Trip to Afghan minaret proves a satisfying end to mission

The Afghan elections were over, as was my mission in the center of a country that is slowly recovering from more than two decades of war. I had not been able to visit much of the country during my stay, so I grabbed the chance to make a road trip to the minaret and archaeological remains of Jam as I departed Ghor Province.

The Minaret of Jam is one of the ancient monuments in Afghanistan that has survived centuries of earthquakes, floods, decades of war and the destructive acts of the Taliban. Standing at nearly 215 feet, this 12th-century brick tower was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2002, along with its surrounding archaeological remains.

After being forgotten by the outside world, the minaret and archaeological remains were rediscovered in 1957, leaving historians to ponder why the monument was left standing by Genghis Khan’s Mongol hordes, who devastated the region in 1221. The Minaret of Jam is one of 60 towers dating between the 11th and 13th centuries that remains in Afghanistan, Iran and the Central Asian Republics.

As the United Nations’ provincial officer for Ghor Province, I met with many people who were helping rebuild the province. After being on the ground for six months, it was hard to say goodbye, especially to those who truly did or will make a difference.

All of Ghor’s election complaints were resolved, the election results were final and, more importantly, the results were accepted by both the international and local communities. So I went to say goodbye to the governor, whose political leadership was paramount during the political campaign and disarmament periods. And U.S. Army Capt. Bill Lamar, who led the Embedded Training Team that guided and trained the Afghan National Army in security tactics, came to my office to say his farewells.

A final visit to the colonel of the Lithuanian army, which was taking the lead in the province’s reconstruction efforts, proved very beneficial as the Lithuanian president was also visiting his troops within Ghor. The reconstruction of the province had become a campaign issue for the election. The province has little infrastructure, no basic communications, no electricity and few usable roads; candidates used these issues to promote their campaigns.

Members of my security team, drivers and I departed for the minaret at 4 a.m. to maximize the day’s light. We figured that following the Hari River would get us there in about six hours, pending no unforeseeable events.

Even the drive became an experience as our convoy made its way along a makeshift road to our destination. One hour into the trip, part of the road gave way and one vehicle in our convoy lost control and went down an embankment. It took some time, but we managed to retrieve the vehicle, get it operational and continue on our voyage.

But following the camel paths along the river created many photo opportunities with the blue sky, desert landscape or mountain gorges as a backdrop.

As we moved from village to village, we were able so see the people who were going to be affected most by the elections. There was little Abdul, who was sick in his clay-walled room without a clinic nearby, and Anisa, who was busy retrieving water from the river in two large jars. We passed many temporary settlements for the Kuchi — the local nomads who travel as tribes throughout Afghanistan — and the Kuchis themselves, who were on the move with their camels and herds. And then there was Akhbar, who was tending to more than 100 sheep; one day he will campaign to be a leader among the Kuchis.

Then the road disappeared, every path gone. The river became our highway. During this time of year the river becomes low enough to drive through, but it’s a slow and difficult pace. Now a small rockslide impeded our journey in a 3,000-foot-high gorge. After clearing the road we proceeded around the mountain bend — and there it was.

The leaning minaret stood upon its eroding foundation, which may have been the ancient city of Firuzkuh, the Ghorid Dynasty capital from 1148 to 1214. Built entirely of baked bricks, the circular minaret rests on an octagonal base and is topped by a lantern. Several balconies divide the minaret’s stucco and blue-glazed ceramic decoration as its calligraphy and geometric patterns form the second tallest brick tower in the world. An inscription on the minaret gives 1194 as the date of construction and thus commemorates the Ghorids’ victory over the Ghaznevids in 1192.

The town of Firuzkuh would later be destroyed by the Mongols in 1222 and the small mosque to which the minaret belonged was possibly destroyed by a flood. The ruins of the palace and other fortifications also remain on the surrounding cliffs. For centuries, this tower was forgotten by the outside world.

The quality of the Ghorids’ architecture and decoration was noteworthy. The minaret truly represented a culmination of an artistic and architectural tradition for the region. Eight hours after our departure, I could now say my mission was complete.

Joe Apodaca II was the United Nation’s provincial officer for Afghanistan’s Ghor Province. He now lives in Kosovo. E-mail him at stripestraveler@yahoo. com.