Today's money is the 1991 500 Afghani note from Afghanistan.
The Bala e Saar, an Afghan military fort outside Kabul. Many pivotal battles for control of the city took place here. The river in the foreground is the Kabul River.
Four mounted Buzkashi players. The object of Buzkashi (or "Goat Grabbing"), the national game of Afghanistan, is to move a headless calf or goat carcass (the "boz") into the goal area (the "Circle of Justice"). Before play begins, a hole is dug and the carcass is placed therein so that it does not rise above ground level. When the game starts there is a mounted struggle for initial control of the carcass and the winner of the struggle spurs his horse towards the goal. The other players pursue the player with the carcass and attempt to wrest it from him by punching, kicking and using their whips. In previous years, players were also allowed to use knives, but today knives are forbidden as well as blows directed at the hand of the player with the "boz." Buzkashi players are highly revered members of society (with the best gaining the title of "Chapandaz"), but the personal risk to players is obviously very great. At times Buzkashi players have plotted to conduct games near bodies of water to allow them to drown their opponents during play. A single game can last up to a week.
The Bala e Saar, an Afghan military fort outside Kabul. Many pivotal battles for control of the city took place here. The river in the foreground is the Kabul River.
Four mounted Buzkashi players. The object of Buzkashi (or "Goat Grabbing"), the national game of Afghanistan, is to move a headless calf or goat carcass (the "boz") into the goal area (the "Circle of Justice"). Before play begins, a hole is dug and the carcass is placed therein so that it does not rise above ground level. When the game starts there is a mounted struggle for initial control of the carcass and the winner of the struggle spurs his horse towards the goal. The other players pursue the player with the carcass and attempt to wrest it from him by punching, kicking and using their whips. In previous years, players were also allowed to use knives, but today knives are forbidden as well as blows directed at the hand of the player with the "boz." Buzkashi players are highly revered members of society (with the best gaining the title of "Chapandaz"), but the personal risk to players is obviously very great. At times Buzkashi players have plotted to conduct games near bodies of water to allow them to drown their opponents during play. A single game can last up to a week.
1 comment:
I can't believe they banned knives. What kind of country is it when you can't knife someone during an innocent game of Buzkashi?
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