Iranian Poet # 1 : Shahriar

Seyyed Mohammad Hossein Behjat-Tabrizi (Shahriar) 's statue , Mellat Park, Tehran, Iran

Mohammad Hossein Shahriar (Died on September 18, 1988) , was the first Iranian Azeri to write a significant collection of poetry in the Azerbaijani language. Born in 1906 in Tabriz, he received his elementary education, including the Divan of Hafez, under his father's supervision. Shahriar’s first formal education was at the Motahari (former Mansoor High School) Secondary School in Tabriz. He subsequently studied at the Darolfonun (former higher education school) in Tehran. Although he studied medicine in college, he dropped out just before getting his diploma and went to Khorasan, where he found a job as a notary public and bank clerk. Initially he published his poems under his given name, Behjat, but later chose the name Shahriar.

Happy New Year !

Haft Sîn or the seven 'S's is a major tradition of Nowruz, the traditional Iranian new year. It has a complex history and there are indication referring to Kayanids mentioning that (šahd, šir, šarāb, šikkar-e nāb, šamʿ, šamšād, šāya”) literally (honey, milk, wine, pure sugar, a candle, branches of box-tree, and fruits) has been the seven S's on the Nowruz table. Today the haft sin table includes seven items specifically starting with the letter S or Sîn (س in the Persian alphabet). The items symbolically correspond to seven creations and holy immortals protecting them. Originally called Haft Chin, the Haft Sin has evolved over time, but has kept its symbolism. Traditionally, families attempt to set as beautiful a Haft Sîn table as they can, as it is not only of traditional and spiritual value, but also noticed by visitors during Nowruzi visitations and is a reflection of their good taste.

This is the 7 sin table that I set.

The Haft Sin items are:

sîb (سیب)- apples - symbolizing beauty and health

sabzeh(سبزه) - wheat, barley or lentil sprouts growing in a dish - symbolizing rebirth

lit candles (enlightenment and happiness)

samanu (سمنو)- a sweet pudding made from wheat germ - symbolizing affluence (The glass on the left)

senjed (سنجد)- the dried fruit of the ole aster tree - symbolizing love (The glass on the right)

Rose water for its magical cleansing powers (in that red rose-water bottle at middle)

sîr (سیر)- garlic - symbolizing medicine

The Holy Quran for Muslims

A mirror and decorated eggs, sometimes one for each member of the family (fertility)

I decorated and painted all eggs myself ;)

serkeh (سرکه)- vinegar - symbolizing age and patience

sekkeh (سکه)- coins (prosperity and wealth)

Divan of Hafez ( Hafez's poems book)

A glass with red and gold fish (life, and the sign of Pisces which the sun is leaving)

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In 4 hours, the New Year will be started. Yes, again we finished 1 year of our life with a complex of happy and sad times. Since I remember, it was a question for me that why God has created us? I ask myself this question at the end of per year and I am sorry that I do not have any answers yet.
For the New Year, I wish No War, No tears, No sad happening in the entire world. I hope all kind wishes come in true. Happy New Year!

Let's pray for a peace full World!

My dear friends, I am going to travel to Tehran tomorrow with a turned off cell phone and a closed lap top. With any lesson to study, any project to do. I am so tired and want to be a little relaxed. I'll update the blog on 27TH of March with many photos from other parts of Iran.

