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Moharram: There Is Never Too Much Of Nazri
I know, I have already written about it on the blog a couple of years ago, but every time I see it I just can`t keep silent! Yes, I`m talking about nazri and people`s excitement about getting more of it. Let me first remind you what nazri is. It`s food (or drinks or snacks) given out for free by people for various reasons. Some give out food to thank God for something, some – for the memory of Imam Hossein, while others – just to keep a tradition. I have written more about nazri in this post. So, during the first ten days of moharram people give out food almost at…
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Moharram. The Time for Mourning: The Day of Ashura
Mourning in moharram reaches its culmination on the 10thday of moharram which is known as Ashura. On this day since morning people either take part or just watch mourning processions in the streets of Tehran. The procession starts with boys carrying flags with writings about Imam Hossein. They are followed by “alams” which are the central part of the whole ceremony and draw all people`s attention. “Alam” is a huge and heavy metal thing covered with feathers, metal figures of birds, lions and deer, every element of which symbolizes something. Although “alam” is extremely heavy, it`s carried by only one person who wears a special belt to help him carry…
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Moharram. The time for mourning: Food
Food is an inseparable part of any Iranian holiday, festival or even the day of mourning! And moharram is no exception. During the first ten days of moharram after the evening prayer (i.e. after sunset) in the streets of Tehran you can see numerous tents where you can get tea with sugar, dates or sweets absolutely for free. Some people, who are patient enough, visit so-called “heyats” where a mullah tells the story of Ashura and then the attendees get free food. When a family gets into trouble, for example, a child gets sick badly, the family prays and promises to God that if the child gets well,…
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Moharram. It`s time for mourning!
The month of moharram has come. A month of mourning for the third Shia Imam Hossein and his family cruelly killed in Karbala on the day of Ashura. I won`t go into details about his life and this particular event. I`d rather tell you how Tehran (and I`d say the whole Iran) changes when the holy month of moharram comes. Streets of Tehran which are always full of people wearing black clothes, but during moharram (and especially first 10 days that precede the day of Ashura) their amount doubles. Most of them are religious young men, small businesses` owners, shopkeepers who`d like to share their grief and feel themselves…
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Ways of Protest in Iran
The anti-governmental protests are still going on in Iran. They are being crushed harshly, especially in Kurdistan and Baluchistan. While in Tehran and major cities protesters face tear gas, and are being severely beaten by the police and are being shot pellets, in Kurdistan and Baluchistan people are being shot dead in protests. Almost every day brings new victims – from protesters who are being killed or injured by the police to artists and activists that are being detained by the police. When I say ‘a protest’, you probably think of people in the streets shouting out slogans. However, in Iran protests have gone much further from the streets into…
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Travelling Iran: What to See in Yazd
Yazd had been my favorite destination in Iran (until I discovered Qeshm island), and I always recommend it to everyone who travels to Iran. Located on the edge of a desert, it impresses travelers with its unique mud-brick architecture, very different from Isfahan, Shiraz or Tehran. I have been to Yazd two times and would love to visit it again because every time I discover more and more (and of course, I don`t mind adding a couple of bowls or other Yazd ceramics to my collection). However, traveling to the city of wind-catchers is not only about visiting Yazd itself – there are plenty of religious, historical and natural sights scattered all…
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10 Instagram Accounts to Follow Before Travelling to Iran in 2020
Nowadays the Internet is overloaded with information about different countries and travelling tips, and social networks are making planning a trip even easier. Many Iranian Instagram accounts I follow give me inspiration to continue exploring Iran, its deserts, villages and islands, as well as rediscover major cities on the tourist trail. If you are planning to visit Iran, these Instagram accounts will be a great help to you to plan your route, whether you prefer a safe plan or are looking for an adventure. And if you are just curious about Iran, they will definitely inspire you on packing your bag and travelling to Iran as soon as possible because…
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Ashura in Iran: What to Do on Ashura in Tehran
Moharram is a month during which Iranians and other Shia Muslims commemorate the death of Imam Hossein. The mourning reaches its culmination at Ashura, the tenth day of Moharram. I have already written about Ashura in Iran and mourning ceremonies organized on this occasion here and here. During several years I`ve been living in Iran, I have attended quite a number of ceremonies in different parts of Tehran (there are still areas uncovered though). Some attract hundreds of people, while others are attended only by locals. However, many foreigners hesitate to go out on the day of Ashura which is the culmination of Moharram mourning ceremonies. Maybe, they are afraid of Iranians…
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Complete Travel Guide to Qazvin
Qazvin is a city of ornaments and gorgeous tiles, “a city in the middle of a garden” (that`s how Nasreddin-Shah described it to his European counterparts in the 19th century). Finally, Qazvin is the gate to amazing Alamut valley with its impressive castle. Unfortunately, Qazvin is often missed out by tourists, while it can be an amazing stop on the route to Rasht, Zanjan or Tabriz. I have prepared a travel guide for you where I am going to write about the vibe of the city, its people, main tourist attractions, share some useful tips and my own experience of traveling to Qazvin. Hope you enjoy! I have gathered all the…
