Taloqan

Taloqan is the capital of Takhar province and one of the larger towns of north-eastern Afghanistan. It lies on the Taloqan River, in a broad, fertile valley ringed by low hills, and has grown from a small market centre into a sprawling town of mud-brick and concrete houses, gardens and walled compounds. The town's life centres on its bazaar, where farmers from the surrounding districts sell grain, rice, fruit, livestock and dairy, and where traders on the road between Kunduz and Badakhshan stop to rest and do business. Streets of shops are grouped by trade, from cloth and tailoring to hardware, spices, tea and dried fruit, and the bazaar is busiest in the mornings and before holidays. Around the centre, residential districts, schools, government offices and a university campus have spread outward along the main roads, with fields and orchards close by. Taloqan has no famous monuments, but it gives a clear picture of a northern Afghan market town and makes a practical base for the plains of Takhar, the Farkhar valley and the onward journey to Fayzabad. Buzkashi is followed keenly here, as across the north, and winter matches draw large crowds.

Taloqan is an old settlement on the routes between the Bactrian plains and Badakhshan. Marco Polo passed through in the late 13th century and described a fine town with a large grain market, close to hills from which salt was taken. Over the following centuries Taloqan was ruled by a succession of regional powers, and in the 18th and early 19th centuries it fell within the Uzbek-ruled territory of Qataghan, centred on Kunduz. It came under the Afghan state in the 19th century, and in the 20th century it developed as an administrative centre, becoming the capital of Takhar when the province was created. The town grew quickly in the second half of the 20th century and again in the early 21st, with new roads, schools and housing. In the late 1990s it was for a time an important political centre in the north and saw fighting during that period.

Dari and Uzbek are both widely spoken in Taloqan, and most townspeople move easily between them; Pashto and other languages are heard in the bazaar as people come in from the districts. Most residents are Sunni Muslims, and the town's mosques, large and small, are at the heart of each neighbourhood. Buzkashi is the great spectator sport, with matches in winter and around Nowruz, when riders and horses come from across the province. Wrestling and kite flying are popular pastimes, and music at weddings blends Dari and Uzbek songs with the dambura, the dutar and drums. Nowruz brings family visits, picnics in the gardens and fields around the town, and special dishes such as samanak, a sweet pudding made from sprouted wheat. During Ramadan the bazaar comes alive after sunset, and the two Eids fill the streets with families in new clothes.

Taloqan sits in a wide valley where the Taloqan River and its tributaries spread out across the plain. Irrigation channels lead off the river to water fields of wheat and rice, orchards and vegetable gardens that run right up to the edges of the town, and rows of poplars and willows mark the watercourses. Low hills of loess rise around the valley, green and dotted with flowers in spring and bare and brown by midsummer. On clear days the higher mountains of the Hindu Kush can be seen to the south and east, often snow-capped until early summer. A short drive from town brings rolling farmland, villages among their orchards, and riverbanks where families picnic on spring and summer weekends. The rain-fed hills are grazed by flocks of sheep and goats.

Taloqan's bazaar is the best place in Takhar to try the food of the region. Eating houses serve qabuli palaw, Uzbek-style palaw, mantu, ashak, shorwa and kebab, with fresh bread straight from clay ovens. Rice from the surrounding valleys is a local staple, and breakfast is often bread with cream, honey or fried eggs, washed down with green or black tea. Summer brings the melons and watermelons of the northern plains, along with grapes, apricots, mulberries and cherries from the surrounding villages. In autumn and winter the stalls sell walnuts, almonds, raisins, dried mulberries and roasted chickpeas. Sweets such as jalebi and halwa are popular in the cold months, and during Ramadan there are special breads and snacks for the evening meal.

Taloqan is a market town rather than a centre of fine crafts, but its bazaar gathers the work of the surrounding villages. Embroidered caps, cushion covers and textiles made by local women are sold alongside factory goods, and carpets and kilims woven in the province appear in the carpet shops. Tailors make up chapans and other traditional clothes to order, and specialist shops sell saddles, bridles, whips and decorated harness for horses, much of it made locally for buzkashi riders. Blacksmiths and tinsmiths turn out knives, tools, stoves and household goods, and baskets and mats are made for local use. Visitors looking for something distinctive will find embroidery and horse gear the most characteristic of the town.

Spring, from late March to early June, is the best time to be in Taloqan. The fields and hills are green, the orchards blossom, and Nowruz brings buzkashi and picnics. Early spring rain can turn unpaved side streets muddy. Summer is hot and dry, with dusty afternoons in July and August, but the evenings are cooler and the markets are full of fruit and melons. Early autumn, in September and October, brings the harvest, pleasant temperatures and clear skies, and is a good time for trips into the surrounding countryside. Winter, from December to February, is cold, with frost and occasional snow, and fog sometimes settles over the valley. The town stays lively, and winter is the main season for buzkashi.

Taloqan lies on the main road between Kunduz and Badakhshan. From Kabul, the route crosses the Salang Pass to Puli Khumri, runs north towards Kunduz and turns east through Khanabad; the journey is about 400 km and takes seven to eight hours or more. From Kunduz the drive is about an hour and a half. To the east, the road continues through Keshem to Fayzabad, a journey of several hours through hills and river valleys. Local roads link the town with Rustaq, Chah Ab and Farkhar. Taloqan has an airport (TQN), and domestic flights have served it at times, though most people arrive by road. Road conditions and local circumstances change, so travellers should check current conditions before setting out.

Most of Takhar's hotels and guesthouses are in Taloqan, concentrated in the town centre and along the main road near the bazaar, where they are convenient for shared transport. They cater mainly to traders, officials and travellers on the road to Badakhshan, and rooms are generally simple, with a shared or basic private bathroom. Heating in winter is usually by stove, and hot water and electricity vary from place to place, so it is worth checking before taking a room. Some places serve meals or have an eating house attached. Visitors with local connections are often hosted by families, a common and welcome part of travel in the north.

Taloqan is flat and fairly spread out. Zaranj rickshaws are the most common way to get around and can be hailed on the main streets, while shared taxis follow set routes and private taxis can be hired for a trip or by the hour. Walking is easy in the bazaar and the centre, and many residents get around by bicycle or motorcycle. For trips out of town, shared taxis and minibuses to Kunduz, Fayzabad and the districts leave from stands near the bazaar, generally once they are full. Hiring a car with a driver is the most flexible way to see the surrounding countryside or reach places off the main roads, and four-wheel drive helps after rain or in winter.