Hamid Karzai-Show his Condolence on Boutto Death

Afghan president Hamid Karzai attended in a press conference later evening of thursday hour after Boutto death,while tears was on his eyes, and sadness on his face, he condemned Mss. Boutto's assassination, said it is very coward attack and it is enemies of Pakistan and humanity who did such bad and coward action, he added that her death is a big miss for Afghan people while she promised to help Afghanistan to get safe and stable after she become president of Pakistan, he was just arrived from his trip to Pakistan. While at the morning he met her on his trip to Pakistan.

Christmas in Afghanistan

How would be Christmas in Afghanistan do you think?
In Kabul flower seller shops get ready like other years for Christmas, bringing Christmas tree or Santa Claus and antiques for followers of Christianity.
Without doubt in Afghanistan here is no Afghan Christians neither church, but
After the fall of Taliban big number of foreigner Christians like ISAF and NATO troops those who serve in military and some civilians working in NGOs came to Afghanistan and every year in their offices, embassies, or at military camps celebrates from these days in Afghanistan.

I asked one of the shopkeepers who will buy these trees or Santa Clauses he replied, foreigners and some afghans, but Afghans buy for giving gift; he said; We imported these Christmas tress from neighboring country of China and this year we sold more than last year Christmas trees, flowers and other antiques, he added price of trees and other antiques has risen in compare to past years, it is because of high consumptions of people, for example last year one Christmas tree was afs 1200 equal ($USD 24 ),but this year we sell it afs 1800 to 2000 equal ($USD 36 to 40).

As most Christians make holiday five days before New Year from 25 to 1st day of New Year, most offices and NGOs are almost off, because of some foreigners gone their home country spending Christmas and New Year with their families.
I asked one of my foreign ISAF friends from United States of America who was in military about celebration of Christmas he said on day 6th with putting Christmas tree, lighting colorful lights and dressing red and white hat we celebrate from the first day of New Year. He added 20 years back we were celebrating one day for Christmas and one day for New Year, but after that time we celebrates for one week from Christmas day till first day of New Year.



Chistmas in Afghanistan photo Essay

Christmas trees and Santa Claus accessories are offered in shops of Kabul, mostly dedicated to large number of expatriates in the country.

Antique shop at Kabul City Center decorates with antiques for customers, most afghan and foreigners buy for presents.

A Santa doll decorates a Kabul shop. There are a large number of expatriates in Afghanistan, who celebrate Christmas, working for international companies and organizations.

Some Afghan stores decorates as fashion their shops with Christmas tree as Christmas going to celebrate by expatriates in Afghanistan, working for international companies and organizations.

Beggar passing from a Christmas tree, wondering what will be this tree for, Flower Street is a good place for beggars to earn money where mostly foreigners and wealthier people come for shopping.

Eid ul Azha

Here in Afghanistan almost 99.5% the population is Muslim, people always celebrates such festival like Eid, Nawroz, and etc in very happiness and pleasant. Few days before Eid I decided to make story about Eid and people activities and preparations for Eid, first I decided to go to the livestock market near my town in a big empty space where people bring their livestock such as cows, sheep, goats, etc for sell, I met two man Who brought sheep and goats from northern Takhar province from their own cattle form for sell while they were having lunch ,they asked me to have tea with them, it is all Afghans culture that while they eat or drink something ask the guests or friends to have some. I asked him why You bring these livestock from northern province why you don't sell them at your own province or area one of them replied; of course it is hard work to bring these sheep and goats from hundreds of miles away without resting for several days and nights on they way to Kabul and being far away from our home and families, but we have to sell in a good cash so that is why we bring to the capital markets for sell. After I finished from this market I went to the Mandavi Bazaar where people wants to get their home necessities such as clothes, foods, grocery and other things which they need for Eid because during the Eid the shops will be closed, although most suicide bombing treat Kabul residences life and avoid them to go out specially at crowded places, but still people rush at the Bazaars and street vendors. For Eid mostly Afghans buy new things for wearing or for decoration of their home, such as carpet, cotton for making afghani 'Shalwar' it is common that most Afghan women are like to make new clothes with the home women toilers which they feel free than to go to a male toiler shop. Every where in the city male or female are busy of buying some thing for Eid on their favor like perfume especially on the under pass vendors where most of the vendors pay money or bribe polices to let them sell their goods. After fall of Taliban and establishing of the new government in leadership of Hamid Karzai the artists restarted their activities such as performing their shows at the stages and the signers hold concerts in the cinemas and people do dog fighting, bird fighting or other sports like wrestling which was forbidden during Taliban in Afghanistan, but now people again held such competitions in every parts of Afghanistan for instance in Kabul people gather in the parks or other free spaces for cock fighting ,dog fighting, Buzkashi or other traditional sports competitions. As the Eid or other national day come the Kabul municipality show their activities, like to clean the rubbish from around the capital, some times they forget or don't clean the rubbish from the city, while I was making reportage before Eid, I saw the advertise of Afghan singers and artist posters stack on the boards of the central cinema which locates at a busy parts of the Kabul Bazaar among the garbage which most people was crowed to look at the schedules of the cinema for the Eid festival. On the first day of Eid which is very usual for people to go to public baths which is too crowd on the morning because every one wants to have bath and prepare themselves s for the Eid prayers, around 8 AM people move towards the mosques with dressing new clothes, although there is a gap between Shiite and Sunnis in performing the prayers of course the Shiites and Sunnis go to their own mosques for prayers or even most of the time the Shiites do Eid one day after the Sunnis while some others do the same day in unique to Sunnis. After finishing the Eid prayers every body hug each others and congratulates the Eid to others, then return home with taking a batcher for slaughtering their Qurbani (literally translated as sacrifice, for it is usually a young lamb or calf that is sacrificed for the occasion). Wealthier families those who do Qurbani often after finishing slighter divide Qurbani or meat to those in need and also to their relatives and friends also keep part of it for their own consumptions. After finishing Qurbani, relatives and friends go to elders family to say Eid Mubark and also for if some ones family members were died on the first day of Eid Afghans go to their home to have a prayer for her/his absents at current Eid. While most adults go to Bazaars and parks for enjoyments and time pass. Especially at three days of Eid people held competitions of dog fighting, birds fighting, etc. at the parks and free spaces in the capital or other parts of Afghanistan. Anyway at least such kinds of days are a good time after all these years of devastated wars for Afghanistan people to enjoy and forget for a while their sorrows.



Eid ul Azha or Eid ul Qurban in Kabul Photo Essay:

Residence of northern Takhar province brought cheep and goats from almost 400 Km long way, to the capital for sell.

Crowd of Kabul residences at center of the city, where hundreds of street vendors sell their goods in the blocked street by traffic.

Woman under burqa carries out newly bought carpet towards the bus stop from Bazaar.

Under ground pass vendors brought up perfumes, movie/music VCD and other home decorates for sell.

Advertisement posters of Afghan singers and movies shows near the pile of garbage in the Temor shai cinema area few days before Eid.

Kabul Muslims performing Eid prayers at Pul-i-Khishti mosque.

Batchers slighter the Qurbani cheep after performing the Eid prayers.

Afghan adults are playing with eggs called (Egg fighting or Tokham Jangi) at the Kabul bazaar.

Afghan men gathered at a private house where all Bird fighters gather, every one brings their birds called Bodana for fighting either for pleasure or for money as well.

Cock fighter gathered at a park for cock fighting during the Eid days with hundreds of audiences.

Hundreds of audiences watching Cock fighting at a park in Kabul city.

Buzkashi is one of Afghans national sports, which Buzkashs held such kind of performance all over Afghanistan especially during the national holidays.