BBC - In the footsteps of Alexander (The Kalash) 23

In the footsteps of Alexander the Great:

In this award winning adventure Micheal Wood embarks on a 2000 mile journey in the foot steps of Alexander's triumphal march from Greece to India. Travelling with Lebanese traders, Iranian pilgrims and Afghan guerillas, by jeep, train, boat, camel and on foot, he interweaves the momentous events of the past with present day reality and brings us new insights into a man whose myth and acheivements still resonate down the centuries

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The culture of Kalash people is unique and differs drastically from the various ethnic groups surrounding them. They are polytheists and nature plays a highly significant and spiritual role in their daily life. As part of their religious tradition, sacrifices are offered and festivals held to give thanks for the abundant resources of their three valleys.Kalash mythology and folklore has been compared to that of ancient Greece, but they are much closer to Indo-Iranian (Vedic and pre-Zoroastrian) traditions. According to one of their legends, Kalash people are the descendants of Alexander the Great's soldiers who settled and ruled the area after the expedition. The following statement made by a Kalash named Kazi Khushnawaz indicates Kalash people main belief for the origin of their culture:

"Long long ago, before the days of Islam, Sikander e Aazem came to India. The Two Horned one whom you British people call Alexander the Great. He conquered the world, and was a very great man, brave and dauntless and generous to his followers. When he left to go back to Greece, some of his men did not wish to go back with him but preferred to stay here. Their leader was a general called Shalakash (i.e: Seleucus). With some of his officers and men, he came to these valleys and they settled here and took local women, and here they stayed. We, the Kalash, the Black Kafir of the Hindu Kush, are the descendants of their children. Still some of our words are the same as theirs, our music and our dances, too; we worship the same gods. This is why we believe the Greeks are our first ancestors."

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Documentary
• History
• Ancient
• Greece
• Macedonia
• Macedonians
• Thessaloniki
• Alexander
• the
• Great
• Greek
• Greeks
• Hellenistic
• Hellenism
• Empire
• Pakistan
• Afghanistan
• Peshawar
• Kabul
• Kandahar
• Kalash
• Hindu
• Kush
• Persia
• Persian
• Iran
• War
• Battle
• Blood
• Hero

[mbbugi]

IMMEDIATELY, KALASH NEEDS HELP urgently,Please help 20 Kalash houses are destroyed,three water mills few hotels run and operated by Kalash, are swept away, Kalash storage houses are destroyed,Small wooden storage areas where they store grain ,Like Barley wheat,corn maize are Broken ,i know mr Athanasious Lorenus, since a lot of Years,and the GREAT work he has done, Please send a message to him Kalash needs help,LETS NOT MAKE FAVORITISM among kalash but try to help KALASH in this hour of need,

[stump229]

those red beards are dope

[ClearMindedOne]

This has been a misconception. I have heard many people say that the light people in the middle east and beyond we're remnants of Alexander the Great. Many on this blog have it right in that genetic studies have confirmed that they are genetically unrelated to the Hellenic Greeks. Many Indo-European tribes migrated to Asia thousands of years before.

[ClearMindedOne]

This has been a l

[ratzP]

and where do the gypsy-Monkeys of FYROM fit in all this??

[milesbetrov]

I have travelled in countless countries but never have I seen a country as beautiful but misrepresented as that like Pakistan. The valleys, the mountains the rivers the lush green fields, the wildlife, the culture and f course the diverse people make for a travellers paradise.

[mmaakkiinn]

HOW BIG GRECO-ROMAN HISTORY IS....two small countries with a history so big ....that other big countries combined dont have,,,and again I quote"JEALOUSY is a MF"

[mmaakkiinn]

Magna Græcia (Latin meaning "Great Greece", Greek: Μεγάλη Ἑλλάς, Megálē Hellás) is the name of the coastal areas of Southern Italy on the Tarentine Gulf that were extensively colonized by Greek settlers; particularly the Achaean colonies of Tarentum, Crotone, and Sybaris, but also, more loosely, the cities of Cumae and Neapolis to the north.[1] The colonists, who began arriving in the 8th century BC