes of lamb, beans and vegetables. Qabuli palaw and kebab are served to guests and on special occasions, and roast lamb is a favourite of the herding communities. The river oases are known for melons and watermelons in summer, and for grapes, pomegranates and other fruit grown in walled gardens. Dairy from the flocks of sheep and goats that graze the plains, including qurut, a dried yoghurt that keeps for months, is an important part of village diets. Tea is drunk throughout the day, often with sugared almonds or dried fruit for guests.

Farah lies within the wider region where Baluch-style rugs are woven, in dark reds, deep blues and geometric patterns, and village women also weave kilims, bags and tent bands for household use. Baluch embroidery, worked densely on dresses and cuffs, is made in some southern and border communities. The province is not otherwise known for distinctive crafts, and its bazaars mainly sell everyday goods: cloth, household items, tools, and food and goods brought from Iran and other parts of Afghanistan. Rugs and kilims from the villages appear in the bazaar of Farah city, but many are traded on to Herat.

The cooler months from November to March are the most comfortable time to travel in Farah. Days are mild and often sunny, though nights in December and January can be cold, and occasional rain falls in winter and early spring. March and April bring a short spring, with green fields in the oases and Nowruz celebrations. From May onwards the heat builds quickly, and from June to August temperatures in the lowlands often exceed 40°C. The summer wind of 120 days, strongest from about June to September, raises dust and sand that can reduce visibility on the roads. October is still warm but bearable and marks the return of comfortable travelling weather.

The main highway between Kandahar and Herat crosses the eastern part of the province, and Farah city lies off it to the west, linked by a branch road. By road, the capital is about 270 km from Herat, roughly five hours; about 420 km from Kandahar, through Helmand; and about 900 km from Kabul via Kandahar, a journey of two long days. Farah has an airport (FAH) near the provincial capital that has been served by domestic flights. The province borders Iran, but most travellers between the two countries use the larger crossings at Islam Qala in Herat or at Zaranj in Nimruz. Road conditions and local circumstances change, so travellers should check current conditions before setting out.

Accommodation in Farah province is limited. The provincial capital has a small number of hotels and guesthouses, mainly simple places used by officials, traders and drivers, and these are the main option for visitors. Along the main highway, roadside restaurants and inns at the larger stops offer basic rooms or a place to sleep on carpets in a shared room, which suits drivers on the long run between Kandahar and Herat. In the villages there are no hotels: travellers who need to stay overnight do so as guests of local families, arranged in advance through someone known to the community. Many visitors cross the province in a day and stay in Herat or Kandahar instead.

Shared taxis and minibuses link Farah city with the district centres and with the main highway, leaving when full from points around the city's main bazaar. Long-distance buses and shared cars run along the highway towards Herat and Kandahar. In Farah city and the larger district towns, motor rickshaws, known as zaranj, and motorbikes are the usual way to cover short distances. Desert tracks to remote villages are travelled by pickups and four-wheel-drive vehicles, and hiring a car with a driver who knows the routes is the practical choice for visiting sites away from the main roads. Herding families on the plains still rely on camels and donkeys as well as motorbikes.