From ancient artifacts to modern wonders, Iran has a world on offer
WE started our journey to Iran from Tehran, the capital, which is a huge city of about 12 million people. It is a sprawling metropolis without much character or immediate attraction for tourists. The older part of the city does have covered bazaars and a few mosques that one can visit. The newer northern section has the best residential areas and posh shopping centres, mainly the Saadabad Cultural Complex. It is housed in the palace of the former Shah, situated at the foot of the Alburz mountains.
The superb archeological and Islamic museums are in the southern part of Tehran. The choice of the pieces on display, the labelling, the aesthetic displays and the orderliness and excellent maintenance of the buildings are very impressive. Going through the museums is like taking a short course in Iran’s history.
The museum of the crown jewels is a famous one; but its display of dozens of crowns and piles of emeralds, diamonds, rubies and pearls, reflecting the wealth of different dynasties, are sometimes difficult to digest. For people from Pakistan the Takht-i-Taoos holds special interest. Unfortunately, in juxtaposition with the rest of the jewels it does not look quite as wonderful.
The layout of old Tehran is a little like that of old Delhi. Perhaps the inspiration for both was the same. There are long, broad avenues called Khayabans from which the Koochas or narrow lanes branch out. These are unpaved and very constricted and have shallow open drains running in the centre. To locate a spot on the Khayabans the nearest Koocha has to be mentioned. The Khayabans end in squares, called the Maiduns.
About 16 hours by road from Tehran, through an unending, arid, rocky terrain, we reached Shiraz, a lovely city of more than 20 beautiful parks. Shiraz is a treasure trove for history buffs since it is the gateway to the remains of the Ancient Persian Empire.
There are also many beautiful buildings constructed by rulers of the Zand dynasty (1753-1794) which made Shiraz the then capital. But the tombs of Saadi and Hafiz are truly worth visiting. They are simple, covered by modest-looking pavilions. But they are built in the most lovely gardens. At Saadi’s aramgah there is a subterranean Caykhana (tea house). At Hafiz’s aramgah the Caykhana is located under a grove of trees. The best time to visit this area is early evening when people come to pay their respects to their favourite poets.
Remnants of the ancient Persia — Persepolis, Parsagardae and Naqshe Rostum — are about an hour and a half away from Shiraz. Pasargadae, the capital of the Achaemenian kingdom under Cyrus the Great (circa 546BC), is a little disappointing since very little of it has survived. But the tomb of Cyrus is quite intact. This simple yet majestic structure, made of massive stones piled in step formation and culminating in its cenotaph, is quite huge. Before excavations were made it was known locally as the tomb of the mother of Solomon. The size of the tomb makes visitors believe that only Solomon, who had jinns in his control, could have constructed it.
Persepolis, on the other hand, has much more to offer. Even though it was ‘accidentally’ burned to the ground by the troops of Alexander the Great, there is enough here to impress visitors. Darius the Great started construction of this magnificent palace in 512BC. It sits on a plateau on the slopes of Koh-i-Rehmat and in its heyday it used to be surrounded by an 18-metre wall. For 200 years the Achaeminids ruled the world from Persepolis, succumbing only to as great a general as Alexander.
The only entrance is up the 111 broad steps of the Grand Staircase. The complex is roofless now, yet the height and breadth of the columns impress. The quality of stonework is striking. All the walls that still stand are covered with carvings, which were originally coloured and must have been spectacular.
About 3kms from Persepolis are four lofty tombs carved high up in the living rock. They are reputed to belong to Darius the Great, Xerxes, Artaxerxes and Darius II. But only that of Darius the Great is actually identified by the cuneiform writing found on the tomb. Below the tombs there are rock carvings probably from the Sassanian times (circa 224BC-638AD). They show horse back riders heroically vanquishing their foes. Persians in the days of yore believed the horseman was the Persian hero Rostum and so named the place Naqsh-i-Rostam.
Six hours away, again across a rocky desert, lies Isfahan. It is watered by a broad river, the Zayande Rud, and has been an important trading post for centuries because of its strategic position on the ancient caravan routes. But it was Shah Abbas the first of the Safavid dynasty who brought the city’s grandeur to its peak. He came to power in 1587 and established his capital in Isfahan. The breadth of the Shah’s vision is visible in the planning of the city and its civic buildings and his wealth in their adornment. Subsequent dynasties shifted away the capital and made no effort to look after the architectural treasures of the Safavids, so not all of Isfahan’s former glory is there for us to enjoy.
