Koocheh Kharabat is famous by this name because whoever steps into it, encounters another world: the mysterious world of classical Afghan music. To learn this music, one does not need to pay tuition; instead, one must sit with a master and, alongside the music, learn the ethics of the Kharabatis (people who live in this alley).
The Sound of Instruments and Song Fills the Air
Koocheh Kharabat, one of the oldest and most recognized cultural alleys of Kabul, holds a special place in the city’s historical memory as the symbol of Afghanistan’s traditional music.
This alley, located in the old section of Kabul, has been the home and workplace for generations of prominent musicians, singers, and artists for decades. Its name is intertwined with the formation and continuity of Afghanistan’s classical and urban music.
In the past, no matter what hour of the day or night you stepped into Koocheh Kharabat, the sound of instruments and singing was loud, and the masters would treat passersby to tea.
Koocheh Kharabat was not just a place where people lived; it was a cultural center—a place where music instruction was transmitted orally, and homes served as places for instrumental practice, student instruction, and artistic gatherings.
In this environment, music was not just seen as entertainment; it was an integral part of the residents’ social identity and played a crucial role in shaping the artistic sensitivities of Kabul’s urban residents.
Many of Afghanistan’s most influential musical figures came from this alley, and their works are now recognized as part of the nation’s cultural heritage. Therefore, Kharabat is a significant place in the memory of Afghans. More than just a physical location, it has become a symbol of an era of artistic flourishing, tolerance, and cultural coexistence in Kabul.
Shohada-ye Salehin, the Tombs of Ahmad Zahir and Sareban
Near Koocheh Kharabat lies the historic Shohada-ye Salehin Cemetery; a place that, besides its religious and historical significance, shares a deep connection with the artistic and cultural history of Afghanistan. The mausoleums of renowned artists and singers such as Ahmad Zahir and Sareban are located within this cemetery, turning Shohada-ye Salehin into a key cultural tourism spot in Kabul.
The presence of these tombs has made this cemetery not just a place for pilgrimage and reverence, but also a place dedicated to recalling the role of art in Afghanistan’s contemporary history.
Koocheh Kharabat, Shohada-ye Salehin, and the other historical sites surrounding them collectively form a cluster of cultural attractions that could be highlighted through cultural tourism routes.
Historical and Cultural Tourism
This type of tourism is founded upon historical narratives, cultural figures, and intangible heritage, capable of offering visitors a deeper and more human depiction of Kabul—an image that moves beyond political and security clichés.
Despite urban changes and the damage inflicted upon Kabul’s historical fabric in past years, Koocheh Kharabat still possesses the potential to be revived as a cultural symbol.
Focusing on preserving this place, documenting its oral history, and highlighting the role of the artists who emerged from this alley can be effective in strengthening the city’s cultural identity and transmitting it to future generations.
Today, Koocheh Kharabat is more than just a pathway; it is a reminder of an era in Kabul’s history where art, music, and urban life were deeply interwoven—a heritage whose protection is considered part of the cultural and historical responsibility of the Afghan community.
Although the sounds of music and singing no longer can be heard loudly from this alley today, its walls and doors still remember the classical music of Afghanistan’s masters, and every step through this alley is filled with the memories of artists.
Koocheh Kharabat in Kabul is one of the city’s cultural tourism attractions, holding within its heart a golden page from the history of Afghan culture and art.
