Kafiristan is a mountainous region of the
Hindu Kush that was isolated and politically independent until the conquest by
Afghan conquest of 1896. The region became a refuge of an old group of
Indo-European people probably mixed with an older substratum, as well as a refuge of a distinct Kafiri group of
Indo-Iranian languages, forming part of the wider
Dardic languages. The inhabitants were known as "
kafirs" due to their enduring polytheism (closely related to Vedic religion) while other regions around them became Muslim. However, the influence from district names in Kafiristan of Katwar or Kator and the ethnic name Kati has also been suggested. The Kafirs were divided into
Siyah-Posh, comprising five sub-tribes who spoke
Katɘ language while the others were called
Safed-Posh comprising Paruni, Waigeli, Wamai and Ashkun. The Nuristani/Kafir people practiced a form of ancient Hinduism, infused with accretions developed locally. Kafirs represent non-Rigvedic Aryans, identical with the
Dasas. That their ancestors were pre-Rigvedic Aryans can be inferred from linguistic, ethnological and theological evidence. The Kafiri/Nuristani languages contain certain phonetic features not found in
Indo-Iranian languages. Their chief deity is Imra i.e.
Yamaraja which was brought there by the Dasas who worshipped Asuras especially Yama and
Varuna. Their primary goddess was Disani. They also worshipped
Indra or Inder.
Invasion of Timur (1398) On his way to India, Timur attacked the Siyah-Posh in 1398 A.D. after receiving complaints from the trading city of
Andarab by raids from Kafirs. He penetrated it from Khawak pass and restored an old fortress there. Timur personally proceeded against the Kator/Katwar and sent a detachment of 10,000 soldiers against
Siyah-Poshas under Burhan Aglan and had the fort of Kator/Katwar deserted by Kafirs destroyed while the houses of the city were burnt. The Kafirs took refuge on top of a hill and many were killed in the ensuing clash. Some held out for three days but agreed to convert after Timur offered them the choice between death and Islam. They however soon apostatised and ambushed Muslim soldiers in the night. They were however repelled and a number of the Kafirs were killed, with 150 taken prisoner and later executed. Timur ordered his men "to kill all the men, to make prisoners of women and children, and to plunder and lay waste all their property." His soldiers carried out the order and he directed them to build a tower of skulls of the dead Kafirs. Timur had his expedition engraved on a neighboring hill in the month of Ramazan. His detachment sent against Siyah-Posh however met with disaster with Aglan routed and fleeing. A small detachment of 400 men under Muhammad Azad was sent and defeated the Kafirs, retrieving the horses and armour Aglan lost. Timur captured a few places later, though nothing more is stated, presumably he left the Siyah-Posh alone. He then proceeded to exterminate the rebellious Afghan tribes and crossed the Sindhu river in September 1398. Emir
Abdur Rahman Khan invaded Kafiristan in the winter of 1895-1896 and captured it in 40 days according to his autobiography. Columns invaded it from the west through Panjshir to Kullum, the strongest fort of the region. The columns from the north came through
Badakhshan and from the east through
Asmar. A small column also came from south-west through
Laghman. A small number of Kati refugee's escaped across the border into Kalash territory which was on the British side . Villages were founded in a number of valley's with Brumbutal in the
Bumboret valley and Kunisht in a neighbouring Kalash valley, however these to would become Islamic within a generation . The Kafirs were converted to Islam and resettled in Laghman while the region was settled by veteran soldiers and other Afghans. Kafiristan was renamed as
Nooristan. The former Kafiristan's people were renamed Nuristani (The Enlightened Ones) from the proper noun Nuristan (Land of Enlightenment). Presently they are known by Nuristani Kata or simply Kata.
Georg Morgenstierne visited the
Bumboret Valley in 1929 during his field work on
Nuristani (Kafir) languages. He encountered the two last remaining unconverted "Kafir" priests of the region, called Bagashai and Kareik. Bagashai deceased after 1935. Around 1890, the Katir Kafir
division was further sub-divided as under: • The Katirs of
Bashgul Valley. • The Katirs or the
Kti Valley, • The Kulam Katirs of the
Kulam country and • The Ramguli Katirs of
Ramgul Valley. • The Kata of Chitral:
Gobor,
Rumbur,
Bumboret • The Jana Matongdir Katirs of
Ozhor Valley. ==See also==