Women and Way of Life
in Afghanistan

Many Afghan people live in homes made of sun dried bricks.  City livers live in apartment buildings and also many of Afghanistan's people live in tents made of goat hair.

Most Afghans wear traditional clothing.  In winter people wear a coat made of sheepskin quilted fabric.

Afghan people serve flat loaves of a whole grain sourdough bread at every meal.  They also enjoy vegetables, yogurt, beef, mutton, chicken and rice.  The most popular desserts are nuts and fits.  Tea is the favorite drink.
 

In 1964 Afghan law gave women equal status with men, and the social and economic position of women improved.  But now in areas ruled by the Taliban, a conservative Islamic group, women must follow an especially strict code of public behavior.  The Taliban does not allow women to go to school, they must stay home and take care of their children.

All women do not have the right to study at school,  work at offices, or go out alone.  If they want to go out they have to cover their whole body even the face.  They should wear chadri, a full-length garment that leaves only the eyes uncovered.  And they can only go out with a man who is their father, brother, or husband.

There are many widows who have lost their husband in the war and they don't have anyone else to support their children, so they make their children go to work.
The economy is very weak because the government doesn't care about the people.  They are busy in war with different groups who want to get the power.

It was not like this before.  Women and men had the same rights and were busy with jobs or their own businesses.  But now that that the government has changed many Afghans have problems.

By Haseena
source: WorldBook 99
  

Mosque at Mazar-e Sharif

Muslims from all over the country make pilgrimages to the 15th-century mosque at Mazâr-e Sharîf in northern Afghanistan. The religious significance of the site derives from the belief that the tomb of Ali, fourth caliph of Islam and son-in-law of Muhammad, the founder of Islam, lies within the mosque. More than 99 percent of the population of Afghanistan practices Islam.






 
Bamiyan Buddha
Afghanistan and Hindostan were two neighboring countries more than a half century ago. When Afghanistan was called ARIANA, Indians and Arians were sharing the same faith.
 Bamiyan is first mentioned in the century as one of the historical places in Afghanistan.
There are two great statues of Buddha that have the history of more than two thousand years.The larger statue, called Shamoma, is 53m high and the smaller, Known as Salsal, is 120 feet. These statues are carved from the living rock and finished with fine plaster.
The two Buddha figures, together with numerous ancient manmade caves in the cliffs north of the town have made Bamiyan a major Afghan archaeological site. We can say that they are two of the largest statues in the world.
When Husan-Tsang saw the figures they were decorated with gold and jewels. Over the centuries tourist from all over the world have come to visit this historical place.
During all of Afghanistan history, no government and no person wanted to destroy the statues. They are proud of their history and also every human being can be proud of that because it shows human knowledge and ability. But now the new government and the Taliban's supreme leader, Mollah Omar have destroyed the precious and wealthy sculpture. So we are sorry that the government destroyed them because this statues were not there to be worshipped, they were works of art. They belong to all of humanity.
 
 

Have a look at this page for more pictures of the Buddha statues . . .
http://www.stringer.it/Stringer%20Photo/bamiyan.html

For updated information on the Taliban activity against the statues, see
http://www.afghanistan.org/cgi-win/wc.dll?are~VIEWNEWS~8877