Burqa and other Kabul, Afghanistan Local Custom Tips

The Burkha has long been a feature of some Muslim societies, and contrary to popular belief it was not a new invention introduced by the Taliban. It had been around a long time, and many women even today still wear Burkha by their own choice.

Be local when you are in Afghanistan, but it doesnt mean that you need to wear Burqas like the Afghan women. Just cover all of your body, and wear veil. You dont need to cover your eyes and face.

Even now in Kabul, you can easily find girls with burqa outside and body pressed jeans inside. A contrast.

Leave a Comment

2 carpet sellers with the dried up Kabul River behind them. We met these guys on our first evening in Kabul as we went in search of changing money (all money in Afghanistan right now is changed on the black market). The man on the left is wearing the Chitrali "Pakol", a cap originating from Chitral in North West Pakistan and made famous through the world by the Guerrila leader Shah Massoud as the distinctive cap of the Mujahadeen fighters against the Soviet invaders. The guy on the right is wearing the more common turban which is wrapped around the Muslim skull cap. Both men are probably from the Pathan or Tajik ethnic group.

Leave a Comment

Roadside sellers with western style clothing on sale. In Kabul we were quite suprised by the re-emergence of western clothing (particulary in the younger guys). Everywhere else in Afghanistan, it remained traditional.

Leave a Comment

Just stopping for a moment to look at something in a market,meant that a big crowd would soon develop around us, and usually wanting to have their photo taken upon seeing the camera.

Leave a Comment

Seller of Afghan VCD'S. The majority of these are tacky movies, or home made camcorder shows of women dancing in exotic style. We were never sure if these were Afghan or from countries Kyrgistan and Turkmenistan. Such dancing VCD's are now on display in most Chaikhanas (when in Taliban era any TV was banned) where the men watch with mouths agape at quite frankly, what we considered to be overweight and quite ugly looking women, dancing to traditional music. Most seemed like family get togethers where occasionally Uncle Ahmed would stumble past the camera by accident.

Leave a Comment

Yep. "Select which colour or design you would like Sir

Leave a Comment

Another seller proud to have his photo taken, belonging to the Uzbek ethnic group of Afghanistan. Closer to oriental features. The faces in Afghanistan make it the most fascinating people watching country in the world for us. Again, the Kabul river behind dried up and now used as a polluted trash can unfortunately.

Leave a Comment

The scars on the face of this young guy selling cigarettes look like he's been through some hell despite his age. The now famous Burkha being worn by women in the background was due to us being in the middle of the womens market. The Burkha is still widely worn as a personal decision thesedays.

Leave a Comment