Nowruz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the Iranian year. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox (the start of spring in the northern hemisphere), which usually occurs on March 21 or the previous/following day depending on where it is observed.

The term Nowruz first appeared in Persian records in the second century AD, but it was also an important day during the time of the Achaemenids (c. 648-330 BC), where kings from different nations under the Persian empire used to bring gifts to the emperor (Shahanshah) of Persia on Nowruz.

More about Nowruz or Nowroz – نوروز

ارغوان
شاخه همخون جدا مانده من
آسمان تو چه رنگ است امروز؟
آفتابی است هوا؟
یا گرفته است هنوز؟

من درین گوشه که از دنیا بیرون است،
آسمانی به سرم نیست،
از بهاران خبرم نیست،
آنچه می بینم دیوار است
آه، این سخت سیاه
آن چنان نزدیک است
که چو بر می کشم از سینه نفس
نفسم را بر می گرداند
ره چنان بسته که پرواز نگه
در همین یک قدمی می‌ماند
کورسویی ز چراغی رنجور
قصه پرداز شب ظلمانی است
نفسم می گیرد
که هوا هم اینجا زندانی است

هرچه با من اینجاست
رنگ رخ باخته است
آفتابی هرگز
گوشه چشمی هم
بر فراموشی این دخمه نینداخته است
اندر این گوشه خاموش فراموش شده،
کز دم سردش هر شمعی خاموش شده،
یاد رنگینی در خاطر من گریه می‌انگیزد
ارغوانم آنجاست
ارغوانم تنهاست
ارغوانم دارد می گرید
چون دل من که چنین خون آلود
هر دم از دیده فرو می ریزد

ارغوان
این چه رازی است که هر بار بهار
با عزای دل ما می آید؟
که زمین هر سال از خون پرستوها رنگین است؟
وین چنین بر جگر سوختگان
داغ بر داغ می‌افزاید

ارغوان
پنجه خونین زمین
دامن صبح بگیر
وز سواران خرامنده خورشید بپرس
کی برین دره غم می‌گذرند؟

ارغوان
خوشه خون
بامدادان که کبوترها
برلب پنجره باز سحر غلغه می‌آغازند،
جام گلرنگ مرا
بر سر دست بگیر،
به تماشاگه پرواز ببر
آه بشتاب که هم پروازان
نگران غم هم پروازند

ارغوان
بیرق گلگون بهار
تو بر افراشته باش
شعر خونبار منی
یاد رنگین رفیقانم را
بر زبان داشته باش
تو بخوان نغمه ناخوانده من

ارغوان،
شاخه همخون جدا مانده من
هوشنگ ابتهاج

ه. ا. سایه
فروردین ۱۳۶۳

The introduction of post cards in Iran began in the late 19th century when Iranians visiting Europe sent cards back to their relatives and friends. Soon post cards were produced locally, depicting various scenes or pictures of historical and contemporary personalities. Images of important political and religious figures in the Constitutional Revolution period were a particularly popular and often repeated theme. Some cards were quite plain with only a postage stamp carrying the picture of the reigning Qajar shah printed at the corner.

In Iran, as in other parts of the world, there are enthusiastic post card collectors. Nasseroddin Hasanzadeh’s fascination was sparked off more than 20 years ago when he began dealing in rare old books. In the course of his business he came across many old documents, including post cards, which he decided to collect.

His collection so far includes more than 300 post cards, particularly of the Qajar period and of the Constitutional Revolution, rare photographs, as well as hand-written letters and notes by prominent political, artistic, literary or religious figures of various periods. The oldest document in his collection is an agreement for the sale of land dating back to the reign of Shah Abbas in 1607. He has had three exhibitions at the Museum of Photography in Tehran and donated several documents to the Tabriz Museum of the Constitutional Revolution.

In this multimedia report, we are invited to view many items in this diverse and fascinating collection of rare post cards and documents.

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Source: jadidonline.com

ShAx-e shAx-e (h)armanI ‘A branch, a branch…!
Har kas shAx-e be-dehad Whoever gives a branch,
odA murAd-esh be-dehad! May God grant his wish!
Har kas shAx-e na-dehad, Whoever does not give a branch,
KhodA murAd-esh na-dehad! May God not grant his wish!’

