Elizabeth Mela-Athanasopoulou, a linguist from the Aristotelian University in Thessaloniki, found out that the Pakistani Kalasha tribe speaks a language very close to the ancient Greek one. The researcher spent months at the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, where the Kalashi live and scientifically proved the closeness between the language, which the tribe speaks and the ancient Greek one. According to Elizabeth Mela-Athanasopoulou, the ancient Greek words in the Kalashi language have kept both their sound and meaning.

            The Kalashi tribe has around 3000 members and is the smallest religious minority in Pakistan. As opposed to other tribes, the Kalashi live exclusively in one geographical region – between the valleys of Birir, Bumburet, and Rumbur, which they call Kafiristan. It is a Hindi region at the border with Afghanistan. Until 1896, Kafiristan included also the Afghan Nuristan. The Kalasha tribe, are heirs of the brave general Shlak Shah, who was a true friend to Alexander the Great.

            The legend says that the great commander gave the region between the three valleys to his favourite general. The Kalashi history mentions 8 great Kalashi kings. It is known that during the spring of 327 B.C., Alexander the Great along with his army moved towards India and attacked Punjab. The big battle takes place the year after that near to Hydaspes River against the army of the powerful Indian king Porus. The battle is fierce, but the Macedonian army wins over, even though the Indians fought with elephants, which were seen for the first time by Alexander the Greats’ army.