Wednesday March 29, 2017
Kabul (BNA) Nangarhar, one of the country’s warm, ancient and historic provinces, has more than 2,000 historic monuments.
The province was originally part of the Achaemenid Empire, in the Gandhara satrapy (province). Related to the issue, provincial director of information and culture Awrang Samim told, “Nangarhar or evergreen is one of Afghanistan ancient and historic provinces having more than 2,000 historic monuments and cultural heritages as mosques, shrines, religious sites, Stupas and caves. “Unfortunately historic monuments and cultural heritages of Nangarhar as other provinces have not been registered so far by UNESCO. Although Nangarhar Provincial directorate of information and culture has continually asked relevant organs for registration of the province’s historic monuments by UNESCO and rebuilding the monuments by the international community, but no work has been done in this regard so far”, Samim added. Related to historic monuments of the province, Samim asserted that the most famous monuments and shrines of the provinces are the shrines of Dolkai Baba, Mia Ali Sahib, Akhond Musa Batt-e-Kot, Mia Sharif, Gardi Ghaws, Seraj-ul-Amart, Ghazi Amanullah Khan Mausoleum, Pacha Khan Mausoleum and there were other mausoleums of famous cultural and academic figures in the province. “Surkh Roud is Nangarhar’s key district where there are Stupas and Seraj-ul-Amarat is located and considered as one the province’s historic and ancient district”, Samim added.
Briefing related to protection of the province’s historic monuments, the provincial director of information and culture told, “You know that the Achaemendi Empire and Gandhara center was in Hada, which was destroyed nearly 35 years ago and fortunately ministry of information and culture and Nangarhar provincial directorate of information and culture are now protecting the province’s historic monuments”. Samim further said that Stupas of the province were under destruction and should be renovated like other historic monuments of the province as it was not only the responsibility of local government, but MoIC and UNESCO were both responsible for renovation and registration of the province’s historic monuments so that the evergreen province once again became a place for foreign and domestic tourists.
The province once had a museum called Hada Museum where all historic artifacts and monuments of the province were put for exhibition, but unfortunately the museum was set into fire during 1979 due to continued war and its all historic artifacts were looted by enemies. Currently there is a room used as museum in provincial directorate of information and culture, Samim asserted, adding that there are few artifacts in the museum, but other historic artifacts called as Hada historic monuments and artifacts are kept in Kabul museum. He asked relevant organs in particular ministry of information and culture for rebuilding Hada museum so that all artifacts relevant to Nangarhar would be kept and protected and put for exhibition again. Related to Hindus living in Nangarhar, provincial director of information and culture added that there were two religious temples one of them belonged to Sikhs and the other belonged to Hindus. Besides the two temples, there was a fountain which belonged to Hindus families having now close cooperation of the local government to hold their religious ceremonies.
Karima Malikzada
