Afghan Voices

© Goethe Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan | Pakhi Sen An audio project that taps into the voices of the Afghan community in Delhi, through the summer of 2021. Set against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is a record of emotions, memories and music, as well as sounds from streets and homes. A city symphony, composed by its residents. Listen to the theme song here.

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The Poet

“Can you dedicate an interesting poem for us?”
The verses of Jalaluddin Mohammad Balkhi, and Rumi.

The Cage

“Listening, the infant grows a hundred years old.”
A poet and her poem.

Birdsong

“What was the reason you decided to record the sound of the birds in the park for me?”
A father brings home a gift for his daughter.

Children in the park

“When I heard this song, I remembered my own childhood.”
Rhymes and reasons from childhood games.

Childhood Memories

“It was a marvellous, peaceful time.”
Memories of a carefree childhood.

Nostalgia

“…I have lots of good memories.”
Fathers and children.

Delhi

“Why do you love Delhi?”
Monuments and memories.

Lockdown and Depression

“Our home has become suddenly our office, our school.”
Life in a pandemic.

Daily Life

“Most of the time I think about what will the future of the kids be like?” The daily rituals of Delhi's lockdown.

Work

“Business and trade all over the world has suffered.”
Making a living.

The Musician

“How did you get into music?”
Following a dream.

The Photographer

“Photography is like my eyes. And wherever I go, I go with my eyes.” Photography and books.

Self portrait

“My big ambition in life is that I become a famous and independent girl.”
Dreams and goals.

Chit Chat

“What is the best gift you have ever received?”
Books, Gifts, Seasons, and Social Media.

Seasons

“I like that it is always cloudy, rainy, and cold.”
Favourite Seasons.

Success and Failure

“If you never fail, you never win.”
Finding strength during tough times.

Kindness

“In this world we find a lot of people who need kindness.”
Kindness is magic.

The Storyteller

“The story starts like this: One day a man sells his water well to a peasant …” A tale of wit and wisdom.

The Pianist

“What motivated you to play the piano?”
Hear how music can bring calm and happiness.

Lockdown

“The new normal.”
Lessons learned from the lockdown.

The Artist

“Art expresses things words cannot express.”
What motivates an artist to create?

The Chef

“What is your job?”
Food and sports.

Baking

“Why did you make a cream cake?”
A recipe and a chat.

Walk in the park

“It’s still raining a little bit.”
Good weather and exercise.

Proverbs I Love

“This is actually true that when we seek we will find.”
Proverbs that offer inspiration.

Lockdown Reading

“Reading fiction is a great way to develop your social brain.”
Literary journeys during lockdown.

Ambition

“What are your goals for the next three years?”
Goals and ambition.

Student Life

“In addition to my school lessons, I also take English and computer classes.”
Learning online.

Conversation

“I got the chance to meet more people and I gained good experiences from their words.”
Sharing experiences.

Reading in the Park

“We brought a book along with us to the park.”
Excerpts from books.

Sounds

“The environment here is very relaxing and peaceful.”
A visit to the Afghan embassy.

Trip to the Library

“I plan to go to the library to get the two books I want to read.”
Books and the library.

Poetry

“These small paper boats on water ...”
The verses of Simeen Behbahani.

Lockdown Life

“With or even without the lockdown, our lives have changed completely.”
The new normal.