I thought it would be a big celebration for Norouz (New year day) in Kabul

Intending in the Norouz, celebration on 21st of March was one my main goal of coming to Afghanistan at this time of the year. There is a big celebration in Mazar-e-Sharif in the north. Unfortunately I couldn’t go there. There were no available flight and too many avalanches had happened and expected to happen in the road. Ah I really wanted to go there with car, traveling trough the Hidukush road and Salang tunnel! If I had more time I would go, but I just couldn’t afford staying couple of days in the road. (My hosts were happy that I don’t go since they were scared of suicide bombing for New Year ceremony, which actually didn’t happened!). So I stayed in Kabul.
In Kabul it was some celebration, but not as big as I expected, (or maybe I was expecting too much). In Iran the whole ceremony and getting prepared for the Khaneh Tekani (cleaning the house) and shopping of new-year, etc. starts almost a month before the new year, but in Kabul it was nothing going on the whole week before Norouz. Here also the Norouz ceremony which is originated from Zoroastrian religion got Moslem mix. I write about how I spent my Norouz later. But for the Persian version check out: شب سال نو در هتل کانتیننتال کابل and نوروز در باغ زنانه کابل



"Norouz shopping in Kabul streets "



"Norouz shopping in Kabul bazaar."