Sunday, February 22, 2009
iranian culture
Iranian new year
No-Rooz, in word, means "New Day". It is the new day that starts the year, traditionally the exact astronomical beginning of the Spring. Iranians take that as the beginning of the year. This exact second is called "Saal Tahvil". No-Rooz with its' uniquely Iranian characteristics has been celebrated for at least 3,000 years and is deeply rooted in the rituals and traditions of the Zoroastrian (This was the religion of ancient Persia before the advent of Islam in 7th century A.D.).
Iranians consider No-Rooz as their biggest celebration of the year, before the new year, they start cleaning their houses (Khaane Tekaani), and they buy new clothes. But a major part of New Year rituals is setting the "Haft Seen" with seven specific items. In ancient times each of the items corresponded to one of the seven creations and the seven holy immortals protecting them. Today they are changed and modified but some have kept their symbolism. All the seven items start with the letter "S"; this was not the order in ancient times. These seven things usually are: Seeb (apple), Sabze (green grass), Serke (vinager), Samanoo (a meal made out of wheat), Senjed (a special kind of berry), Sekke (coin), and Seer (garlic). Sometimes instead of Serke they put Somagh (sumak, an Iranian spice). Zoroastrians today do not have the seven "S"s but they have the ritual of growing seven seeds as a reminder that this is the seventh feast of creation, while their sprouting into new growth symbolized resurrection and eternal life to come.
Wheat or lentil representing new growth is grown in a flat dish a few days before the New Year and is called Sabzeh (green shoots). Decorated with colorful ribbons, it is kept until Sizdah beh dar, the 13th day of the New Year, and then disposed outdoors. A few live gold fish (the most easily obtainable animal) are placed in a fish bowl. In the old days they would be returned to the riverbanks, but today most people will keep them. Mirrors are placed on the spread with lit candles as a symbol of fire. Most of the people used to place Qoran on their Sofreh (spread) in order to bless the New Year. But some people found another alternative to Qoran and replaced it by the Divan-e Hafez (poetry book of Hefez), and during "Saal Tahvil" reading some verses from it was popular. Nowadays, a great number of Iranians are placing Shahnameh (the Epic of Kings) of Ferdowsi on their spread as an Iranian national book. They believe that Shahnameh has more Iranian identity values and spirits, and is much suitable for this ancient celebration.
After the Saal Tahvil, people hug and kiss each other and wish each other a happy new year. Then they give presents to each other (traditionally cash, coins or gold coins), usually older ones to the younger ones. The first few days are spent visiting older members of the family, relatives and friends. Children receive presents and sweets, special meals and "Aajil" (a combination of different nuts with raisins and other sweet stuff) or fruits are consumed. Traditionally on the night before the New Year, most Iranians will have Sabzi Polo Mahi, a special dish of rice cooked with fresh herbs and served with smoked and freshly fried fish. Koukou Sabzi, a mixture of fresh herbs with eggs fried or baked, is also served. The next day rice and noodles (Reshteh Polo) is served. Regional variations exist and very colorful feasts are prepared.
sizdah bedar
The 13th day of the new year is called "Sizdah Bedar" and spent mostly outdoors. People will leave their homes to go to the parks or local plains for a festive picnic. It is a must to spend Sizdah Bedar in nature. This is called Sizdah Bedar and is the most popular day of the holidays among children because they get to play a lot! Also in this day, people throw the Sabze away, they believe Sabze should not stay in the house after "Sizdah Bedar". Iranians regard 13th day as a bad omen and believe that by going into the fields and parks they avoid misfortunes. It is also believed that unwed girls can wish for a husband by going into the fields and tying a knot between green shoots, symbolizing a marital bond.
Another tradition of the new year celebrations is "Chahar-Shanbeh Soori". It takes place before Saal Tahvil, at the last Wednesday of the old year, well actually Tuesday night! People set up bon fire, young and old leap over the fires with songs and gestures of merriment like:
(Sorkhi-e to az man) Give me your beautiful red colorNo-Rooz Greetings:
(Zardi-e man az to) And take back my sickly pallor!
It means: I will give you my yellow color (sign of sickness), and you give me your fiery red color (sign of healthiness). This is a purification rite and 'suri' itself means red and fiery.
No-Rooz Mobarak (Happy No-Rooz, Happy New Year);
Eid-eh Shoma Mobarak (Happy New Year to you);
No-Rooz Pirooz (Wishing you a Prosperous New Year);
Sad Saal be in Saal-ha (Wishing you 100 more Happy New Years).
After all No-Rooz is a fun time for all of the Iranians, old and young.
iraniain culture
Iran,the land of beauty and flowers with 2500 history.
Of course i cant write everything about the culture of my country in one essay,but i want to point out the prime aspects of a varied culture of my country.Iranian culture is divided into several categories which can be history,languages,arts,religions,festivals and people. I'd rather write with precision about the mentioned categories one by one.
