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Magical Lake of Band e Amir - Afghanistan

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  Quote Afghanan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Magical Lake of Band e Amir - Afghanistan
    Posted: 23-Feb-2006 at 19:05

Band e Amir

 

There are many versions regarding their creation, all of which, however, concern Barbar, an infidel king who ruled the lands of the Hindu Kush with a heavy hand, and his confrontation with Hazrat Ali who was performing all manner of miraculous deeds within the kings territory. Barbar was also highly annoyed at the same time by the fact that although he had sent 1000 slaves to build a dam downstream from his capital, all their efforts had gone for naught; the river simply refused to be contained. Being thus thwarted his already irascible personality became even more overbearing and his people suffered. One victim was a young man whose wife and children had been imprisoned because he could not pay an exorbitant sum unjustly demanded of him. In desperation he went in search of the Hazrat Ali who he found near Samangan. Together they devised a plan whereby the young man was to bind Hazrat Ali and, without disclosing his true identity, offer him for sale to Barbar as a slave.

Barbar liked the look of the slave and agreed to purchase him for his weight in gold on three conditions: first, the slave was to build the dam the king so much desired; secondly, he should kill the dragon of Bamiyan; and thirdly, he should bring Ali to him in chains. Furthermore, all these tasks were to be completed in one day! The court laughed mightily at the kings joke, and at the discomfort of the needy young man.

But Hazrat Ali became so angry that he strode to the mountain top and there with a mighty kick he hurled down great masses of rocks to form the Band-i-Haibat. Then he picked up his sword and with one mighty stroke sliced off another huge hunk of the mountain to form the Band-i-Zulfiqar. Meanwhile, Alis groom, Kambar, aided his master by building the Band-i-Kambar and, because of Alis presence, the slaves who had labored so long at last completed their task, the Band-i-Ghulaman. A nomadic woman who witnessed these fabulous deeds then presented a cheese she had just made in token of her esteem. The Hazrat Ali placed the cheese in the river where it became the Band-i-Panir where fragrant mint grows next to it at the Band-i-Pudina.

But the dam building had been too successful and downstream the villagers cried out in alarm as they watched the river become a dried up stony bed. Apprised of their fears, Ali simply drew his fingers across the Band-i-Haibat and five channels began to flow with exactly the right amount of water needed for the fields.

The dams built, Ali then proceeded to kill the dragon of Bamiyan (see Chapter 7, No. 3, Darya Ajdahar) and then he revealed himself to Barbar who was so overcome that he immediately embraced the Muslim faith.

The nomadic woman who presented the cheese for the Band-i-Panir was the ancestress of the family which cares for the shrine at Band-i-Amir. Mohammad, the present caretaker, holds school classes on the upper floor of the shrine and he will be happy to show visitors around (remove shoes before entering shrine). A small contribution for the upkeep of the school and the shrine is appropriate.

Source:  Dupree, Nancy Hatch.  "An  Historical Guide to Afghanistan."  Chapter 8.

More Photos of the Crystal Blue Lakes of Band e Amir:

 

 

 

 



Edited by Afghanan
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  Quote Zagros Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23-Feb-2006 at 19:09
wow, amazing...
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  Quote Behi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23-Feb-2006 at 19:14
Tnx for sharing Afghanan,
Whare is it??would you show it on map
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  Quote Gharanai Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-Feb-2006 at 07:39
Those pictures are really mind blowing!
Fantastic post brother, really I was looking for some pictures of Band-e-Amir, and got some nice ones.



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  Quote Gharanai Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-Feb-2006 at 08:22

Dear brother Afghanan,
 If you don't mind I would like to answer to Land of Aryan.
***
Dear,
 Band-e-Amir refers to five lakes high in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Central Afghanistan near the famous Buddhas of Bamyan. They were created by limestone deposits. They are located at 34 deg 50 min 23 sec North, 67 deg 13 min 51 sec East.

Below are some pictures showing the exact location of it on a map.



Edited by Gharanai


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  Quote malizai_ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-Feb-2006 at 11:58

WOW!!

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  Quote Behi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-Feb-2006 at 15:05
Thanks
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  Quote malizai_ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-Feb-2006 at 18:05

I am surprised i havent seen it in any movies.

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  Quote Afghanan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-Feb-2006 at 12:13

Feroz Khan of Bollywood fame made a movie in Afghanistan in the 70's although I can't remember the name.  I know that they did visit the valley of Bamian, although I haven't seen if they visited Band e Amir.

He later made a movie called "Janasheen" and said he would revisit the country but budget constraints made him instead film it in India, and he even plagiarized a few scenes from the 1989 film - "The Beast" starring Eddy Bauer.

 

 

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  Quote malizai_ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-Feb-2006 at 12:21
thankf for the info
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  Quote Afghanan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-Mar-2006 at 14:42

More Pictures:

 

 

 

The perceptive man is he who knows about himself, for in self-knowledge and insight lays knowledge of the holiest.
~ Khushal Khan Khattak
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  Quote Afghanan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Jul-2006 at 19:33
I want to be swimming here right now.  Cool
The perceptive man is he who knows about himself, for in self-knowledge and insight lays knowledge of the holiest.
~ Khushal Khan Khattak
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  Quote Ave1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23-Jul-2006 at 10:09
STUNNING
"Not one American Christian in a hundred realizes that if he lived in Israel, he would be the victim of official discrimination forced...to carry an identification card" - Joseph Sobran
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