sign in sign up
<<
Home , Afghan art, Baloch people, Buddhas of Bamiyan, Islamic glass, Languages of Afghanistan, Tajiks

REIMAGINE A F G H A N I S T A N

A N I N I T I A T I V E B Y R A I S I N A H O U S E REIMAGINE A F G H A N I S T A N

INTRODUCTION

...... equals Culture, heritage, music, poet, spirituality, food & so much more. The country had witnessed continuous violence for more than 4 ...... decades & this has in turn overshadowed the rich cultural heritage possessed by the country, which has evolved through mellinnias of Cultural interaction & evolution.

Reimagine Afghanistan as a digital magazine is an attempt by Raisina House to explore & portray that hidden side of Afghanistan, one that is almost always overlooked by the mainstream media, the side that is Humane. Afghanistan is rich in Cultural Heritage that has seen mellinnias of construction & destruction but has managed to evolve to the better through the ages.

Issued as part of our vision project "Rejuvenate Afghanistan", the magazine is an attempt to change the existing perception of Afghanistan as a Country & a society bringing forward that there is more to the Country than meets the eye.

So do join us in this journey to explore the People, lifestyle, Art, Food, Music of this Adventure called Afghanistan. C O N T E N T S P A G E 1 AFGHANISTAN COUNTRY PROFILE P A G E 2 - 4 PEOPLE ETHNICITY & LANGUAGE OF AFGHANISTAN P A G E 5 - 7 ART OF AFGHANISTAN P A G E 8 ARTISTS OF AFGHANISTAN P A G E 9 CARVING IN AFGHANISTAN P A G E 1 0 BLOWING IN AFGHANISTAN P A G E 1 1 CARPETS OF AFGHANISTAN P A G E 1 2 CERAMIC WARE OF AFGHANISTAN P A G E 1 3 - 1 4 FAMOUS RECIPES OF AFGHANISTAN P A G E 1 5 AFGHANI POETRY P A G E 1 6 ARCHITECTURE OF AFGHANISTAN P A G E 1 7 REIMAGINING AFGHANISTAN THROUGH CINEMA P A G E 1 8 AFGHANI MOVIE RECOMMENDATION A B O U T A F G H A N I S T A N

Afghanistan Country Profile: The Islamic is a landlocked country situated between the crossroads of Western, Central, and Southern Asia and is at the heart of the continent. It is bordered by to the south and east, to the west, , and to the north. There is a short border with to the far northeast via the Wakhan corridor, but in extremely inaccessible terrain.

Area: 652,000 km2 (252,000 sq. mi), 41st largest in the world Climate: Arid to semi-arid (cold winters/hot and dry summers) Seasons: (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter)

Capital: Total Provinces: 34

Major Commercial Cities: Kabul, , Nangarhar, Mazar-e Sharif, , Helmand,

Flag:

R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 0 1 P E O P L E & E T H N I C I T Y O F A F G H A N I S T A N

P A S H T U N

P a s h t u n s m a k e u p a n e s t i m a t e d 4 2 % o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n o f c o n t e m p o r a r y A f g h a n i s t a n . T h e y a r e a l s o k n o w n a s A f g h a n s a n d t h e n a m e ‘ A f g h a n i s t a n ’ t r a n s l a t e s t o ‘ l a n d o f t h e A f g h a n s ’ , e q u a l l y m e a n i n g ‘ l a n d o f t h e P a s h t u n s ’ . P a s h t u n s c a n f u r t h e r b e d i v i d e d i n t o m a j o r s u b - t r i b e s , s u c h a s t h e G h i l z a l i a n d D u r r a n i , a n d s e v e r a l s m a l l e r o n e s , i n c l u d i n g t h e J a j i , S a f i , W a r d a k , S h i n w a r i , T a n i , M o h m a n d , J a r d a n , K h u n g i a n i , a n d M a n g a l . T h e y a r e e a s i l y r e c o g n i z e d b y o t h e r A f g h a n s b y t h e i r P a s h t o l a n g u a g e a n d t h e i r u n i q u e w a y o f l i v i n g c a l l e d P a s h t u n w a l i . P a s h t u n s a r e p r e d o m i n a n t l y M u s l i m . I s l a m h a s a s i g n i f i c a n t i n f l u e n c e o n t h e P a s h t u n c u l t u r e s u c h a s t h e i r c l o t h i n g .