(Perhaps there is some connection here with the custom of wishing on candles at birthdays.) People begin to gather an hour before sunset, a spot near a stream seems to be preferred.
More about Jashn-e Sadeh – جشن سده

Years later, street photographers moving around with their cameras in the shrine area invited visitors to have instant photographs taken. Later on, when photography was prohibited inside the shrine area, they moved outside setting up studios in the vicinity of the shrine. The same painted wall-hangings depicting scenes of the shrine were used as the background, but now they were in colour.

Watch one of these bustling studios in action.

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Nowadays, the development of digital photography and particularly the Photoshop have opened up a whole new world of possibilities. The painted backgrounds have become completely redundant, replaced by digitally created imaginative scenes and even fancy outfits.

Studios have proliferated around the shrine, inviting visitors to have their photos taken which are then superimposed on a variety of colourful scenes. They can choose not only their favourite scene but any outfit from Arabic headdress and robes to a suit and tie. Little girls can appear as angels, complete with a pair of wings and a diamond- studded tiara.

Source: jadidonline.com

The exhibition started on the ground floor with personal photographs of Sohrab Sepehri. Then in the main gallery we saw his big well known tree trunk paintings and as we moved down through the lower galleries we saw his other works and some personal effects such as his famous hat and brushes as well as his simple bed which were on display.

His simple and profound poetry soothes my soul and his paintings get through to my heart. To me he is a legend and has yet to find his importance among ordinary Iranians as a great artist.
Sohrab Sepehri was born in Kashan and was one of Iran’s leading modernist painters and poets until his death in 1980.

The exhibition will continue until 21st January 2010.

Sohrab Sepehri biography

By Syma Sayyah, Tehran

Over the past week, many cultural heritage enthusiasts and experts have protested against possible negligence by the tunnel contractor following publication of relevant media reports about the incident.

Consequently, the Alamut Company, in charge of drilling the tunnel for the Isfahan Metro project, invited a number of reporters to visit the site. However, they were escorted to the eastern end of the tunnel instead of the western end where the incident is reported to have occurred.

During the visit, project manager Babak Rostami said the route deviation was caused by an error in the TBM and considered the problem to be a mundane, every day issue in tunnel-boring.

Photo by Alieh

The error occurred because of differences in the density of the earth, he explained and added, “When a TBM drills a tunnel, it may deviate if it encounters earth with low and high density simultaneously.”

Si-o-se Pol, also known as the Allahverdi Khan Bridge, is one of a small number of Isfahan’s historical bridges spanning the Zayanderud River.

The construction of the bridge began in 1602 by order of the Safavid king Shah Abbas I.

The Isfahan Metro officials said that the historical city’s metro will be operational by 2012. Other metro lines under construction are threatening monuments located on Chahar-Bagh Street as well as in Naqsh-e Jahan Square, a complex of Safavid-era monuments registered on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

In 2001, UNESCO rejected the Isfahan Municipality’s request to construct tunnels beneath Chahar-Bagh Street and Naqsh-e Jahan Square.

Despite rejection by UNESCO and opposition by the Isfahan Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department, the project’s tunnels were bored.

Experts believe that vibration caused by metro trains passing underneath the monuments will cause damage to nearby historical sites.

Source: Mehr News Agency

The 13th century Iranian 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 like other Zoroastrian festivals 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.

يلدا بلندترين شب سال شب تولد مهر …شبي که همه ايرانيان براي استقبال از روشنايي و پيروزي سمبليک اهورا (نور) بر اهريمن (تاريکي) جشن ميگيرند…يکي از قيميترين جشنها در دنيا که زماني از هند تا اروپا رو در بر ميگرفته ولي هم اکنون ايرانيان از معدود ملتهايي هستند که اين شب رو جشن ميگيرند…فرداي يلدا رو ايرانيان دي ناميدند که براي ايرانيان يک ماه سالمان رو تشکيل ميدهد. واژه دي در زبانهاي ديگر هم نفوذ پيدا کرده و روز رو به نام دي نام ميبرند. يلداي خوبي داشته باشيد