Zurkhaneh Tour 2014 Part 1 ‘한국어 번역‘
Tehran
As part of my Indian Clubs World Tour 2014, I made a booking with the Iran Tour Center for a Zurkhaneh Tour which seemed like a perfect opportunity to learn more about the traditional training methods of Iran and soak up some of the rich ancient histories of this country.
Zurkhaneh Tour Details
Tehran > Shiraz > Persepolis > Yazd > Isfahan > Kashan > Tehran
Zurkhaneh Tour 2014 video has two sections:
- Mr Ali Shahidi’s Mil Workshop
- Pahlevan Pour Zurkhaneh, Tehran
Part 1 – Mr Ali Shahidi’s Mil Workshop
The first part is a series of photographs taken inside Mr Ali Shahidi’s Mil Workshop. This workshop is hidden from the view in the basement of a private house, concealed by a very high outside wall.
Smell Freshly Turned Wood Shavings
To access the basement you have to walk down a very steep stone staircase with no handrail, on entry, your eyes slowly re-adjust to the dimly lit workshop. Your nose picks up the smell of freshly turned wood shavings that cover the floor.
Photographs of Proud Pahlevans
As your eyes adjust to the light, you are confronted with piles of clubs, some with broken handles, and others intact. Plus enormous quantities of wood that has been left to dry out before being made into clubs. The walls are covered with the new and old photographs of proud Pahlevans, some black and white and some colour.
Tea is drunk everywhere, and of course, there is the obligatory kettle in the corner ready to make the next brew.
Shahidi makes the Meel Body First
Mr Ali Shahidi makes his clubs, by turning the body of the club first, and making a separate handle. The handles are then glued and jammed into the neck of the club. The handles are roughly shaped on the lathe first, and dry fitted to each club, from scrap wood. Then they are put back on the lathe for final shaping and finishing.
Walking deeper into the workshop, you can see the green lathe, and the chisels lying ready for the next job, plus the all-important tape measure.
Repairing Natural Damage and Cracks
The cracks in wood are filled with wedge offcuts, which all firmly glued and hammered into place, once this is done, repaired sections will be put back onto the lathe to be finished.
Part 2 – Pahlevan Pour Zurkhaneh – Tehran
Sign of Respect
On entry to Pahlevan Pour Zurkhaneh, you step through a very low door which forces you to bow your head as a sign of respect.
Shoes and Tea
You immediately remove your shoes and get escorted to a small seating area, where you are served a small glass of black tea and lots of sugar cubes.
Pahlevans Start Warming Up
In the meantime, the Pahlevans start warming up for training. Some of them with the Sang shields, and others with Meel clubs, the atmosphere is very friendly and relaxed.
The Morshed Heats the Drum Skin
The Morshed arrives and prepares his drum, he turns on a small electric fire, which warms the stretched skin of the drum and improves the sound.
Sitting in front of an electric fire is no easy feat when the outside temperature is 35°C.
Pahlevans Enter the Goud
As the drumming and singing starts, the Pahlevans step down into the Goud (pit) to begin their training. The song and drumming are mesmerising as the Morshed leads the training.
