Zurchaneh

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Zurchaneh or Surchāneh (English transliterated Zurkhaneh , Persian زور خانه Zurchāne , 'power house', 'house of strength', from zūr 'strength') is a fitness or weight room that is common in Azerbaijan , Iran , Iraq , Turkey , Afghanistan and neighboring countries, where the traditional Iranian strength sports Varzesch-e bāstāni are practiced.

Zurchaneh in the early 20th century: Pahlavaniringen

history

The roots of Zurchaneh and Varzesch-e Bastani can be traced back to the pre-Islamic period of Iran. The Zurchaneh was originally a place for physical and mental training. After the Arab conquest of Iran , traditional Iranian sports were not allowed to be practiced for a certain period of time: the Arabs understood this to be a type of cultural resistance. The 'sport of heroes' ( Varzesch-e Pahlevani ) was mainly practiced and developed underground at the time of the Mongol storms . Over time, Iranian traditions adapted to Islamic culture, including those of Zurchaneh and Varzesch-e Bastani . The athletes should show strength of faith and absolute loyalty to the Prophet Mohammed and the Imams.

The Zurchanehs (Persian zurchāneh-hā ) experienced their heyday during the Safavid dynasty , when Shiite Islam was declared the official state religion. According to Ulrich Gehrke (1976), this ritual of physical training reached its peak in the 14th century. The ideal of the knightly hero Rostam from Abūl-Qāsem-e Ferdousī's national epic Shāhnāme , who defends the defenseless and defenseless, is considered the moral basis of physical fitness. In connection with the renewal of the Iranian state by Reza Shah at the beginning of the 20th century, interest in traditional Zurchaneh increased .

Structure of a Zurchaneh

A Zurchaneh is a room with an octagonal pit one meter deep in the center (گود gowd ) with a wooden floor. The sardam (سردم), the place of the so-called Morsched , which rhythmically accompanies the athletes with singing , beaker drum ( tombak ) and bell ( zang -e zurchaneh ), and also recites religious verses and mystical stories, is often arranged three steps diagonally above the pit. In newer Zurchanehs there are seats for spectators and media representatives around the pit. Access to a Zurchaneh, which is only allowed for men, is generally through a low- lying entrance door. By bending over when entering the sports facility, everyone shows their respect for Zurchaneh and its traditions.

Rituals and exercises

Warm-up exercise with wooden clubs ( mil )

The rituals and traditions of the Varzesch-e Bastani correspond to the Sufi orders , which are reflected in the terminology used such as Morsched 'master', Pischkesvat 'leader', Taj 'crown' and Faghr 'poverty'. The ethical foundations are also similar to the Sufi ideals, with "purity of heart" being the focus.

The athletes originally only wore one pair of trousers, symbolizing equality. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, they have had to cover their upper body. Each exercise unit begins either with an intercessory prayer for the Islamic prophet Mohammed and his family or stories from pre-Islamic Iranian mythology , in particular the Persian national epic Shahnama , are presented. This is followed by the exercise units, which largely consist of gymnastic and free exercises. The sporty exercise units begin with rotations around their own axis (چرخ زدن Tscharch zadan ), which corresponds to the revolving dance of the Sufis, and merges into strength and skill exercises. Swinging and juggling wooden clubs (میل Mil ) that weigh up to 40 kg, the lifting of heavy metal shields (سنگ Sang ) of up to 120 kg from the supine position, as well as lifting and swinging heavy arched iron weights (کمان Kaman ) belong u. a. to the exercises. The units traditionally end with the so-called Pahlavaniringen (کشتی پهلوانی Koschti Pahlavani ). Pahlewane , or Pahlavane , are masters in traditional Iranian strength and combat training, traditionally also men of honor who heroically stand up for neighbors, friends and relatives.