T A J I K S

T a j i k s a r e b e l i e v e d t o h a v e I r a n i a n o r i g i n s a n d a r e a l s o r e f e r r e d t o a s F a r s i . T h e y a r e t h e s e c o n d - l a r g e s t e t h n i c g r o u p i n A f g h a n i s t a n , m a k i n g u p a n e s t i m a t e d 2 7 % o f t h e n a t i o n ’ s p o p u l a t i o n . T h e y s p e a k a P e r s i a n d i a l e c t k n o w n a s D a r i . A c c o r d i n g t o a U S S t a t e D e p a r t m e n t r e p o r t r e l e a s e d i n 2 0 0 9 , T a j i k s a r e 9 8 % S u n n i M u s l i m s . T a j i k , a l s o s p e l l e d T a d z h i k , s o m e t i m e s c a l l e d ( b e f o r e t h e 2 0 t h c e n t u r y ) S a r t , t h e o r i g i n a l P e r s i a n - s p e a k i n g p o p u l a t i o n o f A f g h a n i s t a n a n d T u r k i s t a n . T h e T a j i k s c o n s t i t u t e a l m o s t f o u r - f i f t h s o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n o f T a j i k i s t a n . .

U Z B E K

U z b e k s f o r m t h e l a r g e s t T u r k i c g r o u p i n A f g h a n i s t a n , a n d t h e y c o n s t i t u t e 9 % o f t h e t o t a l p o p u l a t i o n i n t h e c o u n t r y . T h e y a r e S u n n i M u s l i m s a n d o c c u p y t h e N o r t h e r n r e g i o n o f A f g h a n i s t a n . T h e y s p e a k U z b e k , a T u r k i c l a n g u a g e .

R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 0 2 P E O P L E & E T H N I C I T Y O F A F G H A N I S T A N

B A L O C H

T h e B a l o c h p e o p l e a r e s p e a k e r s o f t h e B a l o c h i l a n g u a g e w h o a r e m o s t l y f o u n d i n a n d a r o u n d t h e B a l o c h i s t a n r e g i o n o f A f g h a n i s t a n . I n t h e 1 9 9 0 s t h e i r n u m b e r f i g u r e w a s p u t a t 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 b u t t h e y a r e a r o u n d 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 t o d a y . M a i n l y p a s t o r a l a n d d e s e r t d w e l l e r s , t h e B a l o c h p e o p l e o f A f g h a n i s t a n a r e p r e d o m i n a n t l y S u n n i M u s l i m s . A b d u l K a r i m B r a h u i t h e f o r m e r G o v e r n o r o f N i m r u z P r o v i n c e , i s a n e t h n i c B a l o c h .

T U R K M E N

T u r k m e n , p e o p l e w h o s p e a k a l a n g u a g e b e l o n g i n g t o t h e s o u t h w e s t e r n b r a n c h o f t h e T u r k i c l a n g u a g e s . T h e m a j o r i t y l i v e i n T u r k m e n i s t a n a n d i n n e i g h b o u r i n g p a r t s o f C e n t r a l A s i a a n d n u m b e r e d m o r e t h a n 6 m i l l i o n a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e 2 1 s t c e n t u r y . A b o u t o n e - t h i r d o f t h e t o t a l p o p u l a t i o n l i v e s i n I r a n , e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e n o r t h , a n d a n o t h e r 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 l i v e i n n o r t h e a s t e r n a n d n o r t h w e s t e r n A f g h a n i s t a n . T h e s e g r o u p s a r e c a l l e d t h e T r a n s c a s p i a n T u r k m e n . P o c k e t s o f T u r k m e n a r e f o u n d i n n o r t h e r n I r a q a n d S y r i a . S m a l l e r g r o u p s l i v e i n c e n t r a l T u r k e y , w h e r e t h e y h a v e e x p e r i e n c e d m i n o r i t y d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , e s p e c i a l l y a f t e r 1 9 5 8 .

A I M A Q

T h e A i m a q i s a g r o u p o f P e r s i a n - s p e a k i n g n o m a d i c t r i b e s , a n d t h e y c o n s t i t u t e 4 % o f t h e t o t a l p o p u l a t i o n i n t h e c o u n t r y . A i m a q s l i v e i n W e s t e r n A f g h a n i s t a n . W o m e n a d o r n t h e m s e l v e s i n b r i g h t l y c o l o r e d c l o t h e s w h i l e m e n w e a r c l o a k s a n d r o u n d c a p s . I n t e r e s t i n g l y , A i m a q w o m e n a r e n o t a s r e s t r i c t e d a s o t h e r w o m e n i n r u r a l A f g h a n i s t a n . T h e y t a k e p a r t i n g r o u p d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h m e n a n d h a v e a s a y i n t h e c h o i c e o f a g r o o m f o r t h e m .

