LIFE

I love Tehran

I enjoyed reading about Tehran Pars, Vanak and Meydoon Shiraz and Shemiran too.  As a matter of fact, I have lived in all those neighborhood and have many dear memories of them all. 

Thanks for a beautifully written piece about my beloved city too. You described it so well.

IRANdokht

Setareh, Ay Setareh!

Don't you cry! Tehran lives through us and we through it. Thank you for your kind comment and may nostalgia always bring your beautiful heart a galaxy of smiles and good memories always.

Princess Jan

Thanks for your comment. Heeh! Taking you to Tehran was nothing compared to your taking the lot of us to Afghanistan! That was some interesting writing and reporting you did my friend. Didn't it become obvious to you that our hearts beat somewhere in that region of the world? I felt the heartbeat in Konya, Turkey, once. Thanks again Princess Jan.

Nazy jan, a sincere thanks ...

I loved this piece.  As I read, I saw and heard and touched and smelt my city, my throat swelled and tightened and tears ran down silently inside my eyes, went through my nose and down my throat ... I am at work!   "Gradually, though, Tehran grew on me again. It was like it opened its arms, somehow, and let me in. I started to re-learn its streets and neighborhoods, its inadequate urban transportation system, and to push the scaly exterior aside and put my hand on its soft and velveteen heart. I fell in love with the ugly beauty all over again".  Yes, I know, me too! 

Shifteh Jan

Thanks so much for coming and for sharing your own sentiments about the ugly beauty! Heeh! You got it hamshahri! Nothing feels as beautiful as Tehran does, even though whenever you go back, you have to spend days getting used to how it smells!

Speaking of smells, get this: my favorite pastime was walking down residential streets (alleys) and taking in the smell of kitchens at noon! Oh my god! I'd go by one window and smell piaaz daagh, and the next ghormeh sabzi, and the next sholeh zard! It was a constant game of "name that dish" for me! A true treat of nostalgia.

I'm glad you are contemplating going back soon. My trip would have to wait a while yet. Thanks again for your very nice comment Shifteh Jan.

Filled with so much love

Nazy jan, This piece has uncovered images, smells and tastes I didn't even know I had burried inside of me. I left Iran as a child, but even I can relate to your Tehran.

Thank you so much for taking us to the Tehran of your childhood.

Dear Nazy jan...

Kheyley ghashang va bitakalof gofty;kheyley be delam neshast!

Whenever i go back; i roam the streets and allies of my childhood.  I rarely take a car ride; I walk and walk and walk.  Lets face it, Tehran is one of the ugliest cities.  Yet, i only see the tall trees that are still majestically lining up the Pahlavi street; and the JOOBS that are lining them.  And, i think to myself "this is one of the prettiest roads, ever!"

I used to know every kooche, mahale, and khiaboons of Tehran.  I used to know the best short-cuts to get you from Arya-shahr to Tehran-pars.  I was better than most taxi-drivers:)  Not anymore...I get lost a lot; but, all it takes is to look for mountains and once I see them, I know that I am are heading north... And, the rest is easy...

Thank you for reminding me; i feel restless now, i need to book my tix to the ugliest city in the world and walk in the most polluted air ever, to feel refreshed and alive again;)

پدروی عزیز

از یادداشت پر مهر و بسیار نوستالژیک شما ممنونم. بله، شهر فرنگ را یادم می آید:

"شهر، شهر فرنگه، خیلی تماشا داره، خوب تماشا کن....."

//i4.tinypic.com/2pyxj5g.jpg

در سالهای اخیر، یک بار در جمعه بازار تهران یک جعبهء شهر فرنگ را دیدم که به قیمت گزافی به فروش رفت. من یادم هست که وقتی بچه بودیم، بهترین روزهای دنیا روزهایی بودند که شهر فرنگی و چرخ و فلکی میامدند به محلهء ما و ما با خوشحالی می دویدیم و نگاه می کردیم یا سوار چرخ و فلک سیار می شدیم.

