An Iranian village with a red hue

 

Published in  Hans India, Hyderabad

During my visit to Iran few years ago, I was very sure to catch glimpse of the Persian opulence, but had no idea that I would accidentally come across a small village with a red hue that was absolutely fascinating.

This astounding Zoroastrian village called Abyaneh is located in the central district of Natanz county, Isphan province. Zoroastrians in Iran have had a long history and is the oldest religious community of Iran that has survive to the present-day. This village is popular for its traditional feasts and ceremonies. The history of this place dates back to the Sassanid dynasty which ruled Persia for 400 years until the Arab invasion in 651 AD. The population of this place is barely 306.

As I walked down the lanes of the Village I noticed the narrow and sloped lanes with houses located on the slopes that seem like placed on a stairway. The roof of some houses turn into courtyard for other houses as the land is on a slope. The walls of buildings made of clay appear rusty red color due to the rich soil of ferrous oxide. The windows and doors are made of wood. Every door has two door knockers – one for men which are heavier and makes a strong sound, the other one for women which make lighter sound so it can be identified if the visitor is a man or a woman.

The source of water in Abyaneh is from the River of Barzrud. The climate is mostly cold. It has prolonged spring season creating suitable conditions for agriculture. The main agricultural products grown in Abyaneh are wheat, barley, potatoes and fruits such as apples, pears and apricots. Of late carpet weaving has also become popular in the village.

The natives of Abyaneh are believed to be highly educated. Most of them are Engineers and Doctors who work in cities like Kashan and Tehran in Iran. The language spoken there is Parthain Pahlavi, a different dialect of Farsi.

I was fascinated to see Men and women still wearing traditional costume despite pressure from the government to change. Contrary to the other parts of Iran where the ladies don black chador, the ladies in Abyaneh wear costume which consists of a white scarf with floral design that cover their shoulder extending to the waist and waist downward they wear pleated skirt/pant. The women here are emotionally much attached to their wedding gown inherited from mother to daughter and in turn are expected to pass it on to their daughters. Men wear a felt hat, a long garment called “Ghaba”, a pair of loose pants and a pair of special shoes called “Giveh”

I happened to notice a Zoroastrian fire temple in the village dating back to the Sassanid period. One of the mosques has an inscription on its door which specifies that it dates back to the early safavid period (approximately from 1501 to 1722).

UNESCO has proposed Abyaneh to be included in the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage site. However, as per some reports there is a proposed hotel construction in the pipeline and therefore this status seems to be at risk.

Abyaneh is located about 327 kms from Tehran and can be reached by road via Kashan.

Visa details: Visa can be obtained from the consulate of Iran.  In Hyderabad, the consulate is located opposite the 2^nd gate of GVK mall in Banjara. You need to submit 2 passport size photographs and a blood test report of HIV and Hepatitis B.

Most important carry few scarves which is very essential. The minute you step out of the house, you have to cover your head.

As far as safety is concerned, it is 100% safe. Whether it is the crowded Bozar or Mall, you will never experience any Eve’s teasing. People are very timid and courteous.

The currency of Iran is Toman but at some time it was also called Riyal. One dollar is Toman 3,000 which is equivalent to about INR.60/-.(Its best to check the currency rates as the exchange rates keep fluctuating)