H A Z A R A

H a z a r a s o c c u p y t h e r u g g e d c e n t r a l h i g h l a n d s r e g i o n s i n A f g h a n i s t a n . T h e y m a k e u p c l o s e t o 1 0 % p e r c e n t o f t h e A f g h a n i s t a n p o p u l a t i o n . H a z a r a s a r e s a i d t o b e d e s c e n d a n t s o f G e n g h i s K h a n , t h e f o u n d e r o f t h e M o n g o l E m p i r e . H a z a r a s b e l o n g t o t h e S h i a s e c t o f I s l a m i n a c o u n t r y t h a t i s m o s t l y S u n n i M u s l i m . A s a r e s u l t , t h e y a r e o f t e n v i e w e d a s o u t s i d e r s . .

R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 0 3 - -

Pashto, sometimes spelled Pukhto or Pakhto, is an Eastern Iranian language of the Indo-European family. It is known in Persian literature as Afghani. The language is natively spoken by , an of Afghanistan. comprises, along with , the two languages of Afghanistan with official status. Pashto is a subject–object–verb (SOV) language with split ergativity. Adjectives come before nouns. Nouns and adjectives are inflected for two genders (masc./fem.),[67] two numbers (sing./plur.), and four cases (direct, oblique, ablative and vocative). There is also an inflection for the subjunctive mood. The verb system is very intricate with the following tenses: present, simple past, past progressive, present perfect, and past perfect.

Dari is the most widely spoken language in Afghanistan and the native language of approximately 25–50% of the population. However Dari Persian serves as the of the country and is understood by up to 80% of the population. Iranian Persian and Dari Persian are mutually intelligible, with differences found primarily in the vocabulary and phonology. Dari has contributed to the majority of Persian borrowings in other Asian languages, such as , , Punjabi, Bengali, etc., as it was the administrative, official, cultural language of the Persianate and served as the lingua franca throughout the South Asian subcontinent for centuries. Often based in Afghanistan, Turkic Central Asian conquerors brought the language into Dari

Uzbek is a Turkic language that is the first official and only declared national language of Uzbekistan. The language of is spoken by some 27 million native speakers in Uzbekistan and elsewhere in , making it the second-most widely spoken Turkic language after Turkish.Uzbek belongs to the Eastern Turkic or Karluk branch of the Turkic language family. External influences include , Persian and Russian. One of the most noticeable distinctions of Uzbek from other is the rounding of the vowel /ɑ/ to /ɔ/, a feature that was influenced by Persian. Unlike other Turkic languages, vowel harmony is completely lost in Uzbek Standard Uzbek, though it is (albeit somewhat less strictly) still observed in its dialects, as with its sister Karluk language Uyghur.

Balòci) is a Northwestern Iranian language spoken primarily in the , ﺑﻠﭼﯽ) Balochi region divided between Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. It is spoken by 3 to 5 million people. In addition to Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. The normal word order is subject–object–verb. Like many other Indo-, Balochi also features split ergativity. The subject is marked as nominative except for the past tense constructions where the subject of a transitive verb is marked as oblique and the verb agrees with the object. Baloci is the dominant eastern Persian ethnolect spoken ( اﯾﻤﺎﻗﯽ :Aimaqi (Aimaq by the Aimaq people in central northwest Afghanistan (west of the ااﯾﯾﻤﻤﺎﺎﻗﻗﯽﯽ Amiaqi ), eastern Iran, and Tajikistan. It is close to the Dari varieties of Persian. Turkmen or türkmen dili, also referred to as Turkmen Turkic or Turkmen Turkish, is a ﺗﯚرﮐﻤﻨﭽﻪ ,Turkic language spoken by the of Central Asia, mainly of Turkmenistan Iran and Afghanistan. It has an estimated five million native speakers in Turkmen Turkmenistan, a further 719,000 speakers in Northeastern Iran and 1.5 million people in Northwestern Afghanistan.

R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 0 4 ART IN AFGHANISTAN COURTIER AND HERMIT

“ C o u r t i e r a n d H e r m i t ” f r o m K h a m s e h o f A m ī r K h o s r o w , H e r ā t s c h o o l m i n i a t u r e , a t t r i b u t e d t o B e h z ā d 1 4 8 5 ; i n t h e C h e s t e r B e a t t y L i b r a r y , D u b l i n H e r ā t s c h o o l , 1 5 t h - c e n t u r y s t y l e o f m i n i a t u r e p a i n t i n g t h a t f l o u r i s h e d i n H e r ā t , w e s t e r n A f g h a n i s t a n , u n d e r t h e p a t r o n a g e o f t h e T i m u r i d s . S h ā h R o k h , t h e s o n o f t h e I s l ā m i c c o n q u e r o r T i m u r ( T a m e r l a n e ) , f o u n d e d t h e s c h o o l , b u t i t w a s h i s s o n B a y s u n q u r M ī r z ā ( d i e d 1 4 3 3 ) w h o d e v e l o p e d i t i n t o a n i m p o r t a n t c e n t r e o f t h e p a i n t i n g , b r i n g i n g t o h i s c o u r t a r t i s t s f r o m a l l o v e r P e r s i a a n d A f g h a n i s t a n .

