Amin Alemi
Press TV, Kabul
It is Afghan tradition that the arrival of winter is a specific event deeply rooted in the culture of the country.
Most families get together during the last night of autumn called the ‘Night of Yalda’ or ‘Shab-e-Chelle.’
Families read poems and tell stories of the past. They also read stories from the Holy Quran and recite poems of Hafez.
This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed restrictions on the ritual.
To mark Yalda, Afghans prepare some special dishes such as ‘Aashak.’
These days Afghanistan is known to the world as a war-ravaged country, plunged into poverty and crisis.
But the real Afghanistan is more textured than could be seen in the world media. Festivals like Yalda are great examples for the world to see Afghanistan for what it really is and who really Afghans are.