Bazaars of Kandahar

Kandahar's bazaars are the commercial and social core of the city — a dense weave of market streets where the old crafts of the region, from white embroidery to hammered copper, are sold alongside heaps of the dried fruit the province is famous for.

The historic market spreads out from the center of the old city, near the Shrine of the Cloak and the mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani. Its principal artery is usually known as Shah Bazaar, and around it a network of lanes and specialty markets has grown up over generations. Exact names and boundaries shift over time and between speakers, but the essential character — a working bazaar rather than a tourist market — endures.

The layout of the markets

Like many Afghan cities, Kandahar's bazaar is organized loosely by trade, with clusters of shops dealing in similar goods. Some quarters concentrate on cloth and clothing, others on food, hardware, spices, gold and jewelry, or household goods. The main streets carry the heaviest traffic and the largest shops, while narrower lanes hold smaller stalls and workshops where goods are still made by hand. This specialization makes it easier to find a particular product once you know which part of the market to head for.

What to buy

Several products are closely associated with Kandahar. The region's celebrated khamak embroidery — fine, geometric white-on-white needlework, often on caps, collars and shawls — is among the most distinctive local crafts, though quality and authenticity vary and the best pieces command higher prices. The Kandahari cap, sometimes embellished with such embroidery or with mirror-work, is another regional signature.

Food is a major draw: dried fruit and nuts are a specialty, with raisins from the Arghandab orchards, almonds, pistachios, apricots and, in season, the famous fresh pomegranates. Copperware and other metalwork, carpets and rugs, karakul lambskin, and everyday textiles are also traditional bazaar goods. When buying, inspect items closely, as workmanship differs widely from stall to stall.

Bargaining and etiquette

For crafts, textiles and other non-fixed-price goods, bargaining is normal and expected, and it is best done politely and without pressure; staples and fixed-price items are another matter. A friendly, unhurried approach works better than hard haggling. Modest dress is appropriate throughout, and visitors — especially foreigners and women — should be mindful of local norms and generally travel with a trusted local contact. Photographing people, particularly women, without permission is not acceptable, and some shopkeepers prefer not to be photographed at all; always ask first.

A market with deep roots

Trade has been central to Kandahar for as long as the city has existed. Its position on the routes linking the Iranian plateau, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent made it a natural entrepôt, and caravans of fruit, textiles and other goods have passed through the region for centuries. The present bazaar grew up with the modern city that Ahmad Shah Durrani established after 1738, clustering around the sacred precinct at its centre, but it inherits a far older commercial tradition rooted in the crossroads geography set out in the Kandahar timeline. That legacy of long-distance trade still shapes the market, whose stalls draw on the produce of the surrounding countryside and on goods carried along the roads to Spin Boldak and the frontier beyond.

The bazaar is also the point where the produce of the province reaches the buyer. Dried fruit and nuts from the orchards of the Arghandab Valley, the harvest that underpins so much of the local agricultural economy, are heaped in the food quarters, while the workshops of the craft lanes keep alive skills that connect the living market to the ethnographic collections of the Kandahar Museum.

Crafts and the working market

What distinguishes the Kandahar bazaar from a purely retail market is the presence of production alongside sale. In the narrower lanes, goods are still made by hand in small workshops: coppersmiths beating and tinning vessels, tailors and embroiderers at their work, and makers of caps and other items finishing pieces on the spot. The celebrated khamak embroidery, worked in fine white silk on white cloth, is among the most refined of these crafts, and much of it is produced by women at home before reaching the market through intermediaries. The Kandahari cap, sometimes carrying such embroidery or set with tiny mirrors, is another signature of the region.

This mingling of workshop and shop gives the market its social density: it is a place of employment and apprenticeship as much as of commerce, and the reputation of a good craftsman or a reliable dealer is built over years. Prices for handmade goods vary widely with skill and materials, and part of the pleasure of the bazaar for those who know it lies in recognizing the difference between ordinary work and the finest pieces.

When to go

Mornings are the most active and the most pleasant, before the heat of the day builds; the market winds down around the midday prayer and picks up again later. Fridays are quieter for trade as it is the main day of prayer. Because the bazaar sits at the busy heart of the city, travelers should keep to current safety guidance and local advice, and consult the general travel guide when planning. A walk through the market pairs naturally with a visit to the nearby shrine and mausoleum.

• Khamak embroideryThe region's signature white needlework.
• Kandahari capA traditional bazaar buy.
• Shrine of the CloakThe sacred site at the market's edge.
• Street foodWhat to eat around the bazaar.