Nuristan

Nuristan is a mountainous province on the southern side of the Hindu Kush in north-eastern Afghanistan. It borders Badakhshan to the north, Panjshir to the west, Laghman to the south, Kunar to the south-east, and the Chitral region of Pakistan to the east. Almost the whole province is mountain country, cut by deep, steep-sided valleys whose rivers drain south towards the Kabul River basin. Nuristan is one of the most remote and least developed parts of Afghanistan, and one of its most distinctive. Its valleys hold dense forests of oak, pine and cedar, fast rivers, and villages of timber and stone houses stacked up the slopes, many decorated with fine wood carving. Its people speak several Nuristani languages, which are spoken almost nowhere else. The province is made up of districts centred on its main valleys, among them Parun, Wama, Waygal, Nurgaram, Duab, Mandol, Kamdesh and Barg-e Matal. The capital, Parun, lies high in the valley of the same name, and many districts are linked to the rest of the country only by rough roads or mountain paths, especially in winter. For travellers with time and good local contacts, Nuristan offers mountain scenery, forests and a village culture unlike anywhere else in Afghanistan.

Until the end of the 19th century this region was known as Kafiristan, a name given by outsiders meaning the land of unbelievers, because its peoples followed their own religion, with a pantheon of gods and rich traditions of carving and ritual, rather than Islam. Protected by their mountains, the valleys kept a great deal of independence for centuries and received few outside visitors. In 1895 and 1896 Amir Abdur Rahman Khan brought the region under the control of the Kabul government. Its people converted to Islam, and the area was renamed Nuristan, the land of light. Across the border in Chitral, the Kalash, whose old religion had much in common with that of Kafiristan, still keep many of their traditions. For much of the 20th century the Nuristan valleys were divided between neighbouring provinces, and Nuristan became a province in its own right only in the late 20th century. In recent decades it has been affected by conflict, like much of the country.

The Nuristani languages, among them Kati, Waigali, Prasun and Ashkun, form a distinct branch of the Indo-Iranian language family, and neighbouring valleys often speak different languages. Pashto and Dari serve as common second languages, and Pashai is spoken in some southern areas. Today the population is Muslim, and village mosques are central to community life. Nuristan is famous for its architecture and wood carving. Houses of timber and stone are built in tiers up the hillsides, and doors, pillars, beams and carved wooden chairs, traditionally associated with men of standing, are decorated with intricate geometric and interlaced patterns. Village life is organised around farming and livestock. In summer, herders take goats and cattle to high pastures, and work is divided between the valley fields and the mountain camps. Hospitality, the authority of elders and village councils, and strong ties of kinship shape social life.

Nuristan is one of the greenest and most rugged provinces in Afghanistan. Its mountains rise from valley floors of around 1,000 metres in the south to peaks of more than 5,000 metres on the crest of the Hindu Kush in the north, where the province meets Badakhshan. Snow covers the high ground for much of the year and feeds fast, clear rivers such as the Pech, the Alingar and the Landay Sin. The valleys hold some of Afghanistan's largest remaining forests. Evergreen oak covers the lower slopes, and higher up there are forests of deodar cedar, pine and fir, with walnut, mulberry and other trees around the villages. Above the tree line lie alpine meadows used as summer pasture. The forests and high country are a refuge for wildlife that has become rare elsewhere in the country, including bears, leopards and wild goats. Farming is confined to small terraced fields of maize, wheat and millet beside the villages, watered by channels from the mountain streams.

Nuristani food is the food of mountain farmers and herders, built on grain and dairy. Bread made from maize or wheat is the staple, often eaten with butter, ghee, fresh cheese or yoghurt. Cheese-making is a long tradition in the valleys, where goat and cow milk is turned into soft and dried cheeses that keep through the winter. Walnuts, mulberries, apricots and grapes grow around the villages, and mulberries are dried in large quantities for winter. Honey from the mountain valleys is highly regarded, and pine nuts and other wild foods are gathered in the forests. Meat is eaten mainly on special occasions and when guests are entertained. In the larger villages and along the roads, the familiar food of the wider east is available, such as rice, qorma, kebab and naan, with green tea served throughout the day.

Nuristan is renowned for wood carving, one of the finest traditions of its kind in Afghanistan. Craftsmen carve doors, pillars, beams, chests, bowls, spoons and the distinctive low chairs of the region, decorating them with deep geometric, interlaced and rosette patterns. The work is done with simple hand tools, and good pieces are prized well beyond the province. Other crafts are practical and domestic. Wool and goat hair are spun and woven into blankets, cloaks and rough cloth, and baskets are made from local plants for carrying produce and fodder. Women embroider clothing and caps. There are no large craft markets in Nuristan itself. Carved wooden items from the region are more often sold in the bazaars of Asadabad, Jalalabad and Kabul.

The best time to visit Nuristan is from June to September, when the passes and high valleys are open, the pastures are in use and the weather in the valleys is warm and generally settled. The lower valleys can be hot in July and August, but the higher villages remain pleasant. Spring, in April and May, brings blossom and green fields to the lower valleys, but it is also the season of snowmelt, when rivers run high and landslides can block tracks. Autumn, from late September into October, is often clear and bright, with harvest work and changing colours in the forests, though nights grow cold quickly at altitude. Winter is long and harsh across most of the province. Heavy snow closes passes and many roads for months, and some valleys are cut off entirely, so travel between November and March is very difficult.

There is no airport in Nuristan, and road access is limited. The usual approach is from Jalalabad: the road runs up the Kunar valley to Asadabad, and from there a road follows the Pech valley west and north into Nuristan, through Wama towards the capital, Parun. Other routes lead north from Mihtarlam in Laghman up the Alingar valley into the south-western districts, and from the upper Kunar valley into Kamdesh and the Landay Sin valley in the east. From Kabul, reaching Parun takes a long day or more by road, with the final stages on rough mountain roads. Many villages can be reached only on foot or with pack animals. Snow closes the higher passes in winter, and rain and snowmelt cause landslides and washouts in spring. Road conditions and local circumstances change, so travellers should check current conditions before setting out.

There is very little formal accommodation in Nuristan. Parun and a few district centres may have simple rooms used by officials and traders, but there are no hotels of the kind found in larger cities, and facilities are very basic. Most visitors who travel in Nuristan stay as guests of local families, in keeping with the region's strong tradition of hospitality, and this is arranged through personal introductions rather than booked in advance. In summer, herders' huts in the high pastures may offer shelter to those walking between valleys with local guides. Travellers should be prepared for cold nights at altitude, little or no electricity beyond small solar or hydro systems, and simple food, and many spend a night in Asadabad or Jalalabad before and after the journey.

Transport in Nuristan depends on the few roads that enter the valleys. Pickups, four-wheel-drive vehicles and minibuses run where the roads allow, mainly up the Pech valley from Asadabad and along the routes from Laghman, carrying passengers, goods and supplies together. Services are irregular, and vehicles leave when full. Away from the roads, most travel is on foot. Paths link villages along the valley sides and cross high passes between valleys, and donkeys and mules carry loads. Walking times are long, and local guides are essential on mountain routes. In winter, when snow closes passes and tracks, movement between valleys becomes very limited, and some communities can be reached only on foot.