Newsreel rushes - 1970s 1

Duration: 00:06:41; Aspect Ratio: 1.366:1; Hue: 149.942; Saturation: 0.008; Lightness: 0.237; Volume: 0.019; Cuts per Minute: 25.397

Shot in the old city of Kabul, houses, workshops and streets, particularly in Kharabat, where the classical musicians have lived for centuries.

Footage Source: DVCAM tape transfer

This is Kucha - e- Kharabat, an alley in the old city of Kabul. Most of the prominent musicians came from this alley. Ustad Rahim Baksh, Ustad Sarahang, Ustad Shaida, Ustad Hamahang all lived here. They would go study classical music in India and that's how they earned the title 'Ustad' (Master). Ustad Sarahang was honoured with many titles - Grandfather of Music was one such.
For 200 years, musicians would go study in India and return to live in Kharabat because it was a close-knit community. Earlier, they would sing in darbars-mainly ghazals and classical music. Now most people go to Kharabat to choose musicians for their weddings and celebrations. Many of Engineer Latif's background musicians lived here. He too lived here in his childhood.
The film 'Men keep their promises' was partly shot in Kharabat.
Some part of the old city was restored by the Aga Khan Foundation.

This architecture is typical of Afghanistan. Houses were built using wood and mud.

A courtyard in the middle of many houses was particular to the architecture in Kharabat. Engineer Latif grew up in Kharabat, in a four-storeyed house that had 41 rooms . It was destroyed 10 or 15 years ago, because of the new map of the municipality.

'Risha' was a film Engineer Latif made with the Japanese. It was shot in the old city. 'Risha' is about a man who had lived in the old city many years ago. At the begining of the revolution he flees to Canada, only to return 40 years later to see his father's house. He compares his life in Canada to life here and finally decides to leave his family in Canada and comes back to live in Kabul. Engineer Latif shot and directed the film.

People had small workshops in their homes, no machines. Since this was the music district, many of these workshops were where music instruments were made.

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