Pahlevani and Zoorkhanei rituals

Pahlevani and zoorkhaneh rituals is an ancient Persian sport (varzesh-e bāstāni) which takes place in an arena called zoorkhaneh.

Pahlevani, this ancient sport has a long history in Iran that includes zoorkhaneh rituals. This sport takes place in an arena that is known as a zoorkhaneh. Wrestling is the other part of Pahlevani and zoorkhaneh rituals that are common to Pahlavani wrestling. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie is a German encyclopedia that introduces Pahlevani as the oldest bodybuilding exercise in the world. This ancient sport was registered on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2010.

• History

In traditional Iranian society, the Zoorkhaneh was a sacred place to exercise and raise moral thoughts. Some scholars believe that the zoorkhaneh was organized in the 7th century by Pourya-ye Vali, who was the popular wrestling champion. The Safavid era was a period of growth in the sport, especially in ancient sports. Also, Pahlevani and zoorkhaneh rituals were bold during the Qajar era, but with the advent of gums during the Pahlavi era, this kind of arena became old-fashioned.

• Architecture of Zoorkhaneh

The shape of the building was similar to Tekyeh (a place where Shiite Muslims gather to mourn) and ancient fire temples. This similarity refers to traditional beliefs about Ayyār that come from the ancient culture of the Iranians. Ayyār is a person associated with a class of warriors in Iraq and Iran from the 9th to the 12th centuries. The equivalent of Ayyar is chivalrous in English. The building of Zoorkhaneh is usually square with a dome above it to let in the sunlight and fresh air.

• Zoorkhaneh Equipment

The main equipment of this varzesh-e bāstāni, that dedicated to weight training and calisthenics, is as follows: a pair of wooden clubs (mil), metal shields (sang), and bow-shaped iron weights (kabbādeh or kamān).

• Rituals

  The zoorkhaneh rituals are as follows:
   
  • One of the zoorkhaneh rituals is wudu. Wudu involves washing the hands, mouth, nostrils, arms, head, and feet with water and is a vital part of ritual purity in Islam.
     
  • The first feature of this rich culture occurs at the entrance. Due to respect for the zoorkhaneh, the height of the door is short, and athletes should bow to enter.
     
  • Sardam is a place in the zoorkhaneh where a person as Morshed, sits on it and sings about eulogy of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the first Imam of Shia Muslims. Moreover, Morshed sings about different stories by using a Percussion instrument that is called Zarb-e zoorkhaneh. This kind of music helps athletes adjust their movements to this rhythm and make a beautiful group or individual gesture.
     
  • Rokhsat is a specific word that athletes use to respect the elderly of the zoorkhaneh. Rokhsat means to get permission in English.
     
  • Moshtomal chi is a person who massages the athletes in a zoorkhaneh after exercise to relieve fatigue.

• Golrizan ceremony

Golrizan ceremony is one of the old customs of zoorkhaneh that takes place for different events such as wrestling between two Pahlevan (champions), helping people, the opening day of zoorkhaneh, and giving a warm welcome to a Pahlevan who came from the other city.

• The famous zoorkhaneh in Tehran

  • Shirafkan zoorkhaneh
    • Shirafkan zoorkhaneh’s working hours start from 7:30 AM until 9:00 AM on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday.
    • Address: North Salsabil Street, Tehran, Tehran province.
       
  • Javanmardan zoorkhaneh
    • Javanmardan Zoorkhaneh’s working hours start from 8:15 PM until 10:00 PM on Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday.
    • Address: Kaashaani Boulevard, Tehran, Tehran province.