National
Holidays Based on
Afghan/Persian Solar Calendar (365 days)
Now-Roz (New Year)
March 21
Victory of the Muslim
Nations
April 28
Anniversary of
Revolution
April
29
Afghan Independence
Day
August 19
National Labour Day
(May Day)
May 1
Religious
Holidays Based on Islamic Lunar
Calendar (355 days)
<2006>
Islamic New Year (First of
Muharram)
February 1, 2006
Tenth of
Moharram
(Ashura)*
February 10, 2006
Mawlud-un
Nabi (Birth of the Prophet)*
April 11, 2006
First Day of Ramadan*
September 24, 2006
Lailat-ul-Qadr
(Night of Power)*
October 19, 2006
Eid ul-Fitr*
October 24, 2006
Eid ul-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice)*
December 28, 2006
*Dates may vary according to
the sighting of the moon
Islamic calendar consists of twelve
lunar months. Each month may be of 29 or 30 days depending on the sighting
of the new moon. An lunar year has, on average, 355 days.
The reason in the variances is that lunar calendar is 10 days less than
the solar year. Hence an Islamic year is moved ahead 10 days each year in
solar calendar year. Holidays such as
Ramadan, Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, Ashura and Mawlud Nabi are
dependent on the Islamic lunar calendar and vary from year to year.
Eid al-Fitr (Eid-e-Fitr):
The most important month of the Islamic
calendar is Ramadan, the ninth month, during which every Muslim
-
except the old, young, pregnant
women and the sick - is required to avoid
food, drink from dawn to dusk. The feast of Eid al-Fitr commences
after the month of fasting ends, on the first day of the month of
Shawal. Celebrations usually last for about three days.
Congregational prayers are held in mosques, after which Afghans visit
their friends and relatives. New clothes, especially for the
children, are made, and food is prepared.
Eid al-Adha (Eid-e-Qurban): Once
the fasting month and ensuring celebrations have ended, it is time
for those planning to perform their pilgrimage to Mecca to start
preparations for their journey. The hajj,
takes place in the 12th month of the Muslim calendar, the rituals
being performed in Mecca between the 7th and 10th days. The feast of
Eid
al-Adha is celebrated
on the 10th day of the month. Animals, such as sheep, goats, and
camels, are sacrificed, especially by those who have already
performed the hajj. This commemorates the slaying of a sheep, instead
of Isaac, as a sacrifice by his father Abraham, at the command of the
Allah. One third of the slaughtered animal is used by the family, another third is distributed to relatives and the rest is given to the
poor.
Now-Roz (New Year's Day): Literally meaning a new day. Nau Roz is the first day of spring and of the Afghan solar
calendar, and falls on March 21st. This festival dates back to the
time when Zoroastrianism was still a powerful religion, long before Islam arrived in Afghanistan. During the celebrations, lavish meals
are prepared in Afghan homes. Two dishes, Samanak and haft-mehwah are specially cooked for the occasion. Samanak, a
dessert like made of wheat and sugar, can take more than two days to
prepare. Haft-mehwah consists of seven fruits and nuts to symbolize
spring: walnuts, almonds, pistachios, red and green raisins, dried
apricots, and a local fruit known as sanjit.
Mawlud-un Nabi: A large
number of Muslims do not believe in celebrating birthdays of death anniversaries
because there is no historical evidence that such was the practice of the Holy
Prophet. However, similarly large number of Muslims do commemorate the birth
anniversary of the Holy Prophet on 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal of the Islamic lunar
calendar year. For Muslims, this date marks the most important event in the
history of the mankind because the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is
regarded as the Chief of the Prophet, to whom the Holy Quran was revealed. The
extent of the festivities, on this occasion, is restricted because of the fact
that the same marks the death anniversary of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) as well. On this occasion public meetings are held in the mosques where
religious leaders and scholars make speeches on different aspects of the life of
the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). The stories of the Prophet’s birth,
childhood, youth and adult life, his character, teachings, sufferings, and
forgiveness of even his most bitter enemies, his fortitude in the face of
general opposition, leadership in battles, bravery, wisdom, preaching and his
final triumph through Allah’s mercy over the hearts of people are narrated in
detail. Salutations and songs in his praise are recited. In some countries,
streets, mosques and buildings are decorated with colorful buntings and pennants
and well illuminated at night. Affluent Muslims generously donate to charity.