Iran's history dates back to 2500 years ago when theKurosh, the first emperor and one of the most powerful and popular among the Iranian kings made his empire and specified a big territory in Persia.
Iranian languages include 3 languages which are Farsi,Turkey and Arabic.Farsi is the official language which has changed slowly and become how it is presently spoken.
Iranian religion has 4 categories-- Parsi,Christianity,Judaism and Islam which is the official religion and aruond 80 percent of population of Iran are Muslims.
Iran is rich heritage in various forms of artistic divisions such as carpet weaving,engraving,painting,pottery and calligraphy. Among these arts,carpet weaving is very famous in the world and is one of the most important product of Iran for export.
There are some festivals in Iran like Noruz festival, Mehrgan festival,Yalda festival.Our New Year isNoruz which is the biggest and most important and the celebrations last about fifteen days.
Iranian people are divided into Persians ,Turks,Kurds,Arabs and Lores, where each group has a special language but the common language between them is Farsi.
The writer who gathered someo utline about Iranian culture thinks that this topic is too vast to be limited in the limited boundaries of such an essay.
Monday, February 16, 2009
( Shiraz ) Eram garden
Eram Garden (Persian:, Bagh-é Eram) is a famous historic Persian garden in Shiraz, Iran. It is a large garden with a wonderful looking palace in it. Built in the Qajar era, the compound was used by the feudal elite and tribal leaders of Fars Province, and later used by the royalty of Iran.
perspolis
Iran has a long history of almost 7,000 years since the Aryans emigrated to the Iran Heights. Aryans gave their name to this land and called it "land of Aryans" or Iran. Achaemenid appeared in the 550 B.C. was the first unified dynasty and until it was conquered by Alexander of Macedonia (Eskandar e Maghdooni) in 330 B.C., Iran prospered as "The Great Persian Empire" for more than two centuries. Contributions of the Achaemenians to the worlds culture are numerous. Cyrus (Xerxes) The Great (550 B.C.) was the first emperor who conquered Elam and gave Jews freedom. He was also the first one who declared and practiced human rights. In the Great Persia Empire from East China to Libya, many nations were coexisting and all were declared free to pactice their own religion and follow their own traditions and customs. Daryush The Great (500 B.C.) was the first emperor who commited to digging the ancient Suez Channel, joining the Red and Mediteranian sea. There are many landmarks left from the Achaemenian period mostly in Persepolis and Naghshe-rostam near present Shiraz.
(video of perspolis)
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iranian food
One basic thing that all people have in common is food.
We must eat to live but each of us has different food preferences. By knowing and understanding people's food habits we are able to understand how people live.
Iranian have looked at food at 3 different ways for many centuries; medicinal, philosophical and cultural.
Physicians and philosophers considered food and beverages as the main factor to revive body. Consuming food is a way of weakening or strengthening human character. Consuming a lot of red meat and fats was thought to create evil thoughts and make us selfish. However, consuming a healthy diet including fruits, vegetables, fish, fowl, mixed petals and blossoms of roses create unusual powers and make us gentle and noble creatures.
The ancient philosophy of cold and hot food is linked to ancient Zoroastrian religion of the Achaemenian and Sassanian. This philosophy once was shared with other civilizations including China, India, and the medieval West. From region to region, the classifications may vary. In general, animal fat, poultry, wheat, sugar, some fresh fruits and vegetables, and all dried vegetables and fruits are considered as hot. Most beef, fish, rice, dairy products, fresh vegetables and fruits are considered as cold. Based on your nature, season or illness, you eat cold or hot foods. Even today, the way foods are combined and served takes this into consideration. For instance, walnut, a hot food is combined in a dish that includes pomegranate, a cold food, to make the dish balanced and delicious.
From cultural aspect, food was considered to be an art providing enjoyment to both body and mind.
Iranians refined the taste and flavor of food and how it is presented although it still retains roots in its ancient sources. Iranians cook based on what is in season so the food is as fresh and as best quality as it can be. Fragrance during cooking and at the table plays an important role, the same as the taste. Presentation of food is a major factor. Food is garnished so that it pleases the eye.
Iran was first to use many common herbs such as basil, mint, cumin, cloves, and coriander. Many different foods originated or introduced in Iran such as oranges, pistachios, spinach, saffron, sweet and sour sauces, kabobs, almond pastries, etc. The domesticated goat is believed to have originated in Persia. The goat's ability to subsist in sparse vegetation made it ideal for domestication by nomads. There are still many nomads herding goats and sheep in Iran today.
No accurate record of classical Persian cooking is available but we hear that vast banquets occurred at Persepolis. It is clear that the ancient Persians cherished food. For instance, Darius of Achaemenian paid special attention to agriculture. Walnut, pistachio, pomegranate, cucumber, broad bean and pea (known in China as the "Iranian bean"), basil, coriander, and sesame were introduced by Parthian and Sassanian traders. The techniques of cooking have been passed down generation to generation.
