Zurkhaneh
Encyclopedia
Zurkhaneh, Zorkhana or Zourkhaneh (in Persian
: زورخانه, literally "house of strength") is a traditional gymnasium of urban Persia and adjacent lands, including Azerbaijan
, Iran
, Iraq
, Turkey
, Afghanistan
etc.. The Iran
ian national sport, called Varzesh-e Pahlavani
or Varzesh-e Bastani, is practiced in Zurkhane.
The climax of the Zurkhaneh was in the Safavid dynasty, while twelver Shiism became the state religion. There has been renewed interest in the Zurkhaneh starting in the early 20th century, and it is now associated with nationalism.
One of the Inner City's (Baku
) entertainment in areas was the Zorkhana. Baku's Zorkhana dates back to at least the 15th century and this underground vault was located just a few steps from the Bukhari and Multani caravanserais, towards the Maiden Tower
. Men paid there an entrance fee to participate in various competitions, including weightlifting, wrestling and boxing. There were contests accompanied by a trio of musicians who performed traditional Eastern instruments like the kamancha, zurna
and naghara (drum
). Most of these melodies have long since been forgotten. But one by the name of "Jangi" (War) is still performed prior to the opening of Azerbaijani national wrestling competitions, called Gulash.
In Zorkhana young men could test their strength against professional wrestlers such as those who came from Tabriz
, Ardabil
, Sarab
and other cities of Azerbaijan provinces. Huseyngulu Sarabski
writes about one wrestler nicknamed "Altiaylig Abdulali" (Six-Month Abdulali) who took on all these youth. Before each match, the famous musician Haji Zeynal Agha Karim would perform a song glorifying the wrestler. Altiaylig Abdulali would untie his belt, toss his hat on the floor and come out onto the stage grinning. The young amateurs approached him one by one. When Altiaylig was finished wrestling, the spectators would give him various denominations of money such as three, five or even ten rubles, a considerable sum of money at the time.
The Zorkhana also functioned somewhat like a fitness club. When no competitions were taking place, men went there to do exercises and use sports equipment.
, Esfahan, Yazd
, or other cities in Iran
.
There were held a national championships of Zorkhana (first was held in 2010) in Azerbaijan. And the first World championship in Zorkhana was held also in Baku in 2009 (15–16 March), where took part sportsmen from 12 countries, including Azerbaijan, Iraq, Germany
, Afghanistan, Lithuania
, Uganda
, Nigeria
, Tanzania
, Tajikistan
, South Africa
, Syria
and Nepal
.
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
: زورخانه, literally "house of strength") is a traditional gymnasium of urban Persia and adjacent lands, including Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
etc.. The Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian national sport, called Varzesh-e Pahlavani
Varzesh-e Pahlavani
Varzesh-e Bastani is a traditional style of folk wrestling practiced in Iran....
or Varzesh-e Bastani, is practiced in Zurkhane.
Structure
The Zurkhaneh itself is an octagonal pit about 1m deep with a floor of clay soil in which athletes train for Pahlevan. In contrast to gymnastics practiced in the West, the exercises consist of team sports that combine tests of physical strength and flexibility, specific rituals, and respect for traditional moral and ethical rules. The game of Pahlevan changes to keep pace with the sound of a drum played by the morshed or guide, who is typically seated in an elevated position within the hall.Roots and history
The zurkhaneh is more than just a place dedicated to physical exercise. The zurkhaneh and Varzesh-e Pahlavani have their roots in pre-Islamic Iranian culture. After the Arab conquest, its practice became illegal for a time, and was seen as representing a form of cultural resistance. Over time, however, the pastime adapted to fit in with Islamic culture. In addition, certain moral qualities and values came to be associated with pahlevans; such as courage, selflessness and, above all faith and absolute loyalty to the prophet and the imams.The climax of the Zurkhaneh was in the Safavid dynasty, while twelver Shiism became the state religion. There has been renewed interest in the Zurkhaneh starting in the early 20th century, and it is now associated with nationalism.
One of the Inner City's (Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
) entertainment in areas was the Zorkhana. Baku's Zorkhana dates back to at least the 15th century and this underground vault was located just a few steps from the Bukhari and Multani caravanserais, towards the Maiden Tower
Maiden Tower (Baku)
The Maiden Tower or also known locally as Giz Galasi located in the Old City, Baku in Azerbaijan is an ancient tower with cultural affinity corroborating the presence Zoroastrians, Sassanians, Arabs, Persians, Shirvanis, Ottomans, and Russians...
. Men paid there an entrance fee to participate in various competitions, including weightlifting, wrestling and boxing. There were contests accompanied by a trio of musicians who performed traditional Eastern instruments like the kamancha, zurna
Zurna
The zurna , is a multinational outdoor wind instrument, usually accompanied by a davul in Anatolian folk music. The name is from Turkish zurna, itself derived from Persian سرنای surnāy, composed of sūr “banquet, feast” and nāy “reed, pipe”...
and naghara (drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
). Most of these melodies have long since been forgotten. But one by the name of "Jangi" (War) is still performed prior to the opening of Azerbaijani national wrestling competitions, called Gulash.
