Zabul

Zabul Province lies in south-eastern Afghanistan, between Kandahar to the south-west and Ghazni to the north-east. It also borders Uruzgan to the north-west, Paktika to the east and Pakistan's Balochistan province to the south-east. The capital, Qalat, stands on the main highway between Kabul and Kandahar, which crosses the province from end to end. The landscape is mostly dry: open plains and valleys at around 1,500 m in the south, rising to rugged mountains in northern districts such as Daychopan and Atghar. The Tarnak River runs south-west through the centre of the province, and the upper Arghandab crosses the north-west. Along both rivers, irrigated fields and orchards break up the brown hills, while the open country between them is grazing land. Most travellers know Zabul from the highway, which passes Qalat and the district centre of Shahjoy. Those who stop find the old citadel above Qalat, wide upland views and a strong sense of rural Pashtun life, although facilities for visitors are limited and much of the province is reached only by rough roads.

The name Zabul recalls Zabulistan, the medieval region around Ghazni and the upland country to its south-west. In Persian epic, and above all in Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, Zabulistan is the homeland of the hero Rostam and his family. In the early Islamic centuries, local rulers known as the Zunbils held out in this area for a long time against the armies of the caliphate. For centuries the area lay on the route between Ghazni and Kandahar and was home to Ghilji Pashtun communities, whose name survives in Qalat-e Ghilji, the full name of the provincial capital. The fortress there commanded the road and the Tarnak valley, and armies moving between the two cities had to reckon with it. Zabul became a separate province in the 20th century, taking the old regional name. Like its neighbours, it was affected by prolonged conflict in recent decades.

Pashto is spoken almost everywhere in Zabul, and Dari is understood mainly by traders and officials. Most people are Sunni Muslims, and village life follows Pashtun customs of hospitality, honour and decision-making by councils of elders. Guests are received in the hujra, a guest room or guest house where the men of a village gather to talk and drink tea. Weddings are the main celebrations, with drumming, the attan dance and the singing of landay, short two-line Pashto verses that are often composed and passed on by women. The two Eids are the principal holidays of the year, marked with prayers, visits and new clothes. Cricket has spread quickly among young people, and kite flying is common in spring. In spring and autumn, Kuchi herders pass through with their flocks on the way between seasonal pastures.

Zabul is a land of wide, stony plains and bare hills, with the mountains growing higher and more rugged towards the north. The Tarnak valley, which the highway follows for much of its length, is the main farming area, irrigated by the river and by karez, the underground channels that bring water from the foothills. Wheat and vegetables are grown on irrigated land, and orchards of almonds, grapes and other fruit are found in the better-watered valleys. Elsewhere the land is used for grazing, and in spring the hills turn green for a few weeks with grass and wild flowers before the summer heat dries them. The northern districts include high ground where snow lies in winter. Flocks of sheep, goats and camels belonging to local and nomadic herders are a common sight on the plains.

Food in Zabul is simple and filling: naan baked in clay ovens, mutton, rice and dairy products. Qurut, balls of dried yoghurt, is dissolved in water to make a sour sauce for bread and vegetables, and fresh yoghurt and buttermilk accompany most meals in summer. Kebabs and tikka are grilled at roadside eating houses along the highway, which serve a steady stream of drivers and passengers. Landi, salted and dried mutton, is prepared in autumn for the winter months. Almonds, grapes and melons from the irrigated valleys appear in the bazaars in season, and dried fruit and nuts are offered with green tea to guests in every home.

Zabul is not widely known for distinctive crafts. The bazaars in Qalat and Shahjoy sell cloth, ready-made clothing, household goods and farm tools, along with embroidered caps and shawls, much of it brought from Kandahar or from across the border. In the villages, women embroider clothing for their families, and rural and nomadic households weave simple rugs, bags and animal trappings for their own use rather than for sale. Visitors looking for embroidery, rugs or other crafts will usually find a wider choice in Kandahar or Ghazni.

Zabul lies higher than Kandahar, so its summers are a little less fierce, though days from June to August are still hot and dry. Winters are cold, with frequent frost, and snow falls in the northern mountains and sometimes on the plains around Qalat. The best months are April to June, when the valleys are green and the weather is warm, and September to October, when the heat eases and fruit comes to market. Nowruz in March marks the start of the farming year, but early spring can still be cold and windy, and mountain tracks in the north may be muddy or blocked after snow.

The Kabul–Kandahar highway is the main route into Zabul, entering from Ghazni province in the north-east and leaving for Kandahar in the south-west. Qalat, the capital, is about 340 km from Kabul, usually six to seven hours of driving, and Shahjoy lies on the same road between Qalat and Ghazni. Secondary roads and tracks branch off the highway to the district centres, among them roads north towards Daychopan and Arghandab and south-east towards the Pakistani border areas. Many are rough and slow, especially in the mountainous north and after rain or snow, and a sturdy vehicle is needed for most of them. Road conditions and local circumstances change, so travellers should check current conditions before setting out.

Accommodation across Zabul is basic and scarce. Apart from a handful of small hotels in Qalat, travellers rely on the roadside tea houses along the highway, particularly around Shahjoy, which serve meals and sometimes offer floor space for the night. In the villages there are no hotels, and visitors are usually hosted in a family's guest room, in keeping with local tradition; such stays are arranged through local contacts. Many people travelling between Kabul and Kandahar choose to break their journey in Ghazni or to continue to Kandahar, where the choice of accommodation is much wider.

Shared taxis and minibuses run along the highway between Kandahar, Qalat, Shahjoy and Ghazni, leaving when full. Long-distance buses between Kabul and Kandahar pass through the province and will often set down or pick up passengers in Qalat and Shahjoy. Off the highway, people travel by shared pick-up, motorbike or private four-wheel drive, which is the most practical way to reach the district centres. In the towns, zaranj rickshaws carry passengers on short trips, and in remote areas donkeys are still used for carrying goods.