Zargaran, Parwan (Cave at)

Various descriptions

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Sort of a lost (?) cave entrance or cave, complete with steps leading down into it, reported MASSON (1842-1844, iii: 116-117) from the summit of the eminence on which Zirgaran is seated, … the entrance to a cave, which, although in a measure closed up, we could easily see once led by flights of steps downwards. The people represented, that within memory it was practicable to reach the bottom, where the stairs terminated in a spacious chamber, surmounted with a gumbuz or cupola. An account so sober and probable, that I felt conviction it was true. ETYMOLOGY: FOUCHER (1924a: 160) translates zargaran as goldsmith. SITUATION: Zirgaran (MASSON 1844: 116-117) or Zargaran (FOUCHER 1924a: 160) has been positioned as Zargaran at N34°47'31“: E69°03'24“ (WGS84 nima.mil/geonames accessed 04.10.2003) and falls on AIMS sheet PI42-07 (May 2002 edition). APPROACH: MASSON (1842-1844, iii: 116-117) reached Zirgaran from the taluk of Kah Dara [not identified]. On the ravine opposite is seated the smller village of Killa Kazi. On the line of road east of Bedak is the castle called Killa Wasil [note 1] … Hence we proceeded to the large village Kah Dara, which has an abundance of gardens and vineyards, and is the capital of the taluk, … The rivulet here is considerable, and termed the river of Kah Dara. We next made it to a village of Kodowla, with a small rivulet … Beyond we entered the taluk of Ferzah, passing on out left the Afghan hamlet of Bostan [note 2]. Thence made our way through orchards, with castles and villages to the right and left, until we reached Zirgaran, seated on an eminence, south of a stream called the river of Ferzah [note 3] … The village commanded an extensive view of the Kohistan, and as well as Koh Daman [note 4], I took bearings and made observations from it during the remainder of the day.