Women have had a great influence in the history of cooking in Iran. The best chiefs were women. From the palaces of Persian kings to the average housewife, women have had fabulous skills in the preparation of food. Therefore, homemade food is precious and more appreciated than that of food prepared in a restaurant.
In Iran today, most woman has the extraordinary culinary competence with an art and dedication when preparing simple meals to using their imagination when entertaining large groups. This characteristic does not only apply to housewives but also to professional women having full time jobs preparing elaborate and elegant meals without shortcuts with simple equipment in their kitchens. Nomadic women can fascinate you by making everything from scratch such as bread using little equipment.
Throughout the history, the art of Persian cooking expanded to all the Middle Eastern countries such as Turkey, Iraq, Armenia, and Syria. Today, when dishes are made, culinary history of Persian cooking is noted.
Like other countries, special foods are prepared for different occasions, i.e. weddings, funerals, birthdays, Persian New Year, religious and historical feasts, formal and state gatherings.
For trying Iranian cuisine, you can purchase cookbooks here.
When traveling in Iran take an escorted tour to find the best resturants and traditional Persian cuisine in your area.
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Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.[1] Historically and commonly known as the Persian Gulf, this body of water is sometimes controversially referred to as the Arabian Gulf by certain Arab countries or simply The Gulf, although neither of the latter two terms is recognized internationally.
The Persian Gulf was a focus of the 1980-88 Iraq-Iran War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers. In 1991, the gulf gave its name to the U.S.-led ejection of Iraqi forces from Kuwait, called the Persian Gulf War or the Gulf War even though most of the action took place on land.
The Persian Gulf is rich with good fishing grounds, extensive coral reefs, and abundant pearl oysters, but its ecology has come under pressure from industrialisation, and in particular, repeated petroleum spillages during recent wars.
- oil and gas -
The Persian Gulf and its coastal areas are the world's largest single source of crude oil and related industries dominate the region. Al-Safaniya, the world's largest offshore oilfield, is located in the Persian Gulf. Large gas finds have also been made with Qatar and Iran sharing a giant field across the territorial median line (North Field in the Qatari sector; South Pars Field in the Iranian sector). Using this gas, Qatar has built up a substantial liquified natural gas (LNG) and petrochemical industry.
The oil-rich countries (excluding Iraq) that have a coastline on the Persian Gulf are referred to as the Persian Gulf States. Iraq's egress to the gulf is narrow and easily blockaded consisting of the marshy river delta of the Shatt al-Arab, which carries the waters of the Euphrates and the Tigris Rivers, where the left (East) bank is held by Iran.
- history -
Pre-Islamic era
For most of the history of human settlement in the Persian Gulf the southern side was ruled by nomadic tribes. During the end of fourth millennium BC the southern part of the Persian Gulf was dominated by the Dilmun civilization. For a long time the most important settlement on the southern coast of the Persian Gulf was Gerrha. In the second century the Lakhum tribe, who lived in Yemen, migrated north and founded the Lakhmid Kingdom along the southern coast. During the 7th century the Sassanid Empire conquered the whole of the Persian Gulf.
Between 625 BC and 226 AD the northern side was dominated by the Median, Achaemenid, Seleucid and Parthian empires. After the fall of the Parthian Empire, the Sassanid empire ruled the northern half and at times the southern half of the Persian Gulf. the Persian Gulf, along with the Silk Road was very important to trade in the Sassanid empire. Siraf was an ancient Sassanid port that was located on the north shore of the Persian Gulf in what is now the Iranian province of Bushehr.
The sorses that i used for research was wikipedia web sit ( only Persian Gulf )
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Iran beautifull
In distinctive ways, Iran is one of the most photogenic countries in the world -- a place where dazzling architecture is set amid desolate expanses of desert or steppe; where snow-capped mountains plunge dramatically to a seacoast of steamy lushness; where nomads guide their flocks to seasonal pasturelands; where tombs, temples, castles, and mosques bespeak the richness of the Persian past. High and dry for the most part, the land is sectioned by great mountain ranges, dotted with venerable villages of mud and stone as well as modern cities, and has a cultural fabric woven of many different threads -- Persian, Turkic, Kurdish, Baluchi and even Mongol. For a photographer to capture such a mix of spectacular terrain and cultural complexity is a formidable challenge, one that Daniel Nadler, an American born in Egypt, has met brilliantly in Iran the Beautiful. This book, comprising more than 170 photographs, takes as its symbolic centre the magnificent landmark of Mount Damavand, the highest peak in the Middle East, and ranges outward from there north to the Caspian Sea, east as far as Gonbad-e Kavus, west toward Zanjan, and south to Isfahan. All lay no more than a day's drive from the great volcano, yet within those bounds can be found a spectrum of landscapes, lifestyles, and architectural treasures that show why Iran, once seen, can never be forgotten.
north of iran
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This is my email : danial0072009@hotmail.com
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