The Iranian Zurchaneh rituals were designated an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2010 .

graduation

The graduation begins with the so-called Notsche and ends with the highest rank of the so-called Dschahan Pahlavan ( Persian جهان پهلوان, 'World Hero'):

  1. Notsche (نوچه, 'Beginner'): A young wrestler who is trained in a Zurchaneh
  2. Nowchasteh (نوخاسته, 'Advanced Beginner'): A Nocheh who has expanded his knowledge and is also being trained in other Zurchanehs
  3. Pahlavan (پهلوان, 'Hero'): An athlete who is characterized by humility and showing respect for the elderly, morscheds and the stronger, who defends himself against oppression, falsehood and injustice, who stands for justice, correctness and forgiveness
  4. Pahlavan-e Zurdar (پهلوان زوردار, 'Strong Hero'): A master wrestler or strong man
  5. Pahlavan-e Keschvar (پهلوان کشور, National Hero '): An internationally known Pahlavan and wrestler in World Wrestling Championships and / also Summer Olympics participates (eg. Gholamreza Takhti , Imam Ali Habibi ), a Pahlavan , the armband Pahlavani won
  6. Pahlevan-e Bozorg (پهلوان بزرگ,, Grand Champion and hero '): This title has so far only the Pahlavans Purya-ye Vali (13th century), Kabir-e Esfahani (15th century), Yazdi Bozrog (18th century) and Haj Seyed Hassan Razaz also known awarded as Pahlavan Shoja'at (1853–1941)
  7. Jahan Pahlavan (جهان پهلوان, 'World Hero'): The highest title of a Pahlavan and the greatest honor that to date only Rostam and Gholamreza Takhti have been given

Well-known Pahlavane

C 651-1450

  • Abu Muslim
  • Yaghoub-e Layth
  • Babak Khorramdin
  • Asad Kermani
  • Abdol Razagh Bashtini
  • Shirdel Kohnehsavar
  • Mahmoud Kharazmi (Pouriya-ye Vali)
  • Mohammad Abol-Seyed Abolkheyr
  • Mahmoud Malani
  • Darvish Mohammad Khorassani

C 1450–1795

  • Mirza Beyk-e Kashani
  • Beyk-e Khorassani
  • Hossein-e cord
  • Me baqer
  • Jalal Yazdi
  • Kabir-e Esfahani
  • Calf Ali Aqa Jar

Modern times

  • Haj Seyyed Hasan Razaz (Pahlavan Shoja'at)
  • Ali Asghar Yazdi
  • Haj Reza Qoli Tehrani
  • Mohammad Mazar Yazdi
  • Shaban Siyah Qomi
  • Yazdi Bozrog
  • Akbar Khorassani
  • Abolghasem Qomi
  • Hossein Golzar-e Kermanshahi
  • Sadegh-e Qomi
  • Mirza Hashem Akbarian Tefaghi
  • Yazdi Kouchak
  • Aziz Khan Rahmani Kurdestani

Medalist

Jahan Pahlavan Takhti doing the Mil exercise

The following Pahlavans have won medals at World Wrestling Championships and Summer Olympic Games:

useful information

As part of the TreX Games Busan 2008 , which took place in Busan from September 26th to October 2nd, 2008 , the first world championship in Zurchaneh sports (Varezesch-e Bastani) took place. 310 athletes from 30 nations competed in this competition; the three best athletes were awarded gold, silver or bronze.

See also

literature

  • Homa Sarshar, Shaban Jafari: Khaterat-e Shaban Jafari (The Memories of Shaban Jafari). Nashr-e Sales, Tehran 2003, ISBN 964-7230-64-8
  • Ulrich Gehrke: Iran: nature, population, history, culture, state, economy . 2nd edition, Erdmann, Tübingen 1976, ISBN 3-7711-0180-8
  • Houchang E. Chehabi: ZUR-ḴĀNA . In: Ehsan Yarshater (Ed.): Encyclopædia Iranica , accessed on May 18, 2013 (English, including references)
  • Christopher de Bellaigue: In the rose garden of the martyrs. A portrait of Iran. From the English by Sigrid Langhaeuser, Verlag CH Beck, Munich 2006 (English original edition: London 2004), pp. 192–202 and 214

Web links

Commons : Zurchane  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Sina Vodjani, Gabriele von Kröcher: Zarathustra. Membrane International, Hamburg 2006, ISBN 978-3-86562-739-1 , pp. 190-193.
  2. ↑ Glossary. In: Siba Shakib : Eskandar. (C. Bertelsmann, Munich 2009) Paperback edition, Wilhelm Goldmann, Munich 2011, pp. 595–597; cited here: p. 597
  3. ↑ Official homepage of UNESCO
  4. ↑ The 4th Busan Tafisa World Sport for All Games. ASFAA