ادامه دارد...

It is 7 pm. I am walking on the street of Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul. For me Kabul is always a death city. The city, which dies when the sun dies behind the mountains. The weather is good but it freezes you inside of your hearth. This evening reminded me the last seven nights I spend in Herat. Herat is the largest city in west of Afghanistan. This city has glorious histories, which until today you see it lively in the structures, monuments and its people. I call Herat the capital of culture in Afghanistan. If it is poetry or art, music or Sufism, pray of Allah and beauty of women are all embedded inside the life of the people and is part of the culture now

My last trip was the fifth time I went to this city. I go to Herat usually for work. Fortunately, work hours are shorter in Herat. Nevertheless, nights are longer. For me being a young Afghan living in Kabul, a war torn capital, with deep rooted Islamic extremism, insecurity and lack of trust between people, it puzzled me that “what youth experience in this city during the night?” I called nightlife experience

I found it interesting. Herat is a city that experiences much more color full nights in contrast to Kabul or any other city in Afghanistan. You can find the restaurants open in late night. In my first night in the city I requested my Herati friend Ahmad to explain me “how is the live condition of youth in Herat?” I started to ask him about the food, restaurants and late night Chai Khanas(Tea Houses) with Chelam and Sufis religious rituals

We started to go first to Hazar-e-yak Shab restaurant. It is on the top of hill that formerly this place has been a religious school run by Arabs in Herat. It was 10 pm, but the restaurant was open. As we entered to the gate of the restaurant, it was all dark with dime lights all over. The fume of Chelams fragrance the whole hall and even outside sitting places. In first glance, it was strange for me. I was lucky that it was a poem recitation night organized by the poet association and a youth organization of the Herat city. Poem nights are one of the special cultural events in Herat. This ritual has been practiced for thousands of years. They invited us to set among them and fume the Chelam. I never smoked in my life the Chelam, but that night I made the first experience of it. It was special night; poets from the entire province had come to celebrate the richness of Farsi poetry. One of the guys named “ Abbass Zadah” told me “ I am sure you never experienced such events in Kabul, But here is Herat, the cradle of culture and literature.” He was right; in that night I noticed that, nearly half of the today poets of Afghanistan are from Herat. That night I made many new friends. We talked about different issues. They promised me they would invite me to a smaller but more color full gathering of poets in the week ahead if I were then in the city. This was the first night in my whole life that I was out until 3 am

The party ended just before the morning pray. Everyone went to their home and guesthouses but what remained was the ashes of Chelam, the empty bottles of Beats Beer and lots of good memories

Back in the morning at the Hotel, I was waiting when the day ends and I get the chance to explore more the city. My Herati friend Ahmad, who helped me in organizing the trainings in Herat for the youth and civil society organizations, explained to me that after the training we are going to two holy places. First to The shrine of Khuwaja Abdullah Ansari ( one of the most famous Farsi Poets and Islamic Scholar) and later the center of Cheshtia Sufism branch( they pray Allah with music and religious songs, this is the only theme of pray of Allah in Islam beside the dance of Sama the ritual practiced by the great Mavlana Jalaudin Balkhi

Therefore, this night was the night to explore the different practice of Islam in this city. These two places has been one of the most visited places not for youth but for all the people in Herat. Even people from provinces come to pray in these two places

We left the hotel to the see the shrine first. The place is lighted in all corners. The shrine locates at the middle of a magnificent complex built during the Temorid Empire. In front of the shrine, there is the mosque. Youth from different corners Herat come each Friday night to pray and practice Sufism rituals. We also set in corner of the mosque. The youth formed a circle, which in the middle an older man sat. He was the Imam of the mosque. Usually they start from reading Quran. Later they repeatedly talk the name of Allah, which this ritual is famous with the name of Allah Ho

A younger boy that could be in his early 18 entered the room. He was carrying a big Chelam in his hand. This time it was not packed with Tobacco, it was Hashish. Smoking Hashish is part of these rituals. It has been practiced for many years. After they smoke the Hashish, they say that it takes them to the highest pick of love with Allah. They put the Chelam at the center of the circle. The long pipe of the Chelam reached to the every corner of the room. Smoking Hashish is ban. For me it was strange to see that. They prayed Allah but with the fume of Hashish

In contrast to other cities outside Afghanistan, religious practices and rituals are the most famous among the youth in Herat’s nightlife. On the way to back to hotel, we checked some of the city billiard clubs. Billiard is very much famous in Herat. These clubs are also one of the centers that youth come together and have some fun. They play each table for little amount of money. In Herat, usually they use underground of shops for the billiard clubs. The police has tried many time to lock down these clubs but failed. The government accused the owners of these clubs for gambling and drugs. In one sense, the police is right. In one of the clubs that we went to it, “they offered us alcohol in an open way.” I personally do not drink alcohol. Nevertheless, my friend loves red wine. The owner of the club went to bring a bottle of red wine smuggled from PRT of Herat. After an hour, he came and told us “This is really a good bottle, not less than 50 $.” He agreed on the price. But he was afraid that not being caught by police on the way to his house. We played three table of billiard too. It was fun

Ahmad dropped me back to my hotel. We agreed to go see the university the next day. University of Herat is third largest university in Afghanistan. In contrast to other universities the average of the female students are higher than the male students. I went to the different department. The last visit was to the institute of Art. As I entered I realized that finally I found the main source of academic art studies in Herat. The students were really intelligent, they explained many modern art sculptures that till now I do now understand them. Different paintings were hung in the walls of the classes. It was strange for me. And also a moment of proud. They were really working hard and they were lucky too, they had the talent of it. They organized each session a competition. They invite poets too from all over province. It has turned to be a part of their life to organize social gathering focusing on art and poem. This time I was not lucky enough. Just before my arrival to Herat the gala of modern art has passed. As Ahmad and I were leaving the university, Ahmad showed to me the street of lovers. This street is famous among young boys and girls of Herat. They go to meet their loved ones. For me this was also interesting. Despite all the traditional and Islamic extremism, I noticed many couples setting in the garden of streets of lovers. This place was the spot to find women too

As the sun sat down, Ahmad , I and two of his friends decided to go to another restaurant at the center of the city, Arghawan Restaurant. At the door of this nice restaurant, I noticed a big picture of Holly Marry, but the place was not that much holly. After minutes of talk on the life of youth and politics, the waiter brought three Chelam for us. Due to my allergy, I decided not to smoke. However, my friends started to smoke the Chelam. Fortunately, this time it was not hashish or tobacco, it was little tobacco flavored with fruit. One of my Ahmad’s , Arif told me that this is the best place to find alcohol. It was not that much surprise to me. Then Arif told, “During the day this places is a good place for families to come, but after 9 pm, usually young boys come here. They smoke Chelam, take some beers and find their dates.” Now I was shocked. We stayed until 1 am at the restaurant. It was the discussion on modernity and Islam that kept us for a long discussion that we did not noticed the time

One week passed and my trip was getting to the end but it was a week that I lived fully. In Herat it is not the people that decide between right and wrong. It is the soul and the culture of Herat that decide between good and bad. It is not purely Islamic or infidelity. It is strange place to worship Allah with music and smoke hashish to get deeper with the love of Allah