Previously known as Kafiristan Province, this mountainous, remote province is located east of Kabul with a population of 220,870. The Sunni Muslim population speaks several languages, with Indian and Iranian elements. Their culture is unique, perhaps protected from foreign invaders and influences by the mountains, and the people, with their predominantly blue eyes and blonde or red hair, have intrigued experts for centuries. Nuristani graves are adorned with statues, some examples of which were stored in the Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs in Kabul and later defaced by the Taliban. According the Department of Culture and Youth Affairs in Nuristan, Max Klimberg (Nuristan scholar) said ‘If there is a Paradise, it must be in Nuristan’. Currently there is no television or newspapers and you must take a horse for part of the journey, although roads are now being rebuilt. There is 2,000 years of untouched history hidden in the valleys of Nuristan. The music of the province is different from any other Afghan music, with similarities to that of Hindustan and Iran. Alexander the Great used the route through Nuristan to invade India.