A HEROIC SPORT IN IRAN
ZURKHANEH RITUAL
( A HEROIC SPORT IN IRAN)
Zurkhaneh, which literally means ‘strength house’ in Persian, is a special traditional place where men practice heroic sport. But that is not all! For Iranians it is associated with virtues and is symbol for their national identity.
Zurkhaneh sports are among the most prominent traditional sports in Iran that have been regarded as valuable sports in towns, cities, and villages and have long been practiced in the country. In Persia (Ancient Iran), Zurkhaneh provided a place for sport activities in communities and towns where athletes practiced old methods in sport and exercises.
Sport in Persia
In ancient times, Persia (Iran) was the
greatest country among the major countries of the east that emphasized
sport and physical
education in their
education systems. Persian
people had recognized the
significance of physical health and abilities as an important way of providing
victorious and brave troops.
The
oldest manuscripts on
sport in Persia
were written by
Herodotus and Xenophon-two Greek historians,
who recorded instances
of Persian athletic
competitions and educations, including equitation and archery,
and particularly moral
and educational aspects
of sport in Persia.
By
the dawn of
Islam, different types
of sport gained
popularity since Islam
stressed sports such as
horseback riding, archery,
sword fighting, wrestling,
swimming, and old
versions of track and field
sports.
Impacts of Zurkhaneh Sports on
Development Impacts on physical development
As
reliable tool for
growth of the
youth, zurkhaneh sports
can assist coordination
among muscular and nervous
systems, help the
human body to
physiologically adapt itself
to different functions, and
assists autonomous control system
to regulate these
functions. Different moving parts of body are involved in doing
zurkhaneh exercises, and this improves strength and stamina of all muscles.
Coordination, balance, agility, flexibility, responsiveness, and quick reaction
are among other physicalfitness factors that can be remarkably improved
through zurkhaneh sports.
This strength and
coordination among body
parts lead to
proper fitness and increased efficiency. Athletes can also improve their
five senses, especially sight, hearing, and touch by harmonizing their
movements to the sound of bell and drum.
Zurkhaneh: An inspiring building
Zurkhaneh is mostly sunken few meters
below the street level. The reason is the constant temperature, which is
essential for athletes who are bathed in perspiration after work out.
It has one entrance, a low door, which makes everyone to bow before attending
place to show the respect for the place.
Most zurkhanehs are adorned with the
picture of Imam Ali (AS) and also pictures of athletes and saints.
Zurkhaneh is composed of a centered one-meter sunken hexagonal area, known as
gowd, surrounded with seats for audience, where athletes do their work out.
Morshed or Sardam, which literally means mentor, is a
senior athlete who sits on an elevated and decorated seat overlooking the men
in the gowd and spurs them with chanting rhythmical religious epic poems,
mostly by classic Persian poets and playing zarb (drum). The athletes then
enter the gowd and start united moves with drumbeats.
All the men enter gowd are bare chest and bare foot wearing embroidered leather
breeches. They usually kiss the ground or touch it and raise it to their lips.
The exercises begin from lying and bowing position and ends to stand-up ones,
which reminds of human being life from childhood to adulthood. Athletes do
push-ups and whirl rapidly with rhythm of zarb, which is known as ‘charkh’.
They swing a pair of mil (wooden clubs) above their shoulder, do press-up with
sang (metal shields), and swing kabbadeh, bow made of iron with metal rings and
coin-like pieces hanging from its body, above their head during exercise.
Sport Equipment of Zurkhaneh
To prevent any injury to athletes, the
whole edge of Gowd is covered with stretchable rubber and /or wood. Around the
Gowd, some stands for spectators and an special place for sport equipment are
devised. Equipment of Varzesh-e- bastani (literally traditional sport0 which
are used at the present in Zurkhaneh include Sang (literally means rock),
Push-up board, Indian club and Chain and Bow (kabade).
Sardam (seat of Morshed)
Sardam is a sacred and respectable place
where the Morshed ( coach) can perform rituals of Zurkhaneh for inside and
outside spectators having control over sacred gowd.
Seat of Morshed is near the entrance door and on a relatively high stand with
crescent or square form arch on which some bell’s is/are hanging.
Zang (bell) of the Zurkhane
The bell which is used for more
harmonious exercises of athletes and coach as well as change of exercise
techniques, is like an upside down copper bowl from middle of which a bar is
hanging which creates a nice sound when hit to the walls of bowl.
Zarb (Drum) of the Zurkhane
Drum of morshed is like a tambourine made
of clay with a broad opening covered with a thin tanned skin and by rhythmic
beating on which Morshed causes rhythmic and harmonious exercises and movements
and tries to create interest and eagerness in athletes and spectators.
Mil in the Zurkhane
Mil is equipment made of wood in bottle
form weighing 10-30 kg.
Chain and bow
It is one of the Varzesh-e bastani’s
equipment. Its shape is the same a war bows.
Sang of the Zurkhane
The equipment used frequently in
Zurkhaneh at the present as Sang are two pieces of large boards in form of
heelpiece of old shoes which is square in upper part and curvy at the end.
At the middle of each Sang there is a hole and a handle on two sides of which a
piece of moquette is pasted to prevent scratching of athletes hands.
Push-up board
One of the exercises in Zurkhaneh is push-up (Shena). Morshed after chanting
introductory song rings the bell and beats the drum continuously.
The athletes put the push-up board before themselves and put their hand on it
and following their Miandar (senior athlete) do some exercises holding their
heads up.
Each year, with the holding of competitions, Iranian champion will be introduced, and they will take on hand armbands for a year, which if they repeat this champion, they will have handcuffed arrows for three consecutive years.
The champion and zurkhaneh rituals of the UNESCO World Heritage List were registered worldwide on Nov. 25, 2010.
Comments