One of Sudan’s enchanting eastern states,
its capital is the picturesque city of Kassala,
bordered to the north by the Red Sea and River Nile states,
to the west and south by Gedaref,
and to the east, it leans gently against the Eritrean border.
Entering Kassala is not merely crossing a road,
but stepping into a climate of wonder…
Its breeze reaches you before the city itself,
its gentle rain is different,
its wind is blended with the scent of earth,
the greenery of canals,
and the longing of trees.
On its bridges, the Al-Gash River whispers to you—
that passionate, moody river.
Calm in love, raging in jealousy,
changing like the hearts of lovers.
It springs from the Eritrean highlands,
and flows into Kassala as a pulse from a neighboring soul,
where traditions blend,
cultures marry,
until the people of Kassala and Asmara are indistinguishable—
in features, food, and attire.
In its canals—north, south, and east—
life blooms,
and poetry is written under mango trees,
just as Tawfiq Salih Jibril once wrote:
> “May God bless that cupbearer,
for in his nectar I found release.
Kassala, where the sun of my longing rose,
is truly the paradise of radiance.”
How could it not be?
The sun rises from here…
from the heart of Kassala,
from its radio station that awakens our early mornings
with the voices of legendary Kassala broadcasters,
as intimately connected to the listeners
as birds are to the rustle of trees.
Kassala… the city of beautiful madness.
You cannot enter it without leaving as a lover,
a writer, a poet, a singer, a soul enchanted.
> “Who taught you, butterfly,
to worship the eyes of Al-Gash?
Greenery on the riverbank,
and dew-kissed love.”
Sung by Abdelwahab Halawi,
its artistry extended to Kajrai,
that mesmerizing blend of skin tones and roots,
who crafted words like verses,
followed by Dishab, Tulos, and Olos—
literary and cultural circles that embodied the meanings
of towering mountains.
Tajouj, Makram, Tootil, Oweitla—names of Kassala’s hills.
Taka, Umm Taqaq, and the Land of Al-Gash—all names for Kassala,
or “Kasla” in the local tongue.
As for Tootil, it’s a legend on its own.
That well—once you drink from it,
you are destined to return,
as sung by Al-Taj Makki,
echoed by Al-Lahou and Turbas:
> “I’ll visit Kassala and taste its honey…”
And perhaps the greatest lover of all:
Is’haq Al-Halangi,
the migrating bird,
forever drawn eastward,
where longing never dries.
Economically?
It is fertile land,
home to agricultural projects
from Khashm al-Qirbah
to New Halfa,
where sorghum, wheat, sugarcane,
and fish farming thrive.
A spacious land that warmly welcomed displaced people from the north,
melting the borders between the Butana and Halfa communities,
embracing them with Kassala’s natural compassion.
Its terrain varies—
from sandy plains,
to seasonal valleys,
to mountainous blocks—
as if it offers itself as a haven
for every lover and wanderer.
So to you who asked about Kassala…
I loved Kassala for your sake,
I left my homeland for you,
and fell in love with the land of Taka,
which drinks from the fragrance of your soul.
