Esbaat-32 (Special issue on Afghanistan)

A few years ago, during a discussion, the well-known Afghan writer Atiq Rahimi, while talking on the Afghan history of the last three decades, described it as a complete 'clutter and chaos'. Although Atiq Rahimi is not alone in holding this opinion, but his comment as an Afghan deserves more credit. In contrast, much of what has been said and written about Afghanistan is from an outsider's perspective. is stained. Afghanistan's policymakers have completely failed to understand the country despite two decades of intervention. No one cares what Afghans are thinking, what they are writing.

As far as contemporary Afghan literature is concerned, it is based on the rich heritage of its traditions, both spoken and written. Two major languages of Afghanistan; Pashto and Dari are spoken by about sixty million speakers (including those outside Afghanistan) and possess a valuable literature.

While talking about Afghan literature, reference to politics is inevitable and this is not a bad thing because most of the country's rise and fall, evolution and turmoil are transmitted through literature. A distinctive feature of contemporary Afghan literature can also be marked in this context: 'a high degree of responsibility and immediate response.'

In 1886, the French scholar James Darmesteter said, 'If we want to know what an Afghan is, we must put aside all the books and accept his creative confessions from the lips of his favorite poets. We have also devoted a major part of the chapter under consideration to contemporary Afghan mythology, which helps in understanding the ongoing conflict.