Old Nuristan (Kafiristan) in pictures

shrine of Arom ( Kam tribal God ) Kamdesh Kafiristan , inside the wooden enclosure
 is a holy stone sacred to the God Arom . As God of contracts all
 oaths and treaties were taken and sealed at Aroms shrine .

the shrine of Mahandeo at Batrik - Bruhn Mumret valley Kalashadesh . 1929 - 1930

former Kalashi kot (tower) at Bruhn village

Aspai village - upper Bashgal valley Kafiristan = Gromma = holy dancing platform .
This village was visited and photographed by Sir Lovelock in 1885 ( Gilgit mission ect )
 , photos of village effigies and Kati lady in horned headdress are held at the London
 India office archive / British museum ect . This village was built like a fort with only 
1 entry point with all the houses facing inwards .

Upper Presun valley Kafiristan . This valley was scared to Mara (Imra- Dezau )
 the Great God of Kafiristan , here he had his largest and holiest temple along with several shrines , 
altars and other sacred spaces . 
Unlike the warlike other Kafiristani tribes the Presun valley tribe was peaceful and very religious .
The Presun tribe are considered to be among the first to settle the hindu kush .

The Mara Temple of Presun valley Kafiristan ( the spiritual centre of Kafiristan )
 known to the Kalashi as the Temple of Mahandeo , holiest site in all of Kafiristan.
 It had 7 large door's ( 5 of which were closed all the time ) 
on it's front side with several large effigy's of Mara ( Imra )and much lovely carving as well.
 A holy cave near by was used to offer
 sacrifice and was in Kafiristani mythology a direct entrance to
 the underworld of the Ancestor's ( one had to walk backwards 
to approach it as all those who looked at it were cursed ).
 In a house next door to the Temple was an iron pole
 that Imra himself had placed there = that was the axis mundi of the Kafiristani world
 . see Robersons - Kafirs of the Hindu Kush for a detailed description of the Temple .

Grompisht village - Urtzun valley Gromma = Holy dancing platform = Rikh'ini

before the shrine of Gy'iz Kamdesh Kafiristan

Imra's altar at the Kati village of Brumotul- Mumret valley - Kalasha desh

Kafiristani loving couple chair carving

Brumotul big man Kafiristani grave house

Waigal / Ashkungal area Kafiristani loving couple post

Kafiristani big man grave house Waigal valley

Imra's ( Dezau ) shrine and Sacred tree at Urtsun valley . 
The shrine's Kam influence is clear , this valley had a mixed
 Kalashi + Kam tribal society . 
A simple carving of Imra's face sits up top and is crowned with horns.

Imra's ( Dezau ) shrine and Sacred tree at Urtsun valley .
 The shrine's Kam influence is clear , this valley had 
a mixed Kalashi + Kam tribal society .
 A simple carving of Imra's face sits up top and is crowned with horns.

Kafiristani carving and a common Kalashi design
 too used to adorn doors and beams on there houses .

Dara = Kafiristani memorial gateway in Bashgul valley at the entrance to a side valley .
These , like the effigys were erected to honour Big Men in the community

 

winter rite at shrine of Dizane Kamdesh lower Bashgal valley 
Kafiristan = shrine is made in the Parun valley style , 
unlike the local flat roofed Bashgal valley type shrine. 
Imra's shrine can just be made out in the background , 
these shrine's were above Kamdesh and Imra and other god's had
 more shrine's below Kamdesh , there was all so a sacred pool below Kamdesh .

Altar of Sajigor Rukmu valley- Kalasha desh

Female Kafiristani effigy = horned ect

Kam woman dance to the Gods while there men raid .
The horned headdress that was used by the Bashgal valley
 women for religious dances and such .
The horns can be seen in female effigys ( todays Kalashi only make male effigys ).

Dal hero effigies - memorials to the brave

Presun valley Deity effigys = the square faced deity effigy is a Parun valley tradition .

farm house 

Kafiristani Tower

Mumret valley Kalasha desh

the Sajigor shrine of Rukmu valley

Kalashi Ancestor shrine Grom village - Rukmu valley - Kalasha desh

Brumotul house post's

Peck valley Kafiristani pillar

Kafiristani holy dance in traditional headdress

Weshi = wife of Mara = Great God of the Presun valley Kafiristan

Grom village gri = dancing ground , Rukmu valley

native Kafiristani dances

Kati Gromma = holy dancing platform Kunisht village
 - Rukmu valley - Kalasha desh .

Kamdesh Kafiristan shrine of Mother Goddess Dizane Kalashi
 - Jaztek ) dancing plat form ( Gromma ) below

High Priest of Lutdeh village Bashgul valley Kafiristan , 
walks beside altar and dancing ground = Gromma

below Kamdesh brave's practice

Brumotul village house carvings Mumret valley Kalasha desh.
 Brumotul was originally a small hamlet that protected the Kalashi from Kati raids
 ( just like Kunisht ), but after the conquest of Kafiristan by the Afgan's
 several hundred Kati and Kam tribal refugee's settled in 3 
of the then 5 Kalashi valleys of Urtsun - Mumret and Rumbur
 As well as 2 or 3 non Kalashi villages in the Chitral region

Kati Animist grave yard at Kunisht village Rukmu valley Kalasha desh

Shing - mou = horn altar , erected on Shing - brei = horn altar day
 - 1st day of Joshi spring festival . Rukmu valley

Imra stone at Brumotul village

Kunisht Kati village , upper Rukmu valley - Kalasha Desh

Kunisht village Gromma = holy dancing platform. Rukmu valley

Kunisht - Kati village - Rukmu valley - Gromma ( holy dancing plat form )

High Priests house Kamdesh

High Priests house Kamdesh

Bragmatal ( Lutdeh ) upper Bashgal valley kafiristan , it was from bragmatal 
 that a large part of the Brumotul , Kunisht Kati refugees came in the late 1890s 
.after the Afgans had destroyed all the temples and shrines , murdered many priests
 - Islamic mullas were sent in . Those in the upper Bashgal valley were all invited to 
Lutdeh were they were all killed to appease those spirits of the murdered
 , it was after this that several hundred Kati from upper Bashgal valley
 fled to Kalash a desh just as winter closed the mt passes behind them

old Dewa village Amol ( clan Temple ) - Presun (Parun) valley with Goddess statue

Kalashi and Kati effigys at Peshawar museum

Ramgul valley Kafiristan , this is in the western region of kafiristan
 ( Kalasha Desh is at the eastern end of Kafiristan )

tomb of Kafiristani big man Waigul valley

tomb of Kafiristani big man Waigul valley

Kafir rite - Kam tribal chief Priest in 1881 at Kamdesh village in the Bashgul valley

Brumbutol Grave yard

Holy dance at Kamdesh gromma ( dancing platform )

Kafiristani grave yard Bashgul valley

Dara = Kafiristani memorial gateway in Bashgul valley at the entrance to a side valley 
.These , like the effigys were erected to honour Big Men in the community .

Source: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kafiristan/400335726669585