Traditional Herati Restaurant Attracts Customers with Poetry and Food
Mawlana is a restaurant in Afghanistan's western Herat province, not only serving food, but has a small library dedicated to poems by Mawlana Jalaluddin Balkhi, otherwise known as Rumi.
HERAT, 03/09/2022 – An outside view of Mawlana, a traditional restaurant in Afghanistan’s western Herat province where customers not only come for a bite to eat, but to read poems and books. Mawlana Jalaluddin Mohammad Balkhi/Rumi, simply known as Rumi, was a famous 13th century poet originating from Afghanistan. Photo by: Abdul Karim Azim
By Abdul Karim Azim, edited by Mohammad J. Alizada, and Brian J. Conley
Alive in Afghanistan brings you visuals from a traditional restaurant in Afghanistan’s western Herat province. As the famous saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words”, we will let the visuals speak for themselves, with minimal text to explain what is going on.
We hope you enjoy this journey.
HERAT, 03/09/2022 – An inside view of Mawlana restaurant, a traditional dining spot for restaurant goers in Afghanistan’s western Herat province. The number of customers has significantly decreased since the Taliban takeover in mid-August of 2021. Photo by: Abdul Karim AzimHERAT, 03/09/2022 – A collection of poetry books, including the “Masnawi Maanawi” written by famous 13th century poet Mawlana Jalaluddin Balkhi, simply known as Rumi, on display in a traditional restaurant in Afghanistan’s western Herat province. Rumi wrote at least seven books in his lifetime. Photo by: Abdul Karim AzimHERAT, 03/09/2022 – Mawlana restaurant manager calculates his daily earning. Mawlana is a traditional dining facility in Afghanistan’s western Herat province, named in honor of 13th century poet Mawlana Jalaluddin Balkhi/Rumi. Rumi’s poetry is known and loved throughout the world and has been translated into several languages. Video by: Abdul Karim AzimHERAT, 03/09/2022 – A cook places skewers of Kabab on a plate in a traditional restaurant in Afghanistan’s western Herat province. The restaurant only opened a year ago, just months before the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Photo by: Abdul Karim AzimHERAT, 03/09/2022 – Customers read a poetry book as they wait for their food to arrive in a traditional restaurant with a small library. Afghanistan’s education system has been marred by the COVID-19 pandemic, years of continuous war and the Taliban takeover. Video by: Abdul Karim Azim
HERAT, 03/09/2022 – Customers at an Afghan restaurant in the country’s western Herat province are served food in traditional clay pottery. The pottery has been imported from neighboring Iran. Photos by: Abdul Karim AzimHERAT, 03/09/2022 – A customer pours Chainaki over broken pieces of bread in a restaurant in Afghanistan’s western Herat province. Chainaki is a traditional Afghan dish made of lamb, and thrown into a chainak (Dari for “teapot”) together with potatoes, chopped onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander, tomatoes and cilantro. Photo by: Abdul Karim AzimHERAT, 03/09/2022 – Customers eat at a traditional restaurant in Afghanistan’s western Herat province. Few patrons frequent restaurants in Afghanistan due to the economic collapse following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in mid-August of 2021. Photo by: Abdul Karim AzimHERAT, 03/09/2022 – An elderly man recites poems by Rumi, a 13th century poet, at a traditional restaurant in Afghanistan’s western Herat province named in the poet’s honor. Mawlana Jalaluddin Balkhi/Rumi, hailing from Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province, has scores of fans in Afghanistan who know his poems by heart. Video by: Abdul Karim Azim
