Nowruz is a Persian New Year celebration. Over the years I've known Afghan women, I've joined some of them with sweet food celebrations and others with Happy Nowruz exchanges. I had always related to it as a Happy New Year. This year however, I am starting to understand it in a different way, with insights from this article by my Afghan friend:
Nowruz: An Ancient and Traditional Celebration
Nowruz, an ancient and traditional festival, is the New Year celebration for farmers in the solar calendar. It is also one of the most important cultural and national events in Afghanistan, neighbouring countries, and other parts of the world. The celebration of Nowruz has deep roots in the history and traditions of the Afghan people and includes customs such as setting the Haft Sin table, preparing Haft Mewa, visiting nature for gatherings, and holding traditional festivals.
This year, as Afghanistan approaches its fourth Nowruz under Taliban rule, the festival faces many restrictions. The Taliban, who have an extreme view of national traditions, consider Nowruz an un-Islamic ceremony and oppose it. Through suppression and violence, they openly show their hostility toward the culture, national traditions, and ancient civilisation of this land.
Afghanistan is one of the most important countries in the Nowruz civilisation region. On the first day of spring, people welcome the rebirth of nature by celebrating with music, dancing, and joy. They mark Nowruz with special ceremonies in cities like Balkh, Kabul, Herat, and Nangarhar, including "Janda Bala" (flag raising) cooking traditional food like Sabzi Polow and Samanak, and attending Gul-e-Sorkh, Gul-e-Narenj, and Gul-e-Badam festivals.
However, the return of the Taliban to power has placed severe restrictions on many cultural and national events in Afghanistan. The Taliban consider Nowruz an "un-Islamic innovation", and have banned its celebration. In recent years, many reports have shown the Taliban suppressing Nowruz celebrations. This year, as the Solar New Year coincides with Ramadan, the Taliban have already started to advertise serious warnings, and issuing religious fatwas in mosques to stop people from celebrating Nowruz or even going to parks and nature for the occasion.
After reading this, I started searching online for more information. I found explanations as to why the Taliban opposes this festival, from an Afghan media source that I often look into – 8am Media, also known as Hasht e Subh:
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