The Traditional Zoorkhaneh Sport in Iran

Zoorkhaneh is a place to gain strength, reinforce the virtues of sportsmanship, modesty, humbleness and avoid arrogance. Zoorkhaneh sports are done in a roofed area; the building resembles ancient temples or cellars. The entrance is smaller than usual doors. The rood is high and domed, like a mosque. “The Gowd”, the hollow, deeper area in the middle of the Zoorkhaneh, is where the sports are done. The Zoorkhaneh being a sacred place, there only the chest, pure, modest, the morally and bodily clean men; and those men who are free from evil thoughts come together. Nazanin, a skilled member of Uppersia tour guide team, suggested the guests from France to watch this curious workout routine in Shiraz.

Our French guests enjoy watching Zoorkhane sports

Expressive Method of Creating Pottery in Kalpoorgan

Wandering around the Iranian villages, we find a rich craft tradition and a high degree of technical excellence in the field of pottery, sculpture, jewelry, weaving etc.  Kalpoorgan village is one of that fascinating villages where is located in Sistan and Baloochestan province in southeast of Iran has recently nominated as the first handicraft village in the world. What attracts the attention of the world to the Kalpoorgan pottery is the making of pottery without use of a pottery wheel, so that all the pottery is done with traditional, primitive methods by Baloch women. The abstract roles and motifs have been inspired from ancient paints and are completely geometric reminiscent of historic art of that area. The warm harmony between the reddish shade of the potteries and the brown motifs make these crafts more and more eye catching. These pinched potteries with their amazing patterns and has been transmitted to the next generations without any change in the way they are made. Local artists have still kept the simple yet expressive method of creating these pieces of art. 

Pottery museum in Kalpoorgan,Sistanbaloochestan,Iran

Shazde Garden in Kerman

Being registered as a chain UNESCO heritage site, the nine heavenly Persian Gardens are among the most beloved and iconic landscapes with their distinctive properties, picture-postcard views of water stream and the historic Persian pavilions. Lesser-known Shazde Garden near Kerman in, is among the Persian gardens that has been registered in UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2011. We wish the best for our American guests and thanks for letting us share part of their trip. Thanks to their tour guide Ali for taking this photo of this sparkling emerald on heart of desert.

Ali and our American guest in Shazde Garden in Kerman