Logar

Logar is a small province immediately south of Kabul, centred on the valley of the Logar River. Its neighbours include Kabul province to the north, Nangarhar to the east, Paktia to the south, Ghazni to the south-west and Wardak to the west. The main highway from Kabul to Gardez and the south-east runs through the length of the valley, making Logar a busy corridor between the capital and the provinces beyond. The valley floor, at around 1,800 to 2,000 metres, is a patchwork of wheat fields, orchards, villages and walled compounds lined with poplars and willows. Mountains rise on both sides, higher and more rugged in the east and south. The provincial capital, Puli Alam, sits on the highway about an hour's drive from Kabul. Logar is best known beyond Afghanistan for Mes Aynak, an extensive Buddhist site in Mohammad Agha district, set above a large copper deposit. The province's seven districts, Puli Alam, Mohammad Agha, Baraki Barak, Charkh, Khoshi, Azra and Kharwar, are mostly rural, and the valley has long supplied fresh produce to Kabul's markets. For visitors, Logar is a place to see the farming life of the valleys close to the capital and, where access allows, its archaeology.

Logar lay on old routes linking the Kabul valley with Gardez, Ghazni and the lands to the south-east. In the first millennium CE it was part of a Buddhist world that stretched across eastern Afghanistan, and the monasteries, stupas and workshops of Mes Aynak show that copper working and religious life flourished here together for centuries. Islam spread through the region in the following centuries, and the valley came under the successive dynasties that ruled from Ghazni and Kabul. Its fertile land and closeness to the capital made it an important source of grain and fruit for Kabul, and its villages, mosques and shrines grew up along the irrigation channels of the valley floor. In the modern period Logar became a province of its own, and its villages were deeply affected by the conflicts of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Since 2009, archaeological teams have documented and excavated large parts of Mes Aynak.

Pashto is the main language of Logar, and Dari is also widely spoken. The province's communities are largely Pashtun, with Tajik communities in several districts, and most people are Sunni Muslims. Village life follows the rhythm of the farming year and the religious calendar. The two Eids are the main festivals, with family visits and gatherings, and Nowruz is marked by outings into the orchards as the trees come into blossom. Hospitality is central: guests are received in the hujra, the guest room kept by a household or village. Weddings are celebrated with music and the attan dance, and young people play cricket, football and volleyball wherever there is open ground. Local shrines and mosques are focal points for each community, and the elders of a village meet to settle disputes and decide shared matters.

Logar is a valley province. The Logar River rises in the mountains to the west and flows north and east through the length of the province before joining the Kabul River near Kabul. Along its course, irrigation channels water a broad, green strip of fields, orchards and poplar groves. On either side, the land rises to dry hills and mountains. Outlying districts such as Azra and Kharwar are more rugged, with steep valleys and scattered villages. Snow covers the mountains in winter and feeds the river in spring. Agriculture shapes the landscape. Wheat, maize and vegetables are grown on the valley floor, and fruit such as apples, apricots, grapes and mulberries in the orchards. Flocks of sheep and goats graze the hills, and lines of willows and poplars mark the water channels and field boundaries.

Logar's kitchens draw on the produce of the valley. Fresh vegetables, fruit and dairy from local farms supply both village households and the markets of Kabul, and dishes follow the patterns of the eastern and central provinces. Qabuli palaw with lamb, carrots and raisins is the dish for guests and celebrations, and shorwa, mutton broth with bread, is everyday fare. Kebabs, including the flat, spiced patties known as chapli kebab, are cooked at roadside restaurants along the highway. In winter, many families prepare landi, dried mutton, and dishes made with qurut. Summer fruit is eaten fresh and also dried for the winter, and at harvest time the orchards' produce is sold from stalls along the roadside.

Logar is not especially known for crafts made for visitors. Its bazaars serve farming communities, and the goods on sale are mainly practical: cloth, ready-made clothing, cooking pots, farm tools and household items brought in from Kabul. Some households weave carpets and rugs, and embroidery is common on caps, dresses and the decorative cloths used at weddings. Blacksmiths in the bazaars make and repair tools for the farms, and carpenters make doors, beds and other household furniture. Visitors interested in Afghan crafts usually find a wider choice in Kabul, a short drive away.

Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons. In April and May the orchards blossom and the valley is green; from September to October the harvest is in, the poplars turn yellow and the weather is clear and mild. Summers are warm, with hot afternoons in July and August, though the altitude keeps nights cool. Winters are cold, with snow on the hills and sometimes on the valley floor from December to February, and the mountain districts can be hard to reach. Because the province is close to Kabul, the main highway is usually open year-round, and Nowruz in March often brings the first warm days and family outings into the countryside.

The Kabul–Gardez highway runs south from Kabul through Mohammad Agha to Puli Alam, about 65 km and roughly an hour to an hour and a half by road. The same road continues south into Paktia to reach Gardez, about 60 km further, and goes on towards Khost. Side roads branch west from the highway to Baraki Barak and Charkh and on towards Wardak, and into the mountain districts of Azra and Khoshi. These are narrower and slower, and some sections are unpaved. Mes Aynak lies off the highway in Mohammad Agha district, south-east of Kabul; access to the site depends on permits and local arrangements. Road conditions and local circumstances change, so travellers should check current conditions before setting out.

Accommodation in Logar is limited. Puli Alam has a few simple hotels and guesthouses, mainly used by officials, traders and travellers breaking a journey to Gardez or Khost. Elsewhere in the province there is little or no commercial accommodation. In villages, guests are hosted by families or in the hujra, the guest room kept by a household or community, as a matter of traditional hospitality rather than paid lodging. Because the province lies so close to Kabul, most visitors make a day trip from the capital and return there to sleep.

Shared taxis and minibuses run frequently along the Kabul–Gardez highway, stopping at Mohammad Agha, Puli Alam and other towns, and leave from roadside stands when full. Services to the side valleys and mountain districts are less frequent. In the larger villages and towns, rickshaws carry passengers and goods over short distances, and motorcycles are widely used. A private car with a driver, arranged from Kabul, is the most practical way to visit several places in one day. Off the main roads, people walk between villages and fields, and donkeys still carry loads in the hills.