In the centre of the city is a huge square, now named Maidun-i-Imam Khomeni. Laid out in 1612 with an area of 20 acres, it is second in size only to the Tiananmen Square. On one side is the Bazaar-i-Qaisaria, a covered bazaar which is a sight in itself with its decorated ceilings and fountains at the intersections. Opposite the bazaar is the Imam Mosque, covered entirely with the signature blue tiles of Isfahan.
The long arms of the rectangle of the Maidun are lined with shops but in the centre of one side is the Ali Qapu Palace. This is a seven-storey structure of which very little remains.
Across the square from the palace is the private mosque of the royal family. It has no minarets since it never sent out a general call to prayers. This, too, is covered with the blue Isfahani tiles but the dome is set with beige tiles which glow softly in the sun.
The most interesting mosque in Isfahan is the Masjid-i-Juma which is not in the least captivating at first sight. Its hidden treasures manifest themselves only with close scrutiny. Its construction began around 300 Hijri but the mosque was expanded and altered by every successive dynasty. The Seljuks who came to power about 200 years later changed the mosque dramatically, giving it the rectangular design which was subsequently used in all Iranian mosques.
The river in Isfahan is a source of water and entertainment. Fishing is a common sport here and the water is clean enough to swim. The relaxed atmosphere of Isfahan and the salubrious climate make the city an easy place to visit. It is not so big as to intimidate the tourist, yet there is enough and more for the visitor to do. Shopping is by far the best since Isfahan is Iran’s arts and craft centre. The bazaar is spread over an enormous area and the Maidun-i-Khomeni is also lined with shops. Better quality goods are available in the Bazaar-i-Honar which is close to a famous hotel.
Contrary to expectation, women are not trussed up and hidden in Iran. They do cover their heads and, often, their bodies in coats or chadors. But they are a vibrant and a necessary part of Irani society. Many more women can be seen in the streets of Iran than Pakistan. Groups of women, without male escort, eat out, go to movies and picnic in the parks.
There are a lot of Caykhanas in Iran. Many have a choice of takhts or chairs for seating. The presence of a pond or some other water container in the centre is a must. Shishe ( hubble bubbles) are available and in the evenings poetry recitations are held. The general idea is to come and lounge around, while enjoying the ambience and chatting with friends. The tea, always milkless, is incidental.
The national dish of Iran is the chello kebab — a chilli and spice free variety of kebab served with saffron butter rice. The ‘sunatti’ or traditional restaurants are a treat to visit. They too sport takhts, covered with Persian carpets and set with gao takias.
For us, Iran turned out to be a great tourist spot. It is a country that’s close by. Getting a visa is easy. The language is understandable since it is really just difficult Urdu. Inter-city buses are luxurious and cheap. Roads are superb. People are punctual and keep their word and the cost of things is about the same as Pakistan.
WE started our journey to Iran from Tehran, the capital, which is a huge city of about 12 million people. It is a sprawling metropolis without much character or immediate attraction for tourists. The older part of the city does have covered bazaars and a few mosques that one can visit. The newer northern section has the best residential areas and posh shopping centres, mainly the Saadabad Cultural Complex. It is housed in the palace of the former Shah, situated at the foot of the Alburz mountains.
About 16 hours by road from Tehran, through an unending, arid, rocky terrain, we reached Shiraz, a lovely city of more than 20 beautiful parks. Shiraz is a treasure trove for history buffs since it is the gateway to the remains of the Ancient Persian Empire.
About 3kms from Persepolis are four lofty tombs carved high up in the living rock. They are reputed to belong to Darius the Great, Xerxes, Artaxerxes and Darius II. But only that of Darius the Great is actually identified by the cuneiform writing found on the tomb. Below the tombs there are rock carvings probably from the Sassanian times (circa 224BC-638AD). They show horse back riders heroically vanquishing their foes. Persians in the days of yore believed the horseman was the Persian hero Rostum and so named the place Naqsh-i-Rostam.
The most interesting mosque in Isfahan is the Masjid-i-Juma which is not in the least captivating at first sight. Its hidden treasures manifest themselves only with close scrutiny. Its construction began around 300 Hijri but the mosque was expanded and altered by every successive dynasty. The Seljuks who came to power about 200 years later changed the mosque dramatically, giving it the rectangular design which was subsequently used in all Iranian mosques.