از خاطراتت ممنونم .

Nazy khanom'e Gol

Why sorry?? It didn't make me sad, it stirred...and that is always a good thing when it is for the right reasons :)

I'm glad you didn't stick to the time limit. Some rules are just not productive and are meant to be broken. I'm proud of my Iranian rule-breaking sisters ;)

...

نازی جان،در ابتدا از شما سپاس گذارم که وقت گذاشتید،مرحمت فرمودید و مطلب ما را بی‌ جواب نگذاشتید !

همانگونه که قبل گفتیم،ما با شما کاملاً موافقیم ! اما باید متذکر شویم که بد از ۳۰ سال دوری از شهرمان،دلمان آن چنان پر است از زمانه که انگاری از منطق دوریم و دل تنها به احساسات سپرده ایم !

دست خودمان نیست،این چنین بزرگ شده ایم ! آن چنان دلمان را سوخته اند که مظلومانه سر بر هر شانه‌ دوستی گذاریم و آهسته بغض کنیم و شکوه !

نمیدانیم این سفینه دل،تا به کدام درگاه غم ما را کشاند که این چنین زجر کشیم و هر روز بمیریم و هر روز دورتر از خاک خوش بوی شمیرانمان شویم ! ... دلمان پر است و پهنه این سینن پر از خون است ...

شکر خدا را به جای میاوریم که هنوز امری باقیست و امیدی به جا !

دست حضرت خانوم، سرکار علیه نازی خانوم جان را میفشاریم و مجددا تشکر می‌کنیم.

Monda Jan

Thank you for your kind comments. That Fared Shafinury music clip had a very touching effect on me when I first saw it, too. It shows the Tehran of now.

This Kiarostami film, Nan o Koocheh, shows the koocheh-baaghs of Shemiran in 1970:
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DGOXDRuVBI

These are aerial images of Tehran in 1959 which is closer to the time we were born:
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpkGzl7C-Ts

I will send you something in the mail which you might like to see. Thanks again.

Thank you!

Farshad Jan, how are you baba joon?!! I haven't heard from you in ages! I hope you are well my friend and keeping warm. Thanks for reading my piece.

Jaleh Jan, And where have you been?!! I miss your bubbly presence! It is always a treat to hear from you. Thank you.

Anahid Jan, thank you. You only missed the stammers and stutters! Reading is not easy for me, but I'm working on it.

Nazy the scenes on this clip reminded me of your piece

I'm sure you have seen this many times, 

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLQvqjiG7_U&feature...

the photo chosen for your blog is very powerful BTW. 

Nazy,I agree with Monda. This is your best ever that I have read

Dear Nazy, sorry that I missed your reading of this wonderful article.  I agree with Monda where she writes:

"Nazy this is my most favorite piece written by you, possibly ever."

Wonderfully touching

Nazy this is my most favorite piece written by you, possibly ever. I will save to read it again. Lucky those present at your gathering listening to you reading it for them. 

Very sweet Nazy jan!

You expressed the feelings shared by many. Thanks.

Thank you!

Very well written article, Nazy khanom!

Thank you.

Holly Jan

I'm sorry if my humble piece made you sad. I didn't write it with sadness.

I was told that each writer had 8 minutes for their piece. I struggled hard to try and squeeze the text into 8 minutes, but I couldn't do it! The shortest time it took to read it was 13 minutes, way over my allotted time! I thought briefly about cutting some paragraphs out of it to make it read faster, but each paragraph would have been one of the times that I went back to Tehran and I couldn't choose which one to take out! My friends were gracious to me and I got to read the whole required 13 minutes! I had to tell the story of the sadness I feel when I'm away from Tehran and how when I'm in it, even catastrophes and wars don't seem to hurt as much as the distance does.

