Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, lived a community who worshipped the same Gods and celebrated the same festivals as you and I do. They built holy temples and massive forts, forged dynasties that ruled vast masses of land. They maintained their bond with their original homeland- India, even whilst staying true to their Afghan soil.
The Hindus of Afghanistan, however, slowly lost power. They were expelled from their homes in the charming Gandhara. They were looted, enslaved, converted and slaughtered- but they still persisted.
More recently, the Taliban's rule from 1996-2001 was especially dark. They were once again evicted from their lands, their women were harassed to the extent that they would not venture outside their homes. Hindu institutions were shut down and children were surreptitiously taught the Bhagvad Gita at their homes. Sometimes, they were even killed. In a horrible throwback to Nazi Germany, Hindus and Sikhs were mandated to wear yellow clothing for easy identification.
Even through all this and so much more, the Hindus of Afghanistan kept alive their faith. The Asamai Temple, at the foot of the hills Koh-i-Asamai in Kabul, is a shrine dedicated to Devi Asha, literally meaning the Goddess of Hope. At the temple burns the 'Akhand Jyoti' or the Eternal Flame of Asamai which is said to be aflame since 4,000 years. The Hindu community, along with their Sikh brothers and sisters (together called Hindki) came together regularly to offer their prayers to the Goddess for centuries together. This worship- to keep aflame the Fire of Asamai- persisted even as the two communities began to flee Afghanistan- some to India, some to other countries- as they saw Islamists take over the country they once very much belonged to.
Today, there is just one Hindu in Afghanistan.
Raja Ram, the priest of the Hindu Temple at Ghazni remains, clinging on to this faith, having lost everything but his devotion to the Gods. In a land that has now been divided between the "believers" and the "non-believers", the quiet courage and firm devotion of that priest is an act of valiant resistance.
But this resistance is an ancient one, displayed by our own ancestors as they resolutely built Somnath every time Ghazni raided it. It is a resistance that after the Delhi and the Madurai Sultanate, the Vijayanagara Kings liberated Madurai and rebuilt the glorious Meenakshi Amman Kovil. It is the resistance that the Goan Hindus showed as they faced the wrath of the Goan Inquisition. It is that resistance that Kashmiri Pandits show, even after being ethnically cleansed. This has happened before, this will happen again.
But the resistance takes its toll. A lot of our heritage has been lost, civilizational memory has been forgotten, too much blood has been spilt. And today, the Hindu character of Afghanistan, along with the Sikhi and the Buddhist elements, is on the verge of a complete wipeout. One lone priest stands between the Taliban and their goal.
The fire of Asamai may now die out.
At this sombre junction of our history, it is our duty as Indian Hindus to preserve their memory, educate ourselves about our Hindu brethren in other lands, pray for the safety of Raja Ram and others like him and to help out refugees in India or elsewhere in any way possible. And importantly, it is time we learn to check our effing privilege.
Every time we shit on our festivals and Gods, we must remind ourselves to be modest; people have died for the right to religious worship that we take for granted.
And someday, somehow, even if the physical fire of Asamai is extinguished, and her temple is reduced to rubble, may we gather the strength to rekindle the Fire. Until then, we must let it burn in our hearts.
Read more: https://gandhara.rferl.org/a/ghazni-residents-mourn-the-loss-of-hindu-sikh-neighbors-/30854326.html
https://rajatmitra.co.in/the-last-hindu-of-afghanistan/
https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/neighbours/story/20011217-afghanistan-hindu-sikh-families-retain-cultural-practices-under-hostile-taliban-regime-774879-2001-12-17
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