Friday, March 21, 2014

The man tree in colourful celebration of Afghan New Year

The man tree: Revellers rest in branches during colourful celebration of Afghan New Year

Nowruz is one of the biggest festivals of the war-scarred nation and marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Persian calendarAmazing pictures of the Afghan New Year festival of Nowruz show revellers resting in branches during the colourful celebration, watching the masses partake in the many events.

The Afghan men look on from the tree branches while other revellers gather near the Hazrat-e-Ali shrine for the New Year's festival's celebrations in Mazar-i-Sharif.

The festival is one of the biggest events in the war-scarred nation, and marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Persian calendar. 

Norwuz is calculated according to a solar calendar, with this coming year marking 1393.

The festival is celebrated by people from diverse ethnic communities and religious backgrounds, and has been for thousands of years.

It is a largely secular holiday that is enjoyed by people of several different faiths, and is also celebrated by other cultural regions including Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and other scattered populations in Central Asia.

Afghan men look on from tree branches while other revellers gather near the Hazrat-e-Ali shrine for Nowruz festivities which marks the Afghan new year in Mazari-i-SharifAfghan men look on from tree branches while other revellers gather near the Hazrat-e-Ali shrine for Nowruz festivities which marks the Afghan new year in Mazari-i-SharifNowruz is one of the biggest festivals of the war-scarred nation and marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Persian calendar
Nowruz is one of the biggest festivals of the war-scarred nation and marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Persian calendar
Revellers gather around the holy mace in front the Hazrat-e-Ali shrine for Nowruz festivities
Revellers gather around the holy mace in front the Hazrat-e-Ali shrine for Nowruz festivities
A ceremony taking place at the holy mace in front of the Hazrat-e-Ali shrine during the new year festival
A ceremony taking place at the holy mace in front of the Hazrat-e-Ali shrine during the new year festival
Honour guards stand in formation near the holy mace in front of the Hazrat-e-Ali shrine
Honour guards stand in formation near the holy mace in front of the Hazrat-e-Ali shrine
Afghan men spill over a fence to touch and kiss the holy mace in front the Hazrat-e-Ali shrine
Afghan men spill over a fence to touch and kiss the holy mace in front the Hazrat-e-Ali shrine
Afghan women come together in a large crowd in front the shrine for the festivities
Afghan women come together in a large crowd in front the shrine for the festivities
Nowruz is celebrated by people from diverse ethnic communities and religious backgrounds for thousands of years
Nowruz is celebrated by people from diverse ethnic communities and religious backgrounds for thousands of years
Afghan boys watch adult men struggle to reach the holy mace to kiss it
Afghan boys watch adult men struggle to reach the holy mace to kiss it
An Afghan man leads two girls dressed alike by the hand as they leave the Sahki Shrine during festivities
An Afghan man leads two girls dressed alike by the hand as they leave the Sahki Shrine during festivities
Afghan boys take flight on swings at a fair set up in a field to celebrate the festival, which is largely secular and celebrated by all religions in the area
Afghan boys take flight on swings at a fair set up in a field to celebrate the festival, which is largely secular and celebrated by all religions in the area
An Afghan boy gets a mouthful from his cotton candy at a fair set up in a field near the Sahki Shrine. The festival originated in Persia in one of the capitals of the Achaemenid empire
An Afghan boy gets a mouthful from his cotton candy at a fair set up in a field near the Sahki Shrine. The festival originated in Persia in one of the capitals of the Achaemenid empire
An Afghan man manges to place his forehead on the holy mace after struggling with other believers in front of the Sakhi shrine
An Afghan man manges to place his forehead on the holy mace after struggling with other believers in front of the Sakhi shrine
Afghan men struggle to reach the holy mace and kiss it. The festival is also celebrated by the cultural regions that came under Iranian influence
Afghan men struggle to reach the holy mace and kiss it. The festival is also celebrated by the cultural regions that came under Iranian influence
Kurdish women, recat, during the Nowruz celebrations in southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir, Turkey
Kurdish women, recat, during the Nowruz celebrations in southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir, Turkey

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