KABUL, Feb 10 (Alliance News): As night falls over Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul is cloaked in darkness, broken only by neon signs and scattered lights piercing through the thick winter pollution.
However, towering wedding halls, shimmering with opulence, stand as rare beacons of brightness in the city of over six million people, plagued by frequent power outages.
While most residents huddle indoors to escape the cold and the lack of nightlife since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, wedding halls remain a vibrant exception. Marriage holds deep cultural significance in Afghanistan, allowing these grand venues to escape some restrictions, even as music is only tolerated in the segregated women’s sections.
“In Afghanistan, marriage is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and the city should be bright for such occasions,” said Mohammad Wassil Qaumi, director of the Imperial Continental wedding hall.
Despite the economic struggles of the country, where 85% of the population lives on less than a dollar a day, wedding celebrations continue, often pushing families into debt to meet cultural expectations.
Kabul’s dependence on imported electricity has led to high costs for wedding hall operators, with some spending tens of thousands of dollars monthly on power and generators. With renewable energy investments lacking, residents resort to burning coal, wood, and even plastic for heat, worsening the city’s pollution.
Yet, amid the gloom, wedding halls remain symbols of joy and resilience. “They are the brightness of the city,” said Qaumi, describing them as some of the last places where people can still celebrate, wear new clothes, and escape the harsh realities of daily life.
