Posted on 04/11/2005 1:08:41 PM PDT by Ardavan Bahrami
It would have made for a jarring sight at any place of leisure. But the large black banners mourning the death of the Prophet Muhammad and his grandson Hasan were cause for particular dismay among the small army of skiing enthusiasts expecting a day of care-free enjoyment on Iran's slopes. The proclamations signified that the Islamic authorities had ordered the closure of Dizin, the country's leading ski resort, in memory of the religious figures, both of whom died more than 1,300 years ago.
It was a mourning festival observed with passionate intensity in mosques throughout Iran.
But among the affluent and mostly young secular-minded set who had travelled 80 miles north from Tehran with their expensive skiing equipment, it generated an outpouring of surprising - and, in Iran, potentially dangerous - blasphemous sentiments.
None could remember Dizin ever being closed before for the annual holiday marking the deaths of Muhammad and Hasan, revered in Shia Islam as the second Imam.
"It is wrong that someone died 1,400 years ago and here we have to worship not just him, but his grandchildren as well," said Parsa, 27, a computer engineer.
"We are born Muslims because our parents and grandparents are Muslims. But if you gave a choice to most young people here today, I think they would choose to be Christians or Zoroastrians."
Iman Rad, 22 - whose first name means faith in Farsi - said: "The problem is that we are Iranians and historically, we are Zoroastrians, while Islam has come from the Arabs. We are not Arabs - there is a difference between us."
Defying freezing temperatures and Iran's Islamic dress code by wearing a sleeveless top, Mr Rad, a technology and engineering student, warmed to his theme. "What they [the Iranian authorities] have been doing for the past 25 years is the best way to damage Islam in the eyes of the people.
"Here in Iran, if you want to walk with your girlfriend, you are not allowed to. If you want to play loud music in your car, you are not allowed to. If you want to have a party and drink alcohol, you are not allowed to. If you do these things, you are taking a big risk. I have been arrested many times [for such activities].
"Skiing is exciting. It is one of the few ways we can spend our energy and not see many law enforcement agents. It gives you a beautiful feeling."
Mourning banners aside, Dizin - one of 16 skiing areas in Iran - appears western enough on the surface.
A small clutch of hotels and winter chalets sit at the bottom of the ski slope to offer accommodation to skiers, some of whom are indeed westerners - being based either in Iran or in nearby states such as Dubai.
On the slopes, female skiers swap their Islamic hijabs for gaudy headbands and hats. Some even dare to defy the strict dress code by going without headgear entirely. They are generally unmolested by the small number of pro-regime Basij militia guards patrolling the site looking for infractions.
On an average Friday - Iran's traditional day of rest - Dizin attracts an estimated 4,500 skiers.
Skiing in Iran dates back to 2000BC, when ancient tribes are believed to have devised a ski board made from animal hide. Linguists associate the word ski with the Aryan language, from which Farsi is derived.
Modern skiing was introduced to the country in the 1930s by German industrialists who built the national rail network, and by rich Iranians who learned the sport while studying in Europe.
Its popularity among the social and economic elite led to the opening of Dizin in 1969. The resort was a favourite haunt of the last shah, who encouraged the tourism ministry to build hotels and install modern ski lifts.
Investment dried up after the 1979 Islamic revolution. Today there are old-fashioned hotels, a poorly tended landscape garden and a festering rubbish dump at the entrance.
Although privatisation three years ago generated much needed funds, the issue remains a sore point with staff.
"You get annoyed when you see the lack of investment. The better order the place is in, the more people will come," said Ahmed Baha, 51, a guard and former ski instructor who has worked at Dizin since 1971. "After the revolution, the management kept the profits and didn't put any money in," Mr Baha said. "During the shah's time, there was constant building. He used to come here once a month. He was a good skier. He queued up for the ski lifts along with everybody else - he did not ask for the piste to be cleared just for himself."
Yards from where Mr Baha was speaking, the rusting iron superstructure of a hotel hovers like a ghost from that period. Work started on it while the shah was still on the throne but stopped immediately after the revolution. It has never been resumed.
--gee whiz--wonder if they've got any runs like Tourist Trap at Vail?--
Dude...statements like that will get you separated from your head!
There was an article on skiing in Iran in one of the skiing magazines earlier this season. Maybe some muslim cleric got wind of that and decided to find a religious reason to put a stop to people having fun. Maybe also to help keep non-Iranians / non-muslims out of their country.
Iman Rad, 22 - whose first name means faith in Farsi - said: "The problem is that we are Iranians and historically, we are Zoroastrians, while Islam has come from the Arabs. We are not Arabs - there is a difference between us."
Again, I think this is a teachable moment.
I have heard statements of this type from many Iranians at different times.
Here's another comment that may result in a beheading as well...
"It is wrong that someone died 1,400 years ago and here we have to worship not just him, but his grandchildren as well," said Parsa, 27, a computer engineer.
If not a beheading, a long jail term is probably in the works for him.
For being so adamantly monotheistic, these Muslims sure get close to worshipping these old dudes. I mean, in the early days, Islam wouldn't even allow so much as a picture of a human anywhere because it was considered idol worship. If this isn't worship of Mohammud & Hasan, I don't know what is.
Now that's a statement!
I had a conversation once with an Iranian who converted to Christianity and he said Islam has ruined his country and destroyed its non-Islamic heritage. He told me that in the 1970s he was a newspaper reporter in Iran and he had to flee the country.
"--gee whiz--wonder if they've got any runs like Tourist Trap at Vail?--"
As I recall, Iranian skiing is pretty crude. You have to hike up. No lifts, tow ropes, or snowmobiles even. On the other hand you get ungroomed slopes all to yourself and maybe a few goats. It is not skiing for old geezers like me.
They've got chairlifts, dude!
Interesting
Wow! Progress. But still lots of the slopes there are totally undeveloped.
I suggest introducing helicopter skiing using Blackhawks.
Hehehe....
"Yards from where Mr Baha was speaking, the rusting iron superstructure of a hotel hovers like a ghost from that period. Work started on it while the shah was still on the throne but stopped immediately after the revolution. It has never been resumed."
Another example of how time has stood still and modernization has ceased under the regime.
"in the early days, Islam wouldn't even allow so much as a picture of a human anywhere because it was considered idol worship."
What you are describing is a difference between muslim sects. This is a basic difference between shiites and sunnis.
You will also see a big difference in their mosques. Shiite mosques can be very beautiful with ornate tilework, whereas sunni mosques are plain and unadorned.
If I recall my history, they can thank Suleyman for a good part of that cultural destruction. However, since he died in the heat of summer, there probably isn't any mourning going on (or anything else, for that matter) on the slopes at that time!
I visited some mosques when I was in South Africa. Very impressive, and the people there were tickled pink to have Americans visit them. Can't remember if they were Shia or Sunni.
u wanna tick off an Irani or a Turk? Call him an Arab. Works the same vice-versa. You wanna tick off a Scotsman or Irishman, call him English (doesn't work the other way though!). To tick off an Indian, call him a Paki (again, doesn't work the other way round!). and to really see something fab, call a Texan a Canuck!!
Remember that Iran had a large Nestorian Christian population at one point in time.
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