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Information About

Helmand River




The Helmand rises in the Hindu Kush , some 50 km to the west of Kabul , flows roughly south-west for about 1130 km, and empties into the Seistan swamps, the Hamun Lake Hamun-i-Helmand , around Zabol at the Iran-Afghan border.

The ancient overland route from the lower Indus River ( Sind ) followed this river passing by Kandahar to southern Persia and the Persian Gulf . The hot, steamy conditions in the Helmand Valley were well suited for the breeding of Elephants , the ancient equivalent of tanks.

The Helmand has been suggested as a possible identity of the Vedic Saraswati River .


REFERENCES

  • Frye, Richard N. (1963). ''The Heritage of Persia''. World Publishing company, Cleveland, Ohio. Mentor Book edition, 1966.

  • Toynbee, Arnold J. (1961). ''Between Oxus and Jumna''. London. Oxford University Press.

  • Vogelsang, W. (1985). "Early historical Arachosia in South-east Afghanistan; Meeting-place between East and West." ''Iranica antiqua'', 20 (1985), pp. 55-99.