Feasts are arranged and food is served to guests and the poor.
Lailat-ul Qadr: This
blessed night is also called the night of Power. It is the particular night in
the month of Ramadan when the Holy Quran first began to be revealed. The Holy
Quran states: "The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Quran began
to be revealed, the Book which comprises guidance for mankind and clear proofs
of guidance and divine signs which discriminate between truth and falsehood ...
"(2:186) The translation of first verses which were revealed to the Holy
Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, were the following: 'Recite in the name of
thy Lord Who created everything. He created man from a clot of blood. Recite,
for thy Lord is Most Beneficent, Who has taught by the pen, taught man that
which he knew not.' (96:2-6) The Holy Prophet (PBUH), was forty years of age at
that time. The Holy Quran regards the Night of Decree as better that one
thousand months.
Muharram: Muharram
festival commemorates the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain, the grandson of the
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). This festival starts at the 1st day of
Muharram and lasts for 10 days until 10th of Muharram. Muharram is the first
month of Islamic calendar. To the Shi'ites, the most important religious period of the year is the first 10 days of the new year.
This is a period of mourning, in memory of the killing of Hussein,
the grandson of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), at
Karbala on October 10 680 A.D., along with 72 of his immediate family
and followers. The festival climaxes on the tenth day of the month of
Muharram. Ashura is an optional fast day. As the shi'ite population
is relatively small, this day is celebrated on a smaller scale in
Afghanistan.
During this month, while on a journey, Hazrat Imam Hussain, his
family members and a number of his followers were surrounded by the forces of
Yazid, the Muslim ruler of the time. During the siege, they were deprived of
food and water and many of them were put to death. The incident happened at a
place called Karbala in Iraq in 61st year after Hijra. This dispute was result
of a disagreement among Muslims on the question of succession after the demise
of Hazrat Ali, the fourth caliph. Some sects of Muslims
hold meetings where speeches are made on the happenings of Karbala and on the
lives of martyrs. The Shias, however, observe this festival in a different fashion.
As Muharram, the first month of the Muslim year, approaches, they put on black
clothes, as black is regarded as a color of mourning. Majalis (assemblies) are
held every day during the first nine days where Shia orators relate the incident
of the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain and his party in a great detail. On the
10th day of Muharram, large processions are formed and the devoted followers
parade the streets holding banners and carrying models of the mausoleum of
Hazrat Imam Hussain and his people, who fell at Karbala. They show their grief
and sorrow by inflicting wounds on their own bodies with sharp metal tied to
chain with which they scourge themselves. This is done in order to depict the
sufferings of the martyrs. It is a sad occasion and everyone in the procession
chants "Ya Hussain", with loud wails of lamentation. Generally a white
horse beautifully decorated for the occasion, is also included in the
procession, to mark the empty mount of Hazrat Imam Hussain after his martyrdom.
During these first ten days of Muharram, drinking posts are also set up
temporarily by the Shia community where water and juices are served to all, free
of charge
Interested
To Learn More About Festivals......Check this out!! Ramadan
and Eid Al-Fitr
(Dianne M. MacMillan)
Contacts in Afghanistan:
Afghan Ministry of Communication: Mohammad Jan Khan Wat,
Kabul - www.moc.gov.af
Afghan Chambers of Commerce and
Industry, Mohammad Jan Khan Wat,
Kabul
Federation of Afghan Chambers of
Commerce and Industry, Daraulaman
Wat, Kabul
Air Travel: Afghanistan's national airline is Ariana Afghan Airlines
(FG). PO Box 76, Afghan Air Authority Building, Ansari Wat, Kabul.
