KABUL (Pajhwok): On the eve of Nawroz most people throng markets to buy jalibi, fish and dried fruits as it is time for the preparation of Haft Mewah, a rich Afghan culture, and paying visits to fiancés.
People go to bazaars ahead of Nawroz to purchase dried fruits — walnut, pistachio, almond, sanjat, raisin — to prepare its combination called Haft Mewa (seven-fruits). People also purchase fish and sweets to celebrate the new year and serve the guests.
In Afghanistan, it is a tradition that family of groom visits the bride family with gifts, fresh and dried fruits and spends time together. Many families also visit the city to buy gift and presents.
Nawroz celebration is a historic tradition in Afghanistan and goes back to thousands of years back, but decades of war and conflict has affected Nawroz celebrations like other traditions in the country and people now evince little interest.
Obaidullah Miskinzada, a fish seller in the Qalai Najarha of Kabul city said, the markets flourish every year on the eve of Nowroz. He said, he was usually selling some limited amount of fish every day, but on the eve of Nowroz, he sells over 450 kilograms of fish every day.
Miskinzada said, he sold one kilogram of high quality baked fish against 280 afs while most of the families of grooms prefer to purchase high quality fish and some of Jalebis. One kilogram of Jalebi was against 100 afs.).
Noor Ahmad Rahmani, a general store owner in the Taimani area of Kabul city while referring to the market condtion said, usually their business go up two or even three fold on the eve of Eid or Nawroz.
He said, he baked special cookies and desserts for Nowroz, he sold each kilogram of them for 250 afs.
Rahmani is happy about his sales these days and said, he sold more than 70 kilograms his own made cookies as Nawroz is getting close. He has also talked about an increase in his dried fruit sales because his customers want to use such fruits in in the making of Haft Mewah.
He added there was no difference in the price of dried fruit but he witnessed an increase in demad and sold dozens of kilograms of dried fruitsdaily.
Bi Bi Shahnaz, 70, from capital Kabul said: “Since I was child, my family used to prepare good Nawrozi for me, we were getting ready for Nowroz 20 days prior to this day, my family members purchased dried fruits and preparing good foods a week prior to Nowroz”.
She said my mother was putting Hinna on the children’s hands a day prior to Nawroz, purchased new clothes for them to wear and go to entertainment places.
She added, they still celebrated Nawroz with the same customs and start the new year with pleasure hoping for the upcoming year to be full of pleasures till the en Shahnaz added about the custom of Nowroz: “The Nowroz was celebrated since many years and the people used to provide gifts to their newly engaged ones they believed it added to the love between the two families.”
Shahnaz said, the families of the grooms, according to their financial strenght deliver some cooked fish, cookies, desserts and gifts like clothes for the brides and some other cosmetics a day prior to Nowroz or on Nowroz day.
Aw/nh
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