Memories of Mashhad

Photo essay

by shahireh sharif
15-Dec-2007
 
As a child, I found the adventure of walking along the lively, old, narrow streets of Mashhad appealing. Visiting these regions was part of our annual journey to the city; something that I always looked forward to. The parade of big houses decorated with colourful tiles and mosaics, the shinny gutters with dentate crowns. The beautiful and remarkable exterior patterns formed by skillful rearrangement of breaks. In my recent journey to Mashhad (in 2007) I set off to relive these unique architectural features. [Off the record, longing for a taste of the past can be interpreted in many ways. But if it goes hand in hand with sudden appearance of white hair and occasional memory lapses, it is safe enough to consider it a sign of aging.] Unfortunately, the magic of the city’s old regions appeared to be on the verge of destruction. I had to look hard to see signs of what used to be around in copious quantities. I was too late for revisiting some of the sites that I wanted to see, but the trip was not a fruitless effort.
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by shahireh sharif on

Thanks for all your comments.  To …. (sorry I don’t have your  name) and again I’m sorry that you “skip all the photos” on the assumption that they won’t tell you much without captions. This photo-essay is not about Mashhad as a city, rather is an attempt to tell a story about a search for the past. But adding the appropriate captions to the photos sounds like a very good idea, “etaa’at mishe” (which means that I’ll do this for my future work). Meanwhile look at the information below just for you and Faribors Maleknasri.  

Picture 2: A mosque next to Haram-e Emam Reza

Picture 3: a man selling rings outside Naderi garden, his figures were his display and storage units!

Picture 4: Haram Emam Reza

Pictures 8, 10, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30 and 37: Bazar Reza

Picture 9: A display of key rings outside a shop next to Bazar Reza

Pictures, 11 and 12: Part of an old building on baalaa kheyaboon (this is the old name for the Street, I don’t know the current name)

Pictures 17, 32 and 33: Bagh-e Meli

Picture19: Gonbad-e Sabz

Picture 36: Meydan-e Saraab

Picture 38: aab-havij bastani mehmoon-e bandeh!!

 

I hope the explanation above reduces the frustration slightly!


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Picture 6 YUM YUM!! the best!

by Anonymou (not verified) on

I'm hungrynow! also picture 35 yummy too.


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Akh yummyyy

by LeilaM.D. (not verified) on

Lovely picture-taking, kudos to the photgrapher...
(but i didnt see pictures of the golden gonbad of Haram emam reza?)

two things esp. got me: the freshly squeezed ab-havij...and the Balal roo zoghal...

akhhh havass kardam...call me shikamoo :)


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Gonbad Talaa

by beegharaar (not verified) on

Ey gonbad talaa man tooye shahr-e to gharibam
Man Ashegh-e deldaadeh-e bee sabr-o o shakeebam

Wonderful pictures.


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REPLY : THE PICTURES OF FINGERRINGS

by Faribors Maleknasri M.D. (not verified) on

The pictures are the most beutifull ones i have ever seen. sometimes i posessed one or tow rings like those as in the pictures. since a long time I have not seen them any more. Now, along with other Visitors of the "IRANIAN" I wish to ask for a caption for each foto. I download so many fotos and after a while nobody is aware about the actual meaning of the contents of them. My problem is the fact that I can not make my own remarks to the fotos. Anyway i want to be satisfeid if I can continue getting fotos even without captions. Greeting


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please add a caption to your

by description please!!!!!!!!! (not verified) on

please add a caption to your pictures.
It will be a 100% more effective and descriptive if you you just say the name of the place in your pictures.
I skip all the photos posted cause none of them tell anything. a picture by itself without caption does not convey the full measure of what you want people to see. It is frustrating as you can tell.
I dont know how non iranians make anything out of these pictures. how about giving a little history of the city, and the places you have captured with your camera!!!!!!!!
just trying to improve thats all.


Nazy Kaviani

Very Nice!

by Nazy Kaviani on

Thank you Shahireh Jan. Your pictures are beautiful and telling. I really enjoyed taking a trip to Mashad through your photos. So much of the fabric of old Iranian cities is, unfortunately, destroyed and replaced with modern monstrosities. Ba ejazeh, I am borrowing some of your pictures to feature in my blog. I will reflect their due credit to you, of course. Thanks again for the trip down Mashad memory lane.