As a traveler visiting Iran for the first time, Zoorkhaneh ritual or
Varzesh- e Zoorkhaneh is probably one of the most interesting things you will
see here. Zoorkhaneh ritual is a symbolic and traditional system of athletics
that has been done by Iranians, since 3000 years ago during Zoroastrianism
and Mithraism era. These athletics are known to be the ancient roots of
wrestling and weightlifting that were done for training warriors. This ancient
ritual is registered by the UNESCO as an intangible world heritage.
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| Zoorkhaneh in Yazd. |
Today, Iranian men still do the traditional exercises in Zoorkhane, which
is usually a domed construction considered as a sacred place. Everything in
Zoorkhaneh (house of strength) is symbolic. The entrance door is short and causes the athletes to
remember to be noble and modest as they bend to enter the Zoorkhaneh.
Inside the Zoorkhaneh the athletes wear leather pants and circle around the
Gowd, which is a big polygonal hole, and follow the movements of Pahlavan who
is their leader. For becoming a Pahlavan, loyalty and courtesy is as important
as being physically strong. Zoorkhane rituals are combined with Persian music and literature. A man
called Morshed, sits out of the Gowd, Plays Tonbak (Iranian music instrument
like a drum) and sings heroic poems from Shahname, which is the masterpiece of
Iranian literature written by Ferdowsi.
There are still many Iranian men who choose Zoorkhane as their sport club.
There are many active Zoorkhanes in the cities of Iran. While you are in Iran,
don’t forget to search for the nearest Zoorkhaneh to you and watch the Iranian
men exercising just like their ancestors did thousands of years ago!
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| A Zoorkhaneh in Iran. |
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