# Istalif

Istālif (Pashto and Dari: استالف) is a mostly Tajik village 29 kilometres (18 mi) northwest of Kabul, Afghanistan, situated at an elevation of 1,693 metres (5,554 ft) in the Shomali Plains, west of Kalakan and south-west of Bagram. It is the center of Istalif District, Kabul Province, Afghanistan.

## Etymology

Its name might derive from Greek staphile ("bunch of grapes") or Parachi estuf ("cow-parsnip").

## History

Istalif was always renowned as one of the most beautiful places in Afghanistan – the Emperor Babur fell in love with it in the 16th century and used to hold parties in his rose garden and summer house there. Alexander Burnes, a British political agent to Dost Mohammed in the 19th century, had come here to relax amid the plane and walnut trees. He described that the mountains streams are full of fishes and the orchards and vineyards are richest.
Charles Masson, a British spy and explorer, traveled to Istalif before the Anglo-Afghan War and described it in his narratives:
"Istalif is one of the most picturesque spots which can be conceived; all that a combination of natural beauties can achieve we behold here in perfection: their effect is not diminished, but rather augmented by the rude appearance of the houses of the town. The scenery of the country around is extensive and grand, in happy unison with the keeping of the whole picture. The people of the country have a proverb, that he who has not seen Istalif has nothing seen."
Masson indicated that almost every household had an orchard, and most of the population worked in manufacturing as weavers.
During the final phase of the First Anglo-Afghan War, as General Pollock's Army of Retribution marched into Kabul, many families fled to Istalif. On September 29, 1842, British troops were dispatched, which surrounded the town, attacked, and then systemically pillaged it. The British and Indian soldiers set fire to the cotton cloth of their victims and burnt them alive. They raped and massacred women and children as well. Five hundred women and children were captured. British troops, under Major General McCaskill, were ordered to burn the town.
Istalif became a focal point of tension following Habibullāh Kalakāni overthrowing Amanullah Khan, the King of Afghanistan. Most of the people of Istalif supported Habibullah, who hailed from a neighboring town in the Shomali Plain. Civil war followed Habibullah's uprising and fighting ensued in Istalif in 1929. Eventually, Mohammad Nadir Shah, a General under Amanullah Khan, became king. In retribution and because he was beholden to the Pashtun tribes who supported him, Mohammad Nadir Shah gave them permission to raid and loot Istalif, along with the rest of the Shomali Plain.
Until 1998, Istalif was a breadbasket for the region and surrounded by lush orchards growing grapes, roses and wheat. That year, the Taliban cut down trees, burnt homes, and killed livestock to punish the villagers for supporting the Northern Alliance's leader, Ahmad Shah Massoud. The village began rebuilding itself after 2002.

## Ceramics

Istalif is the center of ceramics in Afghanistan and especially well-known for its unique turquoise color. The glaze to create the color comes from the ishkar plant, a desert plant found in Balkh, located in northern Afghanistan. In Istalif, pottery can pass on several generations in the same family.

## Gallery

* Postcard of Istalif, circa 1950s
* Inside Istalif after the Taliban war