A historic bathhouse and underground water canal (qanat) in Ghazni province, known as Bibi Mahan after the wife of Sultan Mahmud of Ghaznavi, remains active over a thousand years after its construction.

Generations of Ghazni residents have continued to use it to this day.

According to residents, the qanat and bathhouse were built during the reign of Sultan Mahmud of Ghaznavi and were considered among the most advanced water supply systems of the city at that time.

“The wife of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni had one person who knew about water. She took him to the Telkhakdar Plain and asked him to gather water from 70 springs into this qanat,” said Nazir Rahman, a resident of Ghazni city.

Mohammad Aman, another resident of Ghazni, said: “We always used this bathhouse, we performed ablution there, washed our heads and bodies. I remember there was once a spring in Shiwa too, but it has disappeared. This mosque, qanat, and spring have existed in this area since ancient times.”

“This bathhouse and qanat are over a thousand years old. In the past, people didn’t have many facilities and relied on resources like these. There used to be many such bathhouses and qanats in Ghazni, but now only this one remains,” Haji Agha, another resident of the city. 

“This area is named after Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni’s fourth wife, Bibi Mahan. The qanat is also named after her. During his rule, Sultan Mahmud gave special attention to urban development and construction,” said Agha Mohammad Khoshi Zada, a historian residing in Ghazni.

Ghazni, recognized as the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World, is rich in historical landmarks and natural attractions. some cultural figures and residents of the province have called on the Ministry of Information and Culture to take more serious steps toward restoring and preserving this historical heritage.