In Zorkhana young men could test their strength against professional wrestlers such as those who came from Tabriz
Tabriz
Tabriz is the fourth largest city and one of the historical capitals of Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former...
, Ardabil
Ardabil
Ardabil is a historical city in north-western Iran. The name Ardabil probably comes from the Zoroastrian name of "Artavil" which means a holy place. Ardabil is the center of Ardabil Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 412,669, in 102,818 families...
, Sarab
Sarab
Sarab is a city in and the capital of Sarab County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 42,057, in 11,045 families.Sarab is famous for its rugs. From 1747 to 1813, it was the capital of the Khanate of Sarab....
and other cities of Azerbaijan provinces. Huseyngulu Sarabski
Huseyngulu Sarabski
Huseyngulu Sarabski , born Huseyngulu Malik oglu Rzayev , was an Azerbaijani opera singer , composer, playwright, stage actor, theatre director, and musician .-Early life:...
writes about one wrestler nicknamed "Altiaylig Abdulali" (Six-Month Abdulali) who took on all these youth. Before each match, the famous musician Haji Zeynal Agha Karim would perform a song glorifying the wrestler. Altiaylig Abdulali would untie his belt, toss his hat on the floor and come out onto the stage grinning. The young amateurs approached him one by one. When Altiaylig was finished wrestling, the spectators would give him various denominations of money such as three, five or even ten rubles, a considerable sum of money at the time.
The Zorkhana also functioned somewhat like a fitness club. When no competitions were taking place, men went there to do exercises and use sports equipment.
Today
The practice of Varzesh-e Pahlavani is still alive in the popular districts of TehranTehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Esfahan, Yazd
Yazd
Yazd is the capital of Yazd Province in Iran, and a centre of Zoroastrian culture. The city is located some 175 miles southeast of Isfahan. At the 2006 census, the population was 423,006, in 114,716 families....
, or other cities in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.
There were held a national championships of Zorkhana (first was held in 2010) in Azerbaijan. And the first World championship in Zorkhana was held also in Baku in 2009 (15–16 March), where took part sportsmen from 12 countries, including Azerbaijan, Iraq, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Afghanistan, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
.
See also
- Indian clubsIndian clubsIndian clubs belong to a category of exercise equipment that was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Europe, the British Commonwealth and the United States. They comprise bowling-pin shaped wooden "clubs" of varying sizes and weights, which are swung in certain patterns as part...
, Exercise devices used in Pahlavani - KöräşKöräsKöräş, also Tatarça köräş - Tatar wrestling, is the Tatar style of wrestling, related to some Central Asian styles of wrestlings, such as kurash and Turkey's yağlı güreş....
, Tatar National wrestling - KoshtiKoshtiThe Koshti are a Hindu caste mainly found in the states of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka with a smaller population in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in India....
, Traditional IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian wrestlingWrestlingWrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
and grapplingGrapplingGrappling refers to techniques, maneuvers, and counters applied to an opponent in order to gain a physical advantage, such as improving relative position, escaping, submitting, or injury to the opponent. Grappling is a general term that covers techniques used in many disciplines, styles and martial... - KurashKurashKurash is a form of upright jacket wrestling native to Uzbeks, practiced since ancient times. It is an event in the Asian Games and there is an effort to include Kurash in the Olympic games.-Rules:...
, Upright jacket wrestlingWrestlingWrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
native to UzbekistanUzbekistanUzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south.... - Pahlavani, Official historical style of IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
- PankrationPankrationPankration was a martial art introduced into the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC and founded as a blend of boxing and wrestling but without any rules. The term comes from the Greek , literally meaning "all powers" from "all" + "strength, power". Spartans were taught to use this ancient...
, Ancient GreekAncient GreeceAncient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
Martial Art - PehlwaniPehlwaniPehlwani or Pahlavani or Kushti is a Persian style of wrestling popular in Iran, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. It was developed in the Mughal era through a synthesis of Indian malla-yuddha and Persian Varzesh-e Bastani....
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n wrestlingWrestlingWrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
and grapplingGrapplingGrappling refers to techniques, maneuvers, and counters applied to an opponent in order to gain a physical advantage, such as improving relative position, escaping, submitting, or injury to the opponent. Grappling is a general term that covers techniques used in many disciplines, styles and martial... - SamboSambo (martial art)Sambo is a Russian martial art and combat sport. The word "SAMBO" is an acronym for SAMooborona Bez Oruzhiya, which literally translates as "self-defense without weapons". Sambo is relatively modern since its development began in the early 1920s by the Soviet Red Army to improve their hand to hand...
, Related modern martial art developed in the former Soviet UnionSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991.... - Yağlı güreşYagli güresOil wrestling , also called grease wrestling, is the Turkish national sport. It is so called because the wrestlers douse themselves with olive oil. It is related to the Uzbeki kurash, Tuvan khuresh and Tatar köräş...
, TurkishTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
oil wrestlingWrestlingWrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...