Daykundi

This time ATIS aims to take you to a newly established province in Afghanistan. Just a few years ago Daikundi which is now an independent territory was an administrative unit in Uruzgan Province. Follow ATIS to get an introduction to Daikundi Province. Daikundi Province shares border with Urozgan Province in the southwest, Bamiyan Province in the East, Ghor Province in the north, Ghazni Province in the south and Helmand Province in the northwest. Daikundi Province Another view of Daikundi Province Daikundi is one of the mountainous provinces in Afghanistan; therefore, in cold seasons its roads are often blocked for several months due to heavy snowfall, making the living for people in this province more demanding. Although some of the regions in this province have warm and cold climate, high lands and green plateaus. Wild rivers in Daikundi Province in the spring Autumn, Daikundi Province Autumn, Daikundi Province Road blockage caused by heavy snowfall, Daikundi Province Heavy snowfall, Daikundi Province Snowfall and sleet, Khidir District Khodi Valley, Khidir Province Administrative units in Daikundi Province Nilli District covering 780 km2 is the center of Daikundi Province. Daikundi Province consists of Khidir, Shahristan, Miramor, Ashtarlai, Sang Takht-va-Bandar, Kiti, Kijran and Gizab administrative units. Sang Takht District in Daikundi Province Sangmom Region Charkh Bargar Village in Shahristan District Daikundi Province Gole Badam Festival Most of the people in Daikundi Province are farmers and herders. Their major harvests include almond, wheat, grain, corn, bean, vetch, lentil, apple, grapes, pomegranate and etc. Almond is known as one of the main quality products in Daikundi Province which is also present in domestic and international markets. For this reason, in recent years, in spring when the trees blossom “Gole Badam Festival” (Almond Blossom Festival) is held under the trees with white almond flower buds. During this time, usually articles and poems about spring is read by poets and writers. Almond trees in Daikundi Province Gole Badam Festival in Daikundi Province Historical and religious locations As many other provinces, there are many religious and historical locations in Daikundi Province such as Shah Tos, Shah Qosor and Shahr Torab holy shrines. Also we can name historical regions including Shahr-e-Viran in Qouchak Village in Miramor Alia, Khakrizak located in Saravard Village and Qala Bagh which is situated on a big mountain. Girls in Daikundi Province Girls passion for education in Daikundi Province High School girls in Nili District Nili Market A market in Daikundi Another view of Daikundi market Boys in Daikundi Province The passion for learning Girls play in school, Daikundi Province An outdoor school in Daikundi Province Back from school, Gandanayak Village, Nilli District Soccer the popular game among boys Daikundi`s women and artefacts

Daykundi has long been part of the Hazarajat, the mountainous heart of central Afghanistan, and its name is that of one of the region's historical territories. For centuries its valleys were largely self-governing under local leaders, and they were connected with the wider world mainly through traders and seasonal migration. In the 1890s, under Amir Abdur Rahman Khan, the Hazarajat was brought under the direct control of the Kabul government after a series of campaigns, an episode that remains an important part of local memory. For most of the 20th century the area formed part of Uruzgan province. In 2004 it became a province in its own right, and Nili, until then a small settlement, was developed as its capital. Since then new roads, schools and government buildings have been built, although much of the province remains remote.

Most people in Daykundi speak Dari, in the Hazaragi dialect, and the majority are Shia Muslims. Mosques and community halls known as takyakhana are at the centre of village life, used for prayer, gatherings and the mourning ceremonies of Muharram. Nowruz is the great festival of the year, celebrated with family visits, special dishes and outings as the snow melts and the almond trees come into blossom. The two Eids are marked with prayers, new clothes and visits to relatives. Music has a strong place in local culture, above all the dambura, a long-necked lute that accompanies sung poetry and folk songs. Football and volleyball are popular with young people, and village weddings are celebrated with music, food and gatherings of the extended family.

Daykundi is among the most mountainous provinces in Afghanistan, with high ridges that hold snow for much of the year and deep valleys and gorges between them. The Helmand River and its tributaries run through the province, and the streams fed by snowmelt are the lifeblood of the villages. Fields are terraced into the slopes and watered by small canals, and stone-walled orchards fill the valley floors. Almond trees dominate many valleys and cover them with white and pink blossom in spring. Apricots, mulberries and walnuts also grow, while wheat and potatoes are the main field crops. Above the cultivated land, summer pastures are used for grazing sheep and goats, and the open uplands are crossed by footpaths linking one valley with the next.

Almonds are Daykundi's best-known product. They are eaten fresh or dried, served to guests with tea and used in sweets for Nowruz and weddings, and traders carry them from the valleys to markets across the country. Everyday food is simple highland fare: bread baked on a griddle or in a clay oven, dairy products from the family's animals, potatoes, wheat and pulses. Qurut, dried yoghurt, is softened into a sauce and poured over torn bread with ghee or oil, a warming meal in the cold months. Meat, usually mutton, is kept for guests and celebrations. Bosragh, a fried dough pastry, is made for Nowruz and other festivals, and dried apricots and mulberries are winter staples.

Weaving is the main craft tradition. Barak, a dense woollen cloth woven by hand from sheep's wool, is used for coats, waistcoats and blankets and is prized for its warmth. Kilims, woollen bags and saddle covers are also woven on simple looms in the villages. Women's embroidery decorates caps, dresses, cushions and bags, and needlework skills are passed down within families. Knitted socks and gloves of local wool are made for the winter. Most of this work is made for family use, but some pieces reach the bazaar in Nili, where they are sold alongside the cloth and household goods that make up most of the trade.

Daykundi has long, cold winters, from about November to March, when snow covers the high ground and often closes passes and mountain roads for days or weeks at a time. Travel in this season is difficult and cannot be relied upon. Spring arrives late. The almond blossom appears in the lower valleys in March and April, but nights remain cold and roads can be muddy as the snow melts. The best time to visit is from May to October, when the passes are open, days are warm and nights cool. Late summer and early autumn bring the almond and fruit harvest, when the valleys are at their busiest and most productive.

Daykundi is reached by mountain roads across the central highlands, with approaches from Bamyan province to the north-east, from Ghazni province to the east and from Tarinkot in Uruzgan to the south. From Kabul the drive to Nili is roughly 450 km, depending on the route, and generally takes a long day or more, crossing several high passes on the way. Within the province, mostly unpaved roads link Nili with the district centres, and some valleys are reached only by tracks or footpaths. Journeys are slower than distances suggest, and a sturdy four-wheel-drive vehicle is the norm. Road conditions and local circumstances change, so travellers should check current conditions before setting out.

Accommodation in Daykundi is basic and scarce. Nili has a few small guesthouses and hotels with simple rooms, and outside the capital there is very little formal accommodation. In the districts, travellers usually stay in tea houses, where a meal and a place to sleep on floor mats can often be found, or as guests of local families, in keeping with the strong local tradition of hospitality. Rooms are rarely heated beyond a stove, so warm bedding is useful even in summer, when nights in the mountains can be cold.

Shared four-wheel-drive vehicles, minibuses and pick-up trucks link Nili with the district centres and with neighbouring provinces, usually leaving early in the morning when full. Journeys are slow on rough mountain roads. In Nili, people walk or use motorbikes, and a few rickshaws run along the main road. For visitors, hiring a vehicle with an experienced local driver is the most practical way to travel between valleys. In remote areas, donkeys and horses are still used to carry goods along paths that vehicles cannot reach.