introductionZoroastrianism and the traditions of the ancient Iranian dualistic
religion also persist. Lighting lamps is a common feature of shrine cults,
especially in northern Afghanistan, while the ancient Iranian New Year
festival of Nauroz, which falls on the spring equinox, is celebrated as a
national holiday. Many Afghans also celebrate Chaharshanbe Suri, the
Wednesday before Nauroz, by jumping across fire for good luck. In Mazar-i
Sharif, the celebration of Nauroz runs parallel with two other ancient
pre-Islamic festivals. Mela-yi Gul-i Surkh, or Festival of the Red Rose, has
mythic associations with Akkadian religion, the cult of Venus and Adonis,
and the Armenian festival of Vardavar. On the morning of Nauroz a pole
adorned with banners is raised in the shrine of Hazrat ‘Ali. Known as Janda
Bala, people claim to have been healed of incurable diseases during the
elevation of the pole and during the forty days it remains standing in the
shine. The origin of this tradition is obscure but it appears to be linked
with ancient Vedic and Indo-Aryan religion. In December many families
celebrate Shab-i Yalda, the northern hemisphere’s winter solstice and the
counterpart of Nauroz. Traditionally, families will stay awake all night to
prevent misfortune, read the poems of Hafiz and eat red fruits such as
pomegranates and watermelon.
Afghan society revolves around the extended family or clan, known as
qaum, the primary social and political network. Afghans see themselves
as part of a whole – members of a complex kith-kin network that can be
Nauroz, or New Year festival at the shrine of Shah-i Mardan, dedicated to ‘Hazrat ‘Ali,
the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, commences with the ceremony of Janda Bala,
the raising of a ceremonial flagstaff.