THE MOSQUE OF HAJI PIYADAH

T h e M o s q u e o f H a j i P i y a d a h t o t h e s o u t h w e s t o f B a l k h i s o n e o f t h e o l d e s t k n o w n m o n u m e n t s o f I s l a m a n d t h e o l d e s t k n o w n m o s q u e i n A f g h a n i s t a n .

ISLAMIC CALLIGRAPHY

A n o t h e r a r t d a t i n g b a c k c e n t u r i e s i s I s l a m i c C a l l i g r a p h y . T h i s a r t u s e s a s p e c i a l c a l l i g r a p h y p e n , v e r s e s , o r s o m e t i m e s j u s t w o r d s f r o m t h e Q u ’ r a n a r e w r i t t e n i n a b e a u t i f i e d s c r i p t . C a l l i g r a p h y c a n b e f o u n d o n a v a r i e t y o f d i f f e r e n t s u r f a c e s f r o m c a n v a s t o c e r a m i c s .

R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 0 5 GRECO- Greco-Buddhist art was prevalent in Afghanistan from the 4th Century BCE to around the 7th Century CE due to the Islamic Conquest. Many of these art forms have been found in the archaeological site of Hadda, Afghanistan. The 6th- century are a well-known example of art from this period. They were destroyed by the in 2001.The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two 6th- century monumental of carved into the side of a cliff in the valley of central Afghanistan.

BAMIYAN N Samples from paintings, dating from the 7th century AD, were taken from caves behind two statues of Buddha in A Bamiyan blown up as un-Islamic by Afghanistan’s hardline

T Taliban in 2001.Scientists discovered paintings in 12 of the 50 caves were created using oil paints, possibly from walnut S or poppy, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility I (ESRF) in said on its Web.“This is the earliest clear example of oil paintings in the world, although drying oils

N were already used by ancient Romans and Egyptians, but only as medicines and cosmetics,” said Yoko Taniguchi,

A leader of the team of scientists.Bamiyan was once a thriving Buddhist centre where monks lived in a series of caves

H carved into the cliffs by the two statues.The cave paintings were probably the work of artists traveling along the , the ancient trade route between China, across G Central Asia to the West and show scenes of Buddhas in

F vermilion robes and mythical creatures, the ESRF said.

A

After the Islamic conquest of Afghanistan, changed dramatically from previous Greco-Buddhist works, F due to the adoption of . Afghan local materials such as lapis lazuli were adapted for use in Islamic Art. Mosques

O built in Afghanistan and the Arab world are built with

elaborate tiling styles. Many of these styles were influenced by Chinese ceramics. Afghanistan served as a conduit for S introduction to these Chinese ceramic styles and

T techniques due to its strategic location on the Silk Road.Islamic art encompasses the visual arts produced in

R the Islamic world. Islamic art is difficult to characterize because it covers a wide range of lands, periods, and genres,

A including , , , Islamic glass, Islamic pottery, and textile arts such as carpets and embroidery. R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 0 6 METALWORK

A collection of over 20,600 gold ornaments, some of them dating back to the , was discovered in Afghanistan in the late 1970s. Known as the Bactrian Hoard, these coins, necklaces, and other pieces of jewelry were found in burial mounds in in . They have been displayed in museums in the US and Europe.

An Indian coin A figurine called Crown from the This dagger hilt, depicting a lion "Bactrian , Tomb VI, found in the grave of attests to the trade " 1st century BC - 1st a man, features a along the Silk Road, century AD. Crown type of Siberian 1st century, gold. is gold and bear. imitation turquoise.

PERFORMANCE ART

Performance art is an artwork or art exhibition created through actions executed by the artist or other participants. It is presented to a public in a Fine Arts context, traditionally interdisciplinary. Afghanistan has two types of perfomance art -

Bua - Baz ATTAN

Buz-baz is a form of musical Attan – Traditional Afghan dance found in Afghanistan. The performed in a group to simple puppeteer manipulates a markhor drum and zurna music. It is often marionette while simultaneously seen at weddings and other playing a dambura. celebrations. R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 0 7 ARTISTS OF AFGHANISTAN

AKRAM ATI

Akram Ati (b. 1985, – based in Herat) is a painter who works with natural materials to produce his own paints. Ati scours his neighbourhood for materials such as dust, mud, stones and brick, which he then grinds down and mixes together with homemade glue.