Ariana Afghan Airlines has direct flights to and from Kabul,
Islamabad (Pakistan), Dubai (UAE), Western China, cargo
flights to Frankfurt (Germany), Ashgabad
(Turkmenistan), and every month more locations are being considered
for service. Passengers should contact the Ariana office in Kabul or
Dubai (UAE). In the north, Balkh Airlines operates a service to
Peshawar (Pakistan), and Mashed (Iran).
International Airport: Kabul Airport (KBL) is 16km from the city (Tel: 9251-61001). Airport facilities include banking, buffet-bar, car
park, post office and restaurant. Taxis are available to the city
centre. Airport facilities in Kabul have been expanded and new
airports have been built near the border.
Hindu
Kush
Consisting of two huge mountain ranges,
the region is wild and remote and, though one can travel by car, the
steepness of the routes makes vehicles prone to breakdowns. The Hindu
Kush is best left for travelers prepared to rough it. For those who
make the journey, the mountain, valley and lake scenery is
stupendous. Bamiyan is the main centre.
Balkh (Wazirabad)
Balkh is an ancient town that served as headquarters for
Alexander the Great for two years after his invasion in 328 BC.
Destroyed in 1221 by Genghis Khan, the town was rebuilt by the Mongol
conqueror Tamerlane almost 200 years later. The ruins of the Madjide
Haji Pivada (Piyada) Mosque (one of the world's oldest mosques), the
Arch of Nawbahar and the remains of a Buddhist stupas are some of
Balkh's attractions. It was here that Zoroaster was born and raised.
Also called Zarathustra, he was the founder of Zoroastrianism, the
state religion of ancient Persia. 322 km northwest of Kabul, only a
few kilometers north of the Balkh provincial capital city of
Mazar-i-Sharif.
Bamiyan
Extensively bombed during the war,
Bamian (pop. 50,000) is of interest as an ancient center for
Buddhist learning. This beautiful (if arid) site on the Kunduz River
is historically significant as the place where an indigenous Afghan
religion developed during the 1st-6th centuries. The area has some
10,000 caves (and assorted tunnels), ancient cave dwellings and the
Red City fortress (and its other mountaintop companions). Two huge
Buddhas (one 53 m tall and the other 35 m tall) carved into a
mountainside are still standing but badly damaged by the war. Nearby
are the ruins of Zohak and Gholghola and the lakes of Band-i-Amir
(see separate paragraph). 130 km west of Kabul.
Band-i-Amir
The barren Band-i-Amir region offers
deep blue lakes set amid treeless desert and hills at an elevation of
9,800 ft/3,000 m. Up to two days could be spent exploring the area,
probably in a sturdy 4-wheel-drive vehicle. 200 km west of
Kabul
Begram
This out-of-the-way place was once
known as Kapisa, capital of the Kushan (Indo-Greek) kings. Sights
include the remains of a fort built by Alexander the Great. A number
of other sites are waiting to be excavated. 32 km north of
Kabul
Bost (Lashkar
Gah)
Bost, which was seriously damaged
during the war, is the site of the ancient buildings, ramparts,
arches, towers, etc., of what was once a capital of the Ghaznevid
Empire. The Qalai Bost (arch) still has a skeleton lying at its base.
565 km southwest of Kabul.
Ghazni
(pop. 32,000) Was one of the most
powerful capitals in the world during the time of the Ghaznavid
Empire, which stretched from the Tigris
to the Ganges. Today Ghazni is not very large, but it does have a fabulous minaret
shaped like a double star, a museum, a palace, a mausoleum and the
tomb of Ahmad Shah (founder of
Afghanistan). The city is also known for
the beautiful Afghan sheepskin coats made there. 130km
south-southwest of Kabul..
Herat
(Aria)
The country's third-largest city (pop.
165,000), Herat was once occupied by Alexander the Great. Enormous
defensive walls and earthworks remain from ancient times. Destroyed
in the early 13th century by Genghis Khan, it was later rebuilt.
