CANDAHAR, the capital of the above province, and a large and populous city. Its form is that of a square or oblong; and as it was built at once on a fixed plan, it has the advantage of great regularity. All the four great streets or bazaars in the city meet in a central point, where there is a circular space of about forty or fifty yards in diameter, covered with a dome. This place is called the Chaursoo. It is surrounded with shops, and may be considered as the public market-place, where proclamations are made, and where the bodies of criminals are exposed to the view of the populace. The four streets are each about fifty yards broad. The sides consist of shops of the same size and plan, all one storey in height, with the lofty houses of the town overlooking them from behind; and in front runs an uniform veranda, along the whole length of the street. There are gates at the entrance of the streets, with the exception of the northern one, where stands the king's palace facing the Chaursoo. All the other streets run from these four; and though they are narrow, they are all straight, and almost all cross each other at right angles. This city, however, though it is more regular in its plan than most of the cities of Asia, has but a mean appearance, being built for the most part of brick, often with no other cement than mud. It is divided into various quarters, which are attached to the respective tribes and nations which form the inhabitants of the city. Almost all the great nobles of the Dooranee tribe have houses in Candahar, and some of them are said to be large and elegant. Among the common people the Hindus have the best houses, which they are in the practice of building very high. There are many caravanserais and mosques; but of the latter, one only near the palace is said to be handsome. The palace is not remarkable; but it contains several courts, many buildings, and a private garden. Near the palace stands the tomb of Ahmed Shah, which is not a large building, but has a handsome cupola, and is elegantly painted, gilt, and otherwise ornamented within. Twelve smaller tombs of the children of the deceased shah are ranged about the principal one, and many texts of the Koran strewed around afford solemn impressions to the Mohammedan visitors. An establishment of Moollas is attached to the tomb, and one of their number constantly attends in the building. The city is well watered by two large canals from the river Urghundaub, which are crossed in different places by small bridges. From these canals small water-courses run to almost every street in the town, which are in some parts open, and in others are under ground. Candahar is a place of great resort: its principal business arises from the transit trade, which brings a large number of foreigners in proportion to the resident population. Hence there is a surprising diversity of costumes in the bazaars. The Turcoman merchants from Buckhara and Samarcand frequent the markets of Candahar, whence they transport into their own country a considerable quantity of indigo and other commodities. Candahar so far differs from the other cities in Afghanistan, that the greater part of the inhabitants are Afghans, and of these the greater number of
Candaulus the Dooranee tribe. The other inhabitants are the same as those in the province, being an assemblage from the different nations of the East. Candahar is surrounded with gardens and orchards, and many places of worship, which are more frequently scenes of pleasure than of devotion. About two miles to the north of the city stands the fortress of Candahar, on the top of a precipitous rock, which, before the introduction of cannon, was considered impregnable. This fortress was in very early times the residence of a Hindu prince. In the beginning of the eleventh century it was in possession of the Afghan tribes, from whom it was taken by Sultan Mahmud of Ghizne. It was afterwards captured by the troops of Ghenghis Khan in the beginning of the thirteenth century, and by those of Timur in the fourteenth. In 1507 it was taken by the Emperor Baber, but was soon afterwards recovered by the Afghans. In 1521 Baber again got possession of it, after a long siege. Homayon, the son of Baber, when he was expelled from the throne of Hindustan, agreed to make over the fort and district of Candahar to the Persian monarch, in return for the aid which he gave them. But repenting of his promise, he again got possession of the fortress, which by its strength defied all the efforts of the Persians to reduce it. It remained an appendage of Hindustan until the year 1625, when it was taken by Shah Abbas the Great, and being surrendered by treachery, was recovered in 1649, and was successfully defended against Aurungzebe with an army of 50,000 men. Three years after, he was again compelled to retreat from it with disgrace. It remained in possession of Persia till 1709, when it was taken by an Afghan tribe. It was retaken by Nadir Shah, after a siege of two years; and on his assassination, it was taken in 1747 by Ahmed Shah, the chief of the Abdallies, who thereby laid the foundation of the Afghan power. Under Ahmed Shah, Candahar was the seat of government, which was removed to Cabul by his successor. On the dismemberment of Afghanistan, subsequent to the expulsion of Shah Shooja, the brothers of Dost Mahomed established themselves in Candahar, and levied contributions over the neighbouring districts. Their weak and pernicious rule was terminated by the occupation of their capital by a British force in 1839. The army of occupation, notwithstanding the frequent and desperate attacks of the natives, made good the defence until the autumn of 1842, when it finally evacuated the place, and commenced its triumphant march on Ghuznee and Cabul. Lat. 31. 37., Long. 65. 28. See AFGHANISTAN.