ABDUL GHAFOOR BRESHNA Abdul Ghafoor Breshna (10 April 1907 – 10 April 1974) was an Afghan painter, music composer,poet, and film director. He is regarded as one of the country's most talented artists. He also composed the former national anthem of Afghanistan that was used during the 1970s.

MALINA SULIMAN Malina Suliman is an Afghan graffiti artist, metalworker and painter. Suliman works in Southern . Suliman has studied Realism art in Pakistan. After her father was injured in a suspected Taliban attack, the family briefly moved to Mumbai.

MOSHTARI HILAL Moshtari Hilal (b. 1993, Kabul – based in Hamburg, Germany) is an autodidact artist principally working with drawing. She has been living in Germany since she was two years-old and is now studying Islam and Political Science at the a project assistant during dOCUMENTA13 workshops University of Hamburg. in Afghanistan and has exhibited widely both at NABILA HORAKHSH home and abroad, including Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Iran. Horakhsh says about Nabila Horakhsh (b. 1989, Kabul – based in Kabul) is a painting:Painting for me is the best way to express my painter, photographer and freelance culture journalist feelings and to share the stories that are in my heart. and is the head of Berang Arts Organisation. She was .

R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 0 8 WOODCARVING IN AFGHANISTAN

H A N D I C R A F T S O F A F G H A N I S T A N

Located in Afghanistan’s eastern mountains, the The producers of the craft came from the ‘Bari’. As region of Kafiristan ('Land of the Infidels') was long well as being woodworkers, the ‘Bari’ were more an isolated society. Cut off from the world thanks generally labourers, involved in building bridges to the difficult mountain terrain, their local religion and water mills, or working as stone carvers and was supplanted by Islam only at the end of the potters. Deemed to be impure and racially 19th century, over a millennium after the separate from the rest of society, the ‘Bari’ were, neighbouring regions, and the region renamed prior to the region’s Islamisation, treated as slaves. Nuristan (or 'Land of Light'). Their unique style of As a result there is no genealogical record of the woodcarving is in great need of preservation lest it exceptionally skilled woodcarvers who transmitted be lost forever. Woodcarving played an integral the knowledge from master ('ustad') to student role in the delineation of Nuristan’s social structure. ('shagerd'), generation after generation.

R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 0 9 GLASS BLOWING IN AFGHANISTAN

For over 200 years, glassmaking has been central to the ancient Afghan city of Herat. Afghan glassblowers deftly blows and twirls molten glass into delicate blue and green goblets and vases - a craft passed down for generations but now at risk of dying out.

The traditional technique of making Herati glass uses methods that are similar to those found on ancient cuneiform tablets. Like ceramics in Istalif, the glass is covered with a natural glaze made of white quartz (mined from riverbeds) and the ash of ishkar, a desert bush. After ishkar is piled into a pit and burned, the ashes are left to cool over night. Long ago, nomadic peoples in northern Afghanistan used ishkar to make soap, but they sold some to glass blowers and potters for glaze. Glass blowers still choose the best ishkar by tasting it. The sweeter the taste, they say, the better the quality White quartz and ishkar ash are mixed with copper to create a blue glaze. Forming the glass involves blowing sharp bursts of air through a long metal pipe to inflate the molten glass into a bubble, called a parison. The glass is then rolled on a marver, or steel slab, to cool it down and to allow it to be molded into different shapes. R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 1 0 CARPETS OF AFGHANISTAN

Afghan carpets are thick, heavy floor covering handwoven by Turkmen craftsmen in Afghanistan. They're made up of Persian knots and feature vegetable-dyed hand spun Afghan wool. Pre-dyed wool yarn is often substituted for or combined with the natural dyes as well. Most Afghan weavers make rugs that are about the same as those they have woven for decades.