Last night and night of Yalda

Shab-e Yalda or Shab-e Chelleh is an Iranian festival originally celebrated on the Northern Hemisphere's longest night of the year, that is, on the eve of the Winter Solstice.
The 13Th century one of our great poet Sa'di wrote in his Bustan: "The true morning will not come, until the Yalda Night is gone". Following the Iranian calendar reform of 1925, which pegged some seasonal events to specific days of the calendar, Yalda came to be celebrated on the night before and including the first day of the tenth month (Dey). Subject to seasonal drift, this day may sometimes fall a day before or a day after the actual Winter Solstice.
Following the fall of the Sassanid Empire and the subsequent rise of Islam, the religious significance of the event was lost, and Yalda became a social occasion when family and close friends would get together. Nonetheless, the obligatory serving of fresh fruit during mid-winter is reminiscent of the ancient customs of invoking the divinities to request protection of the winter crop.
Today; Families continue to hold traditional gatherings on Yalda. Iranian radio and television offer special programmes on that night of Yalda.Watermelons, nuts, fresh fruits like pomegranate,orange and etc are placed on the Korsi, a traditional piece of furniture similar to a very short table, around which the family sit on the ground. On it, a blanket made of wool filling is thrown, people leave their legs under the blanket. Inside the korsi, heat is generated by means of coal, electricity or gas heaters.Grand parents tell old stories for their childs and grandchids and read Hafez’s poems.
It is also a custom that grooms give a gift to their brride and they celebrate this night before starting their new life together.

Text is written according to WikiPedia

Yalda means life is as much short as we must celebrate for just one minute more being together.Happy Yalda!

Around Iran # 2 : Hafezieh,Shiraz City

Today's photos show you Hafezieh in Shiraz city.The Mausolum of our great poet "Hafez"

Khawja-Shamsoddin-Muhammad Hafez,Great Persian Poet was born sometime between the years 1310 and 1337 in Shiraz, Medieval Persia(now Iran).

His lyrical poems, known as ghazals, are noted for their beauty and bring to fruition the love, mysticism, and early Sufi themes that had long pervaded Persian poetry. Moreover, his poetry possessed elements of modern surrealism.

مژده‌ى وصل تو كو كز سر جان برخيزم
طاير قدسم و از دام جهان برخيزم
Where are the tidings of union? that I may arise-
Forth from the dust I will rise up to welcome thee!
My soul, like a homing bird, yearning for paradise,
Shall arise and soar, from the snares of the world set free.

Hafez

The Last Day

Goodbye mom and dad; Goodbye my only brother; Goodbye my family and friends

Goodbye Mashhad; Goodbye Iran
I love you and will miss you. I'll come back soon.



Here is the sparkle of god throne, take off your hat.
Here is the mausoleum of the master of Toos, prone on the ground.

Here is the Mount Sinai, take off your shoes.
Here is the tomb of Ferdowsi, kiss the earth.

Thank you all my friends for your visits and comments during the past few months. Today I and my parents will travel to Tehran and stay there for a few days until Friday. Then I'll fly to the US. Sara will keep posting more photos of Mashhad from tomorrow. Now Mashhad Daily Photos is completely hers. You can check Portland Daily Photos on Friday night to see my first glance on my new home. I may stay in Portland until 2010-11.

Mehdi Akhavan: Thou this Ancient Land, I adore thee

Mehdi Akhavan Saless was a prominent Persian poet. He is one of the pioneers of Free Verse (New Style Poetry) in Persian language. He was born in 1928 in Mashhad and died in 1990 and buried in his home town. His tomb is so simple (the simplest I've ever seen). Sometimes I think he is not well admired. Akhavan's forte is epic; more precisely, he chooses themes of epical proportion. I love his poems as well as many other Iranians.

From all things earthly, if I acclaim
Thee this land so ancient, I adore

Thee the birth place of so many nobles
Cherisher of magnanimity, I adore

Thine Ormuzd and Yazatas, I revere

To thine ancient prophet
A wisdom seeking sage whom I adore

The noble Zarathushtra, more so than
all other sages and prophets I adore

Humanity better than him has not seen and will not
and this noblest of humanity I adore

His trios the best guide for the world
This concise, impactful guide I adore

This great Iranian a leader
This Iranian leader I adore

Never killed, nor asked others to
This noble role modeling I adore

Tine Ferdowsi, the legendary literary tower he erected
placed in the hall of fame and glory, I adore

تو را ای کهن بوم و بر دوست دارم
مهدی اخوان ثالث