Thousands of years before the founding of Islam in the seventh century, harmonious relations existed between India and Afghanistan.

- Dr. Makrand Mehta

- Hindu, Jain and Buddhist monks lived in Afghanistan (Kamboj Kingdom) and there were also temples. Ancient Sanskrit and Pali languages ​​mention "Gandhar" and Kamboja.

The origin of the word Afghanistan

The words 'Afghan' and 'Afghanistan' came into vogue in the tenth century AD. 'Stan' is a Persian word meaning home. The word 'Abgan' was also prevalent at that time. Ibn Batuta, a traveler from Morocco. "When I arrived in Kabul, I saw an Afghan militant group living around the mountains," he wrote in 1917.

However, at the root of these words, when the word 'Afghanistan' did not become a currency, the ancient Aryans called it 'Ashwakan'. 'Horse' means horse. In addition to 'Ashvakan', words like 'Gadhar' and 'Kamboj' are derived from ancient Sanskrit and Pali languages. Before the Aryans arrived in India, they lived in Europe and then Central Asia from the North Pole, and from there they crossed the Hindu Kush Mountains and entered North India. The Aryans came on horseback and then the Aryan rulers wanted to become ‘Chakravarti’ through the ‘Ashwamegh’ yajna. Thus there were close ties between the ancient Aryans and the Ashvakas (Afghanistan). Cultivating and plundering horses. They were big horsemen. Horses were exported to India at that time.

Ancient India and Afghanistan: Afghanistan was a monarchical state known as 'Gandhar'

Many references to 'Afghanistan' are found in the Rig Veda, Ramayana and Mahabharata. At that time Afghanistan was a monarchy called 'Gandhara'. Moreover, many references to the word 'Kamboj' are found in the Ramayana. Kamboj means today's Afghanistan. Its capital was Kandahar. 'Kamboj' and 'Kandahar' are also mentioned in the same way. Gandhari of Mahabharata was the daughter of Gandhara king and she was married to Andhraja Dhritarashtra of Kuruvamsha. The word 'Gandhar' is also associated with Buddhist, Hindu and Jain arts. Gandharvas were great musicians, architects and dancers. This is also the origin of 'Gandharva marriage'. The point is that the relationship between 'Hindustan', 'Afghanistan' and Central Asia is thousands of years old. It is harmonious.

In ancient times, Hindus, Jains and Buddhists invaded Afghanistan as well as Tashkent, Khokand, Samarkand, Bukhara and Baku. Today, Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan. The Hindus built a temple in a cave in Baku in Samvat 150 (AD 7). The words "Shri Ganesha Namah" were engraved on one of his plaques. Historical and archaeological evidence has been obtained.

In ancient times, Afghanistan was the military and political meeting place of Asian countries. At that time Gujarat was connected with various countries of the world through ports like Dwarka, Bharuch, Valabhi, Ghogha and Khambhat. Gujarat was involved in trade through Afghanistan, Central Asia, Arab countries, Africa and as far as Europe through the Roman Empire.

Ancient Gujarat and Afghanistan

The Arabian Sea has played a pivotal role in the commercial as well as cultural development of Gujarat. Ports like Lothal, Bharuch, Veraval, Dwarka, Porbandar, Hathav, Khambhat, Bhadreshwar, Mandvi and Surat were connected with foreign ports by the Arabian Sea. Gujarat, on the other hand, was as far as Kabul, Kandahar, Lahore and Peshawar by land. The world-famous "Silk Route" during the reign of the Mauryan and Chinese Han dynasties connected Gujarat, Iran, Afghanistan, Arabia, Sri Lanka, Java, Sumatra, China, Egypt, Africa and Rome by trade.

The Dwarka and Kamboj (today's Afghanistan and Pakistan) route, on the other hand, was open to Vanzaras and traders. In the first century AD, a Greek sailor, Rachel, in his treatise Periplus of the Erathian Sea, described the port of Bharuch as "Barigza" and described the countries to Afghanistan as "Barbatikum". Dried fruits reach Bharuch port through carts through borders. And Bharuch it is sold in foreign markets.

Afghanistan (Kamboj Kingdom) was inhabited by Hindu, Jain and Buddhist monks and there were also temples. Ancient Sanskrit and Pali languages ​​mention "Gandhar" and Kamboja. In ancient times, Gujarat and India's relations with Afghanistan were harmonious. The dominance of Muslim rulers in Central Asia increased in the eighth century AD and after the spread of Islam in various countries.

During the 19th and 19th centuries, Afghanistan was ruled by three powers. The Khanate of Bukhara from the north, the Shia Safavid Sharqi of Iran from the west, and the Sunni Mughals of India from the east, the Mughals of India and the Safavids of Persia considered Afghanistan a key region in terms of military and political strategy. Even today, Afghanistan is a very important strategic country for India; Especially in the case of Pakistan !! Today, the Taliban's Afghanistan and Pakistan, the same source of terrorism, are a major threat to India if they agree. However, in the Middle Ages, Afghanistan was invaded by foreigners. Mughal politics towards Afghanistan was full of caution. (In order)