KHAL MOHAMMADI

Khal Mohammadi are handmade by the Turkomans in the north of Afghanistan, and in some cases they can also be hand knotted in Pakistan by the Turkomans who have crossed over the borders into Pakistan. The primary colours are dark red in different nuances. Occurring motifs are göls (elephant like pattern) and octagonal (eight shaped) often with curvilinear flowers in dark blue, ochre and beige. (Pic 1)

AFGHAN AQCHE Afghan Aqche carpets are handmade by the Turkomans in central and north Afghanistan. Pile, warp and weft consists of wool, goat and sometimes also horse hair.(Pic 3)

R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 1 1 C E R A M I C W A R E S I N A F G H A N I S T A N

Traditional Afghan pottery has been made ishkar, a type of mountain plant only found in the village of Istalif for over 1,400 years in certain provinces in northern using the same traditional methods. The Afghanistan, this glaze was central to the secrets of this art form have been passed development of Istalif’s distinctive ceramic down from father to son through many tradition.To produce the glaze, the root of generations. From a young age, a family’s the ishkar plant is burned and the ash is sons become potter’s apprentices, training ground into powder. This is then mixed with daily with their fathers and uncles. Istalifi water and combined with quartz and ceramics are known for their distinctive copper oxide (both of which are easily glaze. The most unique feature of Istalifi sourced from the area around Istalif). The ceramics is the special turquoise glaze that resulting mixture, a striking, sea-green is applied to the finished pieces. Made from glaze, is then used to cover the ceramics after firing.

R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 1 2 BICHAK AFGHAN STUFFED SAVORY AND SWEET PASTRIES INGREDIENTS For Dough 1/4 cup Lukewarm (110°F) water 1 (1/4-ounce) Active dry yeast 3 1/2 cups Package Flour

N 1 Tsp Salt 1 1/4 cups Water

A 1 Egg, beaten

T 1 tablespoon Oil 2 Egg yolks S

I Meat (gosht) For Filling

N Oil -- 2 to 3 tablespoons Onions, finely chopped -- 2 A Ground lamb or beef -- 1 pound Salt and peppers -- to season H DIRECTIONS

G Mix the lukewarm water and yeast together in a small bowl

F and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to activate the yeast. Add 3 cups of the flour and the salt to large mixing bowl. Make

A a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast mixture, 1 1/4 cups water, beaten egg and oil. Stir with a wooden spoon

F to mix the ingredients and bring the dough together. Remove the dough to a floured work surface and knead,

O adding extra flour as needed, until the dough is no longer

sticking to your hands and is silky and elastic. Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean towel or E wrap and set in a warm corner until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. P

I While the dough is rising, make the meat filling. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high flame. Add the onions and saute

C until they are cooked down and translucent, 4 or 5 minutes. Add the ground meat and saute, breaking up large chunks, E until cooked through, another 6 or 7 minutes. Drain any excess fat, season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside to R cool.Preheat oven to 350°F.

Remove the dough to a lightly floured work surface and punch

S it down with your fists to deflate it. Cut the dough in two and roll the out half the dough into a rectangle about 1/4-inch

U thick. Use a cookie cutter or large glass to cut the dough into 3 or 4-

O inch rounds. Place 1 or 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture into the middle of a round. Fold the bottom of the dough up over the filling then fold down the top on each side to form a M triangle. Pinch the edges together to form a seam and seal in the filling. A Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.Place the bichak F on a greased baking sheet. Beat the egg yolks with a little water and and brush the top of each pastry with the egg wash. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the pastries are lightly browned and cooked through

R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 1 3 Sheer Pira AFGHANI HOMEMADE SWEET

INGREDIENTS 440g White Sugar N 500 ml Water A 440 g Full-cream Milk T

S Powder I 1 tbsp Ground Cardamom N 1 tbsp Rosewater A 125 g Chopped Walnuts H 1 tbsp Ground Pistachios G F

A DIRECTIONS

F Place the sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat and stir until O the sugar dissolves. Simmer, without

E stirring, for 10–15 minutes, or until a P

I thick syrup forms. Do not allow the syrup to colour. C

E Meanwhile, combine the milk powder, cardamom, rosewater and R walnuts in a bowl. Pour over the hot S syrup and quickly combine well.

U Pour mixture into a shallow dish and

O scatter with the ground pistachios. Stand for 30 minutes or until cool M and set. Cut into diamonds or A squares to serve F

