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Persian New Year celebrated in Kabul
A band of the Afghan National Army (ANA) performs during the ceremonies to commemorate the Persian New Year at the National (Olympic) Stadium in Kabul on March 21.
By Captain Mark Gough
KABUL – On March 21, the streets and open space throughout Kabul were crammed with thousands of Afghans as they gathered to celebrate the Persian New Year.
Also referred to as Navruz or Nowruz, the Persian New Year has been celebrated by people in Central Asia for over 2,500 years, some claim as far back as 5,000 years. Originating in Persia and long associated with the ancient Zoroastrian religion, its name means "new day" as it marked the first day of the new calendar year for ancient Persians.
As Turks and other nomadic peoples moved into Central Asia and areas around Persia, they adopted the celebration of Navruz. Just as the Saxon holiday of Ostara was embraced by Christianity and become Easter in the West, Navruz traditions, survived the coming of Islam to the area 1,400 years ago.
Today, Navruz is celebrated widely in Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and the western provinces of China, as well as by Kurds in Turkey, Syria and Iraq and by Tatars and Bashkirs in southern Russia. It is a joyous celebration when people dress up in colourful clothing and share good wishes for the upcoming year.
All across Kabul, citizens celebrated the coming of the New Year with kite-flying festivals, picnics, concerts and parades. Festivities took place in such locations as the tomb of King Nadir Khan, near the base of TV Hill in the centre of the city and the National (Olympic) Stadium in downtown Kabul.
A group of Afghan men dressed in traditional costumes line up for the start of the ceremonies to commemorate the Persian New Year at the National (Olympic) Stadium in Kabul on March 21.
In a special ceremony held at the Olympic Stadium, Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan, spoke about the progress that has been made over the past year. In a gesture to mark improvements being made to Kabul he planted a tree and announced a major new green offensive, in which the government will sponsor the planting of nearly 4.5 million saplings this year.
“With God’s grace this year we have enough snow and rain and we hope we will have better agriculture than last year,” said President Karzai. “Then we will be able to sell our fruits in Afghanistan, neighbouring countries and overseas once again.”
In a letter to the people of Afghanistan in the ISAF News, Lieutenant General Ethem Erdagi, Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), offered his hope for a prosperous and peaceful new year and reiterated ISAF’s commitment as the nation continues its quest towards prosperity.
“Our mission has been, and still is, to assist in the process of building a safe and secure environment in full co-operation with the Afghan government,” said LGen Erdagi. “I feel confident that this year will be another success story for Afghans. Few nations have managed such immense progress in a relatively short time span.”
During the celebrations, the military forces of the ISAF continued normal operations and remained ready to assist the government. For Task Force Kabul (TFK), it was business as usual during Navruz. So as not to impede the celebrations, the Canadians reduced their movement throughout the city and were on standby to assist ISAF if required. As part of this preparedness, the Canadian armoured reconnaissance squadron was deployed in and around Kabul to provide surveillance to ensure that insurgent groups were unable to disrupt the holiday.
“Our reconnaissance squadron is a crucial capability for ISAF,” said Colonel Walter Semianiw, Commander of TFK. “They provided over watch in a variety of different locations to ensure that the Afghan people could enjoy Navruz in a peaceful and stable environment.”
While no major incidents occurred during the celebrations, the occasion was marred by a landmine blast in the Karte Sakhikhel district, a location where many Shiite Muslim families had gathered to picnic and visit a shrine. A teenage Afghan boy visiting the area with his family lost both legs after stepping on an old mine.
This incident was a stark reminder that despite the continued rebuilding and progress that has taken place, the legacy of war still looms in this country that has been torn apart by decades of conflict.
Capt Gough is a Public Affairs Officer with Task Force Kabul.
