Dambura festivals in Bamyan; governor faces opposition by religious scholars

Gathering under an umbrella called Ulema Council of Bamyan Center, a number of local religious scholars and representatives of offices of high Shia clerics issued a declaration on October 03, warning that they will cut ties with Bamyan governor as he promotes Dambura festival—a festival, they say, is against Islamic values.

The central province of Bamyan makes headlines when it comes to cultural events in the war-torn Afghanistan where media offices are usually overloaded by news of explosions, suicide bombings, airstrikes, and political tensions. At least four major cultural events including Silk Road festival, A Night with Budha, Dambura Cultural Festival, and Potato Flower Festival have been celebrated in the last 15 years in the ancient tiny city of Bamyan that is home to two giant statues of Budha, a legacy that represents pre-Islamic civilization.