Silence replaces old folk tunes in historic quarter of Kabul

The songs are silent in the traditional musicians' quarter of Kabul's Old City, ever since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan six months ago

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Nabih Bakhsh’s family has been part of Afghanistan’s musical tradition for generations. His great-grandfather was a musician in the court of the Afghan emperor 150 years ago. His father was a famous maestro and singer. Bakhsh too carried on the family art, performing and running an instrument repair shop.

Until now. The 70-year-old had to give up music and turn his shop into a convenience stall selling soda.

Since the Taliban’s blitz takeover of Afghanistan six months ago, the songs have gone silent in the historic musicians' quarter of Kabul. Gone are the instruments that once filled shop windows in the alleys of Kucha-e-Kharabat. Their owners packed them and left, putting a centuries-old Afghan musical heritage at risk of vanishing.

Many are being driven out as work has dried up both because of the country's economic collapse and out of fear of the Taliban. The Taliban government has not formally banned music, but musicians say individual Taliban fighters take matters into their own hands and target them, halting performances and breaking their instruments because they say music is “haram,” or proscribed by Islamic law.