Hindu Temples of Kabul

Kabul was the capital of the great Hindu Shahi kings.

Afghanistan was a great center of Vedic culture.

There were many Hindu temples in Afghanistan. Some temples in Kabul have survived the recent turmoil.

In Kabul, there are several Hindu temples:

• Old city: Dargaa, Asamai
• Shor Bazaar: Bhairo Mandir, Mangalwar Mandir, Guru Hari Rai Gurudwara
• Darwaza Lahuri: Baba Jothi Sorup Mandir

The Asamai temple is at the foothills of the central hill Koh-i-Asamai of the Afghan capital. The hill is named Asamai after Asha, the goddess of hope said to be present on the hilltop since ancient times. The Akhand Jyoti (continuous fire) there has been burning uninterrupted for many centuries. The temple and the Jyoti have survived numerous conflicts in Kabul and are reminders of Afghanistan under the Hindu Shahi kings. The Asamai temples of New York, Faridabad, Frankfurt and Amsterdam are named after the famous Kabul temple.

In Kandahar, there were Hindu temples in Shikarpuri Bazaar, Kabuli Bazaar and Jhampeer Sahib (near Sarpooza) and Devi-dwara (near Dand).

There have also been Hindu temples and Gurudwaras at Chasma Sahib, Sultanpur, Jalalabad, Ghazni, Helmand (Lashkerga).

The main Hindu residents of Afghanistan have been Mohyals, Khatris and Aroras, some other communities like Bhatias, and Brahmins other than Mohyals have also been present there.