R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 1 4 POETRY OF AFGHANISTAN

زه د ﻣﯿﻨﯥ وﯾﺐ ﮐﯥ دوﻣﺮه درﻏﻠﯽ ﺷﻮی ﯾﻢ ﻳﻮه وﻧﻪ ﭼﯥ د ﺗﺨﻢ ﺗﺨﻢ ﻟﺮي

.زﻣﺎ ﻫﯿ ﻫﻪ ﻧﺎﮐﺎﻣﻪ ﺷﻮه د ﮐﻮچ او ﺑﻮره ﺳﺮه ﺗﻐﺬﯾﻪ زه ﻧﻪ ﭘﻮﻫﯿم ﮐﻠﻪ ﭼﯥ زه د ﻟﻮړ وﯾﻨﯥ ﺳ ﺳﺎﯾ ﮐﻮم ﺷﻮي .ﺑﯿﺎ ﺑﻪ ﻫﻢ ﯾﻮه ﻣﯿﻮه وﺧﻮرئ .ﭘﻪ ﺳﺨﺘ ﺳﺮه ﻣﺎ د دې ﺗوﻧﻪ ﻟ واړوﻟﻪ ﻟﻪ دې ﺨﻪ ، ﺗﺎﺳﻮ ﺑﻪ ﻫﯿ ﻣﯿﻨﻪ د دوﻣﺮه ﭘﺮاﺧﻪ ﺎی ﺳﺮه ﺳﻤﻨﺪر دی .ﺧﻮﻧﺪ وﻧﻪ ﺧﻮرئ . - ﻫﯿ ﻋﺎﻗﻞ ﺳی ﻧﺸﻲ ﮐﻮﻟﯽ دا ﭘﻪ ﮐﻮم ﺎی ﮐﯥ ﺗﯿﺮ ﮐي د ﺑ ﻠ ﺦ ا ﺑ ﻮ ﺷ ﮑ ﻮ ر ﯾﻮ رﯾﺘﯿﻨﯽ ﻋﺎﺷﻖ ﺑﺎﯾﺪ ﺗﺮ ﭘﺎی ﭘﻮرې وﻓﺎدار وي A tree with a bitter seed .او د ژوﻧﺪ ﻟﻪ ﺗﮑﺜﯿﺮ ﺷﻮي رﺟﺤﺎن ﺳﺮه ﻣﺦ ﯾﻮ Fed with butter and sugar ، ﮐﻠﻪ ﭼﯥ ﺗﺎﺳﻮ ﺷﯿﺎن ﭘ وﯾﻨﺊ ، ﻧﻮ ﻪ ﯾﯥ ﭘﺎک ﮐئ Will still bear a bitter fruit. زﻫﺮ وﺧﻮرئ ، ﻣﺮ د ﺷﯿﻦ ﺧﻮږ ﺧﻮﻧﺪ From it, you will taste no - ر ا ﺑ ﻌ ﻪ ﺑ ﻠ ﺨ ﻲ .sweetness - A B U S H U K U R O F B A L K H I am caught in Love’s web so deceitful None of my endeavors turn fruitful. I knew not when I rode the high-blooded stead The harder I pulled its reins the less it would heed. ، ﮐﻪ ﻣﺸﺮﺗﺎﺑﻪ د زﻣﺮي ﺟﺒﻲ ﮐﯥ آرام وي Love is an ocean with such a vast space ﻧﻮ ﻫﻤﺪاﺳﯥ وي. ﻻړﺷﻪ دا د ﻫﻐﻪ ﻟﻪ No wise man can swim it in any place. .ﺟﺒﻪ ﺨﻪ وﻧﻴﺴﻪ A true lover should be faithful till the end ﺳﺘﺎﺳﻮ ډﯾﺮۍ ﺑﻪ ﻋﻈﻤﺖ ، وﻗﺎر ، وﻗﺎر And face life’s reprobated trend. .او وﯾﺎړ وي When you see things hideous, fancy them neat, ﮐﻪ ﻮل ﻧﺎﮐﺎم ﺷﻲ ، د ﺳي ﭘﻪ ﯿﺮ ﻣﺮګ Eat poison, but taste sugar sweet ﺳﺮه ﻣﺦ ﺷﺊ - R A B I A B A L K H I - د ﺑ ﺎ د ﻏ ﯿ ﺲ ﺣ ﻨ ﻈ ﻠ ﻪ

If leadership rests inside the lion’s jaw, So be it. Go snatch it from his jaws. Your lot shall be greatness, prestige, honor and glory. If all fails, face death like a man

- H A N Z A L A O F B A D G H I S R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 1 5 ARCHITECTURE OF AFGHANISTAN

(Pic 1) (Pic 2) (Pic 3) BUDDHIST EARLY ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE ARCHITECTURE