But none of that is sad for me, because I also have tales and sentiments about where I live today, and tales of longing for it when I was away. Such is the life of us emigrants. In the longing and the reflection lies added value and wisdom, patience, and hope. That's what I think my friend. Thanks so much for your kind and poignant comment.

Nazy jan

I tried several times since you posted this, to read the entire text and with work and what not, I kept getting interrupted. I finally sat down to read and finished a few minutes ago.

Although I can't relate much to the extent of your teen and young adulthood years' memories, the parts that described your feelings and observations when you returned after many long years to what seemed unfamiliar had me covering my face with both hands and reading through a narrow opening between my fingers until I finally just let myself cry. It is such an indescribable, undestroyable and illogical love. Where the heck does it come from I always wonder.

I read part of Omid's blog on the feeling of nationalism earlier today. Now I'm hesitant to go and read it in its entirety. I'll have to work my way through this one first.

Thank you for writing. Thank you for writing so beautifully. Thank you for writing so completely.

Dear Vildemose

What made you fall in love with the city again?

She asked.

And I read her a poem,

Something old, something I had written before...

Homesick,

for a land that holds my childhood

for a place which saw me through love

for streets that saw my joy

for trees that witnessed my tears

for shops that traded kindness

for shopkeepers who sold wisdom

for friends who gave me love

for old ladies who gave me advice

for children who gave me wonder

for youth who gave me pride

for my parents who were my world

for their graves which beckon my tears and tales

for the people who are strung out

for the time that it was

for the place that it was

for the home that it was

for the home that is no longer

for the hope that rests within,

I am homesick.

//iranian.com/main/blog/nazy-kaviani/home...

Thank you my friend.

Beautiful as always. What

Beautiful as always. What made you fall in love with the city again?

Dear Rabbi and MPD

Thank you for reading and for your comments. I am honored.

شراب جان

یادم هست که روزی برای دیدن دوستان در رشت بودم. رفتیم جایی گل بخریم. آقایی که گل می فروخت با لهجهء آبادانی صحبت می کرد. دوستم از او پرسید بچهء آبادان اینجا چکار می کنی؟ گفت که بعد از جنگ آمده و مانده و دیگر نرفته. فقط بافت شمیران نیست دوست من. تمام ایران بافتش زیر و رو شده و آدمها جا به جا شده اند. جا به جا شدن آدمها که خود بخود باعث تخریب نمی شود. مثل این می ماند که غربیها بگویند که از وقتی این ایرانیها آمده اند کشور ما خراب شده. ما که می دانیم ما خراب نکرده ایم. خرابی های بافت قدیمی شهرهای ایران و تخریب محیط زیستشان یکسر مسئولیت قوانین و مجریان قانون در ایران هستند که مسئولیت حفظ میراث طبیعی و تاریخی ایران را به عهده نگرفته اند.

در همان فرانسه و یا ایتالیا، مگر کسی می تواند سرخود یک ساختمان 200 و 300 ساله را بکوبد و جایش یک ساختمان 5 طبقه بنا کند؟ مگر می شود حتی شاخهء یک درخت را همینطوری برید؟ نمیشود بابا جان، چون دولتها قوانینی وضع کرده اند که از منابع طبیعی و تاریخی و برنامه ریزی های کلان شهر ها محافظت کنند.

در کشور ایران همیشه قانون گذاران و مجریان خود را به صورت مسافرانی دیده اند که نمی دانند بلیط خروجشان تاریخش کی است بنابر این تا می توانند با عجله کیسهء خود را پر می کنند و چشم بر هر تخلف و تخریبی می بندند.

بله، درست است که قانون گذاران و مجریان هم مردم ایران هستند و این آنها هستند که تخلفات و تخریب ها را مرتکب می شوند، اما وجود قانون و جریمه در صورت تخلف کاملا لازم است و این بر عهدهء حکومت هاست.

شراب جان، می دانم چقدر غم تخریب شمیران را میخوری، اما بالله همه اش هم تقصیر تهرانی های قدیمی و جدید نیست!