Although much of the old town is in ruins again, remaining sites
include the 10th-century Friday Mosque, a synagogue, minarets,
monuments and the impressive 444-column Masjid-i-Jame. The tomb of
Queen Gawhar Shad was damaged during the war -- it was a government
artillery position. Herat is also famous for its hand-blown blue
glass; artisans can be seen creating delicate works of art in the
shop across from the Friday Mosque (the proprietor gives tours).
Nearby, at Gazergah, is a 1,000-year-old monastery and mausoleum. 645
km west of Kabul
Jalalabad
The capital of Nangarhar Province was
an attractive winter resort, with many cypress trees and flowering
shrubs. This ancient walled town of 58,000 guards the western end of
the Khyber Pass. A playground for the rich and famous of the ancient
world, Jalalabad continued to serve as a resort for the wealthy during
the winter - Afghanistan's last king had a palace there. More
recently, the city was the site of fierce battles and drawn-out
sieges in the Soviet war. 113 km east of Kabul.
Kabul
Set atop a plateau nearly 1,825 m high
in the Hindu Kush Mountains, 3,000-year-old Kabul once rated at least a three-night stay. Today, the arid
capital city is not much more than ruins. The city has been ruined
since 1992, warring factions has been fighting since, but now it is
comparably quiet and safer than most cities. Museums, once grand,
have been looted or destroyed. Nearby are Mahipar Falls, the
spectacular Kabul Gorge, the Babur Garden Tomb (where a descendant of
Tamerlane is buried), Istalif and Charikar (Buddhist stupas from the
2nd and 3rd centuries).
Qandahar
Qandahar (pop. 210,000), the nation's second-largest city, is
considered to be the birthplace of modern Afghanistan. Virtually all
of this 200-year-old city was destroyed during the war, and fighting
continues. Prophet Mohammed's (Peace be upon him) Sacred Mantle
(enshrined in the main mosque) has escaped damage. So have the
orchards of the nearby Arghandab Valley, a place to find large,
succulent pomegranates. 465 km southwest of Kabul
Khyber Pass
The Khyber
Pass is one of the world's most
notorious passages. It winds 35 mi/56 km through the Himalaya to link
Afghanistan and Pakistan. We've traversed it three times and
recommend the trip (when peace returns) with a caution or two: even
in more tranquil times, check locally about the safety of making the
crossing. As has been the case throughout history, very serious and
brutal bandits frequent the pass, and certain periods are worse than
others. The pass itself makes for an interesting drive through the
mountains -- not as spectacular as the Swiss Alps, perhaps, but the
pass's history, the fortresses of Jalalabad (see separate paragraph)
and the people combine for an unforgettable experience. 187 km east
of Kabul
Qunduz
This town (pop. 57,000) was known as
having one of the most fascinating bazaars in the country before
hostilities broke out. The nature of the bazaar has undoubtedly
changed, but Kunduz's beautiful setting in the mountainous Badakhshan
region is a permanent attraction. Kunduz is also home of the Spinzar
Cotton Company, whose founder collected many Greco-Bactrian
artifacts. They are displayed in a local museum. 257 km north of
Kabul
Mazar-i-Sharif
Mazar-i-Sharif (pop. 123,000) is not
that interesting in itself, but its airport is the closest to
Balkh. Before the years of warfare, Mazar-i-Sharif was worth
a stop to visit the Tomb of Ali (Blue Mosque) and to shop for
carpets in the busy market. 185 mi/300 km northwest of Kabul
Nouristan
Nouristan is one of the country's most
unusual regions. Set in striking mountains near the Indian border,
this dramatic, forested area features wooden hillside homes. (The
Greek god Dionysus figures prominently in Nouristani legend.) 125
mi/200 km northeast of Kabul
Takht-i-Rostam
This Buddhist cave site just southwest
of the town of Kholm dates from the 5th century. The caves once
housed a monastery. 282 km northwest of Kabul and 50 km east of
Mazar-i-Sharif.
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