Within this period came the widespreadconstruction of The initial spread of Islam to Afghanistan occurred around the 8th the (Pic 1), a key architectural form of the early century AD, with Abbasid rule succeeded by Saffarids and later Buddhist period. This structure developed from the Samanids to 961 AD. Following this point in time Afghanistan was original earthen mounds built in north-eastern established as the centre of Islamic civilisation under the Ghaznavid following the death of Buddha, with the role of the Empire, succeeded by the Ghorids until 1219. A key impact of Islamic rule on the architecture in Afghanistan was the introduction of the structure progressing from a commemorative reliquary universal religious building of mosque (Pic 3), with aspects of the basic to a place of worship itself. This occurred around the structure dictated by the religion itself. 3rd century BC with the opening of the original A markedly Iranian influence is notable in the subsequent Ghaznavid by Emperor in order to utilise relics to and Ghorid periods, were tiles were arranged to form decorative disseminate the religion, coinciding with the inscriptions making up entire walls, a tradition later greatly developed dissemination of the structure itself.Artificial cave in the Timurid era. structures were a primary feature of Buddhist The 65-metre Ghorid at Jam (Pic 2) one of two surviving communities, with the caves utilised as sanctuaries and monuments in Afghanistan from this period and the two at cells for Buddhist monks. The most prominent example Ghazni are often cited as the most exceptional examples of this Islamic of these in Afghanistan are in Bamiyan Province, which architectural tradition. became the capital of in the 4th century AD. Hundreds of these such caves exist at this site, which is also notable for its immense Buddha statues and their MODERN ISLAMIC public destruction by the Taliban in 2001 ARCHITECTURE

Not much development occurred in the way of architectural form with comparison to design prior to the Mongol invasion. Reliance on the dome and for the basis of structural design continued, with some evolutions: for example, the double dome became frequently used, where the iwan developed into a monumental entrance hall. Mosques rarely varied from the pre-Mongol design consisting of four and a dome chamber forming the main prayer hall. These features accompany an emphasis throughout the Timurid period on giganticism and the conspicuous. (Pic 4 & 5) (Pic 4) (Pic 5)

R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 1 6 REIMAGINING AFGHANISTAN THROUGH CINEMA

My journey in the film industry began as a debut actor in an Iranian movie. After that when I went to University, I studied Film making & Direction. Me being the women Chairperson of Afghanistan Films has given me an unique opportunity to portray my own Country Afghanistan, before the world. It has given me an opportunity to tell the stories of women in the country about aspects which are ignored by my male counterparts. My male counterparts in the industry, especially the producers, prefer to take up very specific stories based on the already existing cliches which they believe will help big production houses in their business. What no one has ever attempted to do is think outside the already existing cliches & look at the unknown. Women in the Afghan film industry or per say any country in the South Asian Region are regarded as exotics & hence portrayed in just one particular role. For example, women in Afghan Films are always portrayed as Victims or Hero & nothing between. This practice has actually hampered the image of Afghanistan before the world.

This is a problem I Have faced as I have always tried to go against the flow & uncover issues faced by women in the country. I have tried to portray the Humane side of the Afghan Society portraying the people in the country as Human beings who have their daily problems just like any other human being. Another problem is that the media is biased. Media remains one of the most important bridges between a society & the outer world. In the case of Afghanistan, Media has been biased. Journalists, Authors, movie makers, they have chosen to highlight the war over the daily life in the country portraying the country in a very poor light. What needs to be highlighted is the Change Afghanistan has witnessed over the last 20 years.

The Country is no longer as had been portrayed in mainstream cinemas the most famous being in Tagore's Kabuliwala. The West believes that Afghanistan is a poor society with Violence & oppression but this is not true. I can speak for the new generation of Afghan Women & I can be certain that they strive to fulfill their dreams & become successful in their career. They no longer strive to solve issues of Hijab or Islam, but they have learnt to enjoy life, go shopping sit at a Cafe hanging out with friends. We have stories from our daily life, moments of joy & happiness & they are already existing in our society. What we need to do is look beyond the clouds of conflict & explore the ray of hope shining upon what is good & beautiful & happy in this country.

Reimagining Afghanistan has to begin from ones own house in the country. It has to be us who need to start promoting the beautiful & humane picture of the Afghan Society & the Country. We need to showcase that Afghanistan has so much more to portray & offer than just narrations of Conflict & Violence.

Dr. Sahraa Karimi Chairperson, Afghanistan Films.

R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 1 7 AFGHAN MOVIES TO WATCH

WOLF AND SHEEP HAVA , MARYAM, AYESHA OSAMA Directed by - Shahrbanoo Sadat Directed by - Sahraa Karimi Directed By - Barmak

THREE DOTS I AM YOU KABULI KID Directed By - Roya Sadat Directed By - Sonia Nassery Cole Directed By - Barmak Akram

R E I M A G I N E A F G H A N I S T A N | P A G E 1 8 Contact us www.raisinahouse.org @raisinahouse +91 9810468433 [email protected] +91 8292480938