Posted on 09/05/2007 9:38:57 PM PDT by freedom44
TEHRAN (Reuters) - For the men who practice it, it's about not just fitness but a connection with God.
Zurkhaneh, an ancient Persian sporting ritual whose name means "House of Strength," is a historic breeding ground for wrestlers in Iran, and now enjoying something of a comeback.
It looks to a Western eye like an exotic mixture of body-building and aerobics. But for the men whirling like dervishes to frenetic drumbeats, juggling heavy wooden clubs and doing push-ups in the pit of a "House of Strength" in northern Tehran, the ritual is about much more.
"It is a holy thing," said Nader Ghasemi, wearing traditional embroidered trousers with a German Bayern Munich soccer shirt.
"It makes me feel close to God," said Ghasemi, preparing to step into the octagonal pit at the centre of the hall to perform a series of coordinated routines together with about 20 others.
Some say Zurkhaneh helped to inspire wrestling in Iran -- a sport where it has international standing and can put aside its differences with its arch-foe, the United States.
About 20 American athletes and their coaches came to Iran for a wrestling competition last January. In April, the State Department said Iranian wrestlers had been invited to train in the United States for the 2008 Olympics, as part of efforts to increase ties with the Iranian people.
But by comparison with Zurkhaneh, wrestling is prosaic. Images of Muslim religious leaders and pre-Islamic mythological heroes -- as well as old photographs of bare-chested champions -- adorned the walls of the "House of Strength."
A drummer chanted poems written centuries ago.
At 33, Ghasemi was one of the evening's younger participants, an indication that Iran's soccer-mad young men are not easily drawn to the ancient ritual.
But spectator Parviz Tamani said that, although it had suffered in popularity since its heyday in 19th-century Persia, Zurkhaneh was coming back to life.
"People like to revive old historical traditions and to keep them alive," said the 68-year-old, who practiced the sport when he was young. "This is special, it goes back thousands of years."
BODY AND SOUL
As he spoke, the athletes -- ranging from two young boys accompanying their father to burly men in their 70s -- did push-ups, whirled with outstretched arms in a seeming trance, and swung clubs weighing up to 15 kg over their shoulders or into the air.
Enthusiasts say the practice, also present in neighboring countries, is as much about seeking purity and becoming a good person who helps those in need as about physical prowess.
"Most sports have as a goal to build your body. But this sport builds both the body and the spirit," said Alireza Saffarzadeh of Iran's traditional sports federation.
Its enduring appeal nonetheless underlines Iran's passion for sports based on body strength.
Weightlifter and Olympic gold medalist Hossein Reza Zadeh, the "Iranian Hercules," is one of the country's biggest celebrities. Last December a retired wrestler was voted onto Tehran's city council, defeating more established politicians.
Zurkhaneh also plays a social role, with men coming to the gymnasium to chat over tea before the event starts.
Women are not involved in the discipline, said to have its roots in military training long before the 7th-century Arab invasion of what is now Iran.
Iran's dominant religion, Shi'ite Islam, has since become a key element of the ritual, and the hall itself looks a shrine.
Sayings by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the late founding father of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, are on display as are depictions of Imam Ali, son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammad and revered by Shi'ites.
WRESTLING CHAMPIONS
A black-turbaned cleric was a special guest at this training session in one of Tehran's dozens of Zurkhaneh halls, which lasted for about two hours and ended with prayers.
On this occasion there was no physical contact, but every now and then wrestling-like competitions are held in the pit.
"Most Iranian wrestling champions come from Zurkhaneh," said Mostafa Tajiki, who competed in the 1960 Rome Olympics.
The 77-year-old, who still trains twice a week, said that in his time the Zurkhaneh was the only athletics club on offer: "It was the centre of Iranian sports."
On the wall behind him, a black-and-white photograph from the 1950s showed him as a muscular and mustached young national wrestling champion.
"We now have young, talented wrestlers and we hope to see good results in next year's Olympics in Beijing," he said.
Yeah, great abs too.
No knee wraps, holy crap!
And you're right - its mighty great...
Kidding aside - that's quite a lot of weight on that bar....
I don’t know if in his case abs are singular or nonexistent. Sure, it’s a lot of weight. He’s very strong, but not really healthy. I lift weights, but you can’t be a fatty and healthy even pushing iron.
Maybe we should do something similar with our H.S. phys ed program. ;)
I take it this is a Zoroastrian thing?
Yeah started with Zoroastrianism.
Yes, it is a pre-islamic tradition traceable at least to the Parthian time of Persian empire. As almost everything positive in the Middle East it existed before Islam.
I have to believe he has some very strong abs (or 'ab', as I called it) -- its just that they are buried within that thick protective coat of insulation. Heaving all that weight around can't allow for a weak midsection.
Reminds me of the USSR gold medalist in power lifting from 1972 (I think -- possibly 1968). Alexi something or other I believe. Similarly ... 'impressive' abdominals. The sportscasters kept insisting it was 'all muscle'. I was very young at the time, and I still thought the TV talking heads were spouting nonsense. Blubber is blubber. Doesn't take away the fact that he was very strong -- but that midsection protrusion sure didn't look like any muscle group that I was familiar with.
They had a hell of a great civilization until Jimmy the Liverspot conspired with the Aya-Toilets to undermine it.
Sick wrestlers, Can’t wait to see some of them compete in MMA
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Thanks.
The Iranians are world class wrestlers, arguably the best in the world. Tough to beat.
I wonder if Alexander and his soldiers brought the idea of gymnasiums to Persia?
The Zurkhaneh is the Iranian equivqalent of Karate. Similar to the Asian rulers forbidding weapons, the Arabs forbade weapon training when they overran ancient Iran.
As a result. sports arenas with deep round wrestling pits became the secret gathering places for “sports wrestling” which in fact was body hardening for warfare disguised as a sport.
Initially it was anti-Islam but over time became perverted to a mix of Islam and a form of Sufism with increasing emphasis on certan Islamic “saints”.
Shaban Jaffari (known as Shabban ‘bimokh’ = the brainless, indicating fearles as much as anything derogatory) was one of the most famous of these Zurkhaneh (means house of strength) athletes and a lower class social leader.
In the restoration of the Monarchy in the 1950’s he spearheaded suport for the monarchy and rabble roused in that direction, earning a postion of favor with the late Shah.
Shaban died recently as a historical person of the people.
Very good info, thanks.
Zurkhaneh is said to have originated when Persian warriors were forced to practice their martial arts pursuits secretly in their homes after the Arab invasion. As the centuries went by the sport became legalized and a tradition. … "Felicitations on the birthday of the second imam and curses to all the enemies of the first imam," roars a bearded pahlavan (champion) who leads the group …A poet sings as the drumming picks up to an intense and deafening momentum. "Iran is my sanctuary and my home! If all of us die it is much better than to give our land to the enemy!" he cries.
Imagine if you could wrestle like an Iranian and throwdown/bang like a Lithuanian. That’d be Money
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