Hazarajat, also known as Hazaristan, is a historical region right in the centre of Afghanistan. The centre of Afghanistan is known for one thing, and that's its mountains. The traditional inhabitants are, surprise surprise, the Hazara people. At different points during their history, they have effectively ruled themselves, although like all of Afghanistan, they have also been ruled by an ever-growing list of empires from the Mongols to the Mughals, from the Seleucids to the Achaemenids.
The Hazara have traditionally been one of the most persecuted groups in Afghanistan. And that's a pretty big claim, considering this is Afghanistan we are talking about. A country that has been in an almost constant state of conflict for centuries. Unless you know what you're talking about, or are in very close comfortable company, it's usually best to avoid conversations about these issues. On one of our earliest tours, a student of politics from the UK proceeded to ask some locals questions about the Hazara people and their treatment, but received a much colder response than he was expecting. Everyone all of a sudden got tense and eventually one Afghani individual asked him politely if he wouldn't mind dropping the subject.
The main thing to see in this region is Bamiyan. In fact, few people would ever have heard the phrase Hazarajat, while a large percentage of people will have heard of Bamiyan. Bamiyan is famous for something that is no longer there – the largest Buddha statue in the world. In 2001 the statues were blown up by the Taliban, however the alcove in the side of the mountain where the statue once stood is impressive in itself.
The second most famous site in the region is the world heritage listed Band-e-Amir. This series of six lakes contains some of the most beautiful blue water you will have ever seen in your life. Band-e-Amir translates to the Commander’s Dam, which is a direct reference to Ali, one of the early Islamic leaders. If these lakes were in any other country there would be jet boats skimming across the surface, 5-star hotels on the shoreline and souvenir shops bottling the water for some purported health benefits. However, since this is Afghanistan, chances are you'll be the only foreign tourists there experiencing this unique, barely touched beauty.
Getting there is relatively easy now, a few hours’ drive from Kabul, or a 40 minute flight. Before the American/NATO exit, it was a much more dangerous route to take, however now it’s an easy scenic trip through one of the most stunning parts of the world. Once you get to Bamiyan, it is extremely safe, probably the safest town in Afghanistan. It’s also extremely relaxed and a very comfortable place for tourists to engage the local culture.
The Hazarajat is now a region which really only exists in the minds of a small group of ethnic nationalists who think the Hazara should have their own state of sorts. Although there have been attempts at autonomy as recently as the 1990s, the main problem is the Hazara only make up a small number of people and have dispersed across the whole country, as well as overseas, as work opportunities and conflict have moved them, thus the idea of their own rule has become a distant dream.