شراب، یادم افتاد که وقتی داشتم فیلم نظام منوچهری را نگاه می کردم، جایی خانهء آبا اجدادی اش را در شمیران نشان می دهد (در اصل در فیلم نامه هایی از تهران ) و آن خانه که هنوز هم سر پا است خیلی زیباست. البته دیگر از قنات و نهرهای آبی که در آن میدویده خبری نیست، اما هنوز سرپاست. عکسش را اینجا برایت می گذارم دوست من.
//iranian.com/main/image/86952

Dear Mehrban Mehrban

Thanks so much for reading and for leaving a comment. Yes, I can appreciate that none of the indices of "goodness" might work on Tehran! Its cost of living is high and you don't get many amenities in return. Its police have been busy for 30 years, telling people what to wear, how to wear their hair, and who should or should not be invited to their parties, and all this while traffic laws have been broken and heinous crimes have been taking place which may have been avoided had the police been doing its real job.

Poor Tehran! No city can be a very good place to live or visit if it exists under the rule of a government that doesn't have high regard for human life and respectful treatment of its citizens and visitors.

But what can we do?! We love Tehran just the same! Thanks again Mehraban Jan. It's always a pleasure running into you. You picked your name and avatar very well and consistent with your character.

Nazi khanoom mamnoon.

Thank you Nazy for this lovely article

I know every time I go back to Tehran I find the city to be changed from the time I saw her before.  In our street, construction has never never stopped.  One and two story villas are constantly turned into five stories, and with a little bribe and rule bending, even higher.

My parents had saved all their lives; managed to buy three properties.  One of them is gone, to feed the need.  The other two becoming multiple units; half for the builders, half for us, the land owners.  I am talking about two pieces of small parcels.  I wonder if I ever get to live there again.  Where will I die?  

...

نازی جان... دوست بسیار عزیز .

این مطلب که شما فرمودید، کاملا درست است،منتهی باید توجه کرد که اگر دهاتی‌ها و شهرستانیها به تهران مهاجرت نمی‌کردند، شمیران الان به مورد تاخت و تاز نا تهرانی‌ها نبود !

تهران زشت بود ! زشت تر شده است ! هیچ به حساب و کتاب در آنجا رییتی نیست ! آنچه که هم از قدیم به جای بوده است، یا محمد رضا از بین برد و یا خمینی !

در بقیه موارد با شما دوست عزیز موافقم.

Hi! Nazy, This is a very nice piece, I am a Tehran girl too

The mountains are the best thing about the city so close and so formidable.  I guess it is the same mountains that do not let the air pollution get out, well we take the good with the bad.  The baghs were awesome which have been desomated as you say, what a shame.  When I was there last time, there were,  large signs throughout the city, emphasizing how one should not lie (go figure).  

Just an aside, according to the Economist magazine of 2007,  Tehran ranked #9 worst city in the world to live in.  Imagine, only 8 other cities in the world including some god awful places in Africa and Asia that were worse than Tehran to live in.  Our Tehran! can you believe that?!

//www.therealestatebloggers.com/2007/08/28/the-10-worst-cities-to-live-in-worldwide/ 

ای مرد مافوق!

Thank you for your kind comment, Abarmard. Yes, Tehran is our beautiful ugly, and will always be, no matter in which part of it we grew up. These days, Tehran is so huge, it's hard to fathom going all the way west and driving on a freeway, finding yourself smack in the southernmost parts of Tehran, but that's the way its roads and neighborhoods work now. We could get lost in areas that never existed when we were around!

To my surprise, Tehran is also one of the cleanest big cities I have ever seen. The garbage collection business is still far from ideal, but street surfaces seem awfully clean, thanks to hardworking Shahrdari employees.

Thanks for coming Abarmard Jan. You are Maa fogh!

Beautiful

Tehran always had that Metropolitan feel.

Thanks for this beautiful writing about my city :)