Persian Architect

Moving

2006-09-02T12:39:00.000+04:00

Dear friends I have moved to Here.

Tehran-2

2006-08-15T15:45:00.000+04:00

I still have not been able to make any sort of order of Tehran. The traffic is a mess and you can smell all sorts of harmfull chemicals in the air; but there must something which makes me go back. To think of it, regardless of all the hustle and bustle of the city I always enjoy the surreal surroundings made up of modern, post modern and traditional expriences.

During the time I was away so much has happened; the war, the death of Akbar Mohamadi and much more. I feel like the concept of time has become worthless or at least I can't make any sence of it no more.

2006-08-15T00:39:00.000+04:00

I am back, but I don't know what is wrong with this damn blogger. I can't upload anything.

I guess its time to move.

2006-08-01T01:31:00.000+04:00

Dear friends, I apologize for not updating. I have been away for some time and I must confess that I have missed writing here.
I will update soon, promise.

p.n :Dear Somi thank you.

Sweet loss

2006-07-01T22:29:00.000+04:00

Today all my prayers were answered. England is out of the worldcup. It was sooo sweet watching the Egnlish side loose.
Honestly, did they think that they had any chance to reach the finals?

No Topic

2006-06-27T22:15:00.000+04:00

A light descended on earth,
I saw two foot prints on the desert sand.
Where had it come from?
And where was it going?
Only two footprints were visible.
Maybe somebody had stopped on the ground by mistake.

Sohrab Sepehri

It has been a few days that I could not find the time to update this little corner which is my blog, and when there was time the mood was lacking.
I am sure you have also been witnessing the great Iranian up rise against the Iranian national football team. As a football loving nation it is our right to have a strong professional football team. For me, football is very true to life and I think to some extent every national team is a mirror of its own nation representing the essence of what that nation stands for.

why were we so shocked and overwhelmed by the loss of our national team?

I believe that for a moment we might have lost touch with our reality, and of what our situation is all about. I mean, for God sake in which fields in social or academic movements have we made any grounds as a nation? (please don't mention we have this or that scientist Working in NASA) Yes, it is our right to have a strong team as it is our right to have many other things, but only if we are realists and have the courage to accept the fact that we have a very long way to go, we will then be able to know what we are about and what it is to be done.

I am still praying to see England's team loose. So pray with me....

Women's Right

2006-06-13T20:41:00.000+04:00

Yesterday Iranian women in Tehran came out in to the streets in order to protest against the anti-women's laws in Iran and to assert on their basic rights. Although it was going to be a peaceful event, many were beaten and arrested. The news of this event has almost been boycotted within the Iranian official news agencies, but the news of this gathering is a hot topic within the Iranian blogsphere.

photographs of the event: Kossof

More detailed news from other blogs (in English): Remains of the day, Archer

Official news: Associated Press

Women's Right + Football

2006-06-08T10:16:00.000+04:00

This is a summon of women's rights activists in Iran. It is to protest against anti-women's law in Iran. Please sign and show your support.
Time: 12th of June, 5-6 p.m, 7 Tir square. Iran, Tehran

The wait is over. Only one more day to go. I have programmed my next month's schedule So I can watch most of the matches. Mostly, we might think about the wining teams, but since last night I couldn't get this thought out of my mind that there are a few teams which I will enjoy watching them loose ( England for one).

*Checkout the Worldcup blog(see).

Salutations

2006-06-03T17:30:00.000+04:00

Don't be a slave. Follow society to the point you feel is needed, but always remain master of your own destiny. (Osho)

I know it is a bit overdue, but I deem it my duty to send my regards to those of our friends, whom decided not to sit quiet and to take action in a most civil way in order to insure one of their most basic human right. Leila Mouri and Parastoo are the only ones whom I know by their blogs, but I know there were many more in the campaign.

Dear ladies I simply salute you.

The caricature

2006-05-29T01:05:00.000+04:00

The compound where I live in consists of 100 villas which are positioned around an artificial lake . There are about 40 to 50 different nationalities which accordingly, have different religions and languages. During the time that I have been living here, never once have I seen a residence to disrespect others for having a different nationality or for that matter a different kind of personal life. Sitting in front of the window, one can see and visually experience all kinds of different colors and contrasts harmoniously and peacefully co-exist.

We Iranians, regardless of our ethnic backgrounds, have somehow managed to live together for thousands of years in a larger compound we call Iran. So I ask myself, why is it that a single caricature is able to provoke the feelings of so many?
When I saw the caricature I was not offended (I am half Azari), on the contrary I found it rather funny. It does not matter if I was offended or not, for seemingly many have taken offence, but is it because of the caricature itself or the problem lies elsewhere?

There are many views such as exploitation of minorities by unknown enemies or the government having a hand in the recent situation. The mistreating of the minorities in Iran is an undeniable fact, but on the other hand has the majority itself been treated any differently than the minorities?
I believe the caricature was the gateway or an opening for many to express their feelings of anger and mistreatment and to ask for their rightful place in the Iranian society.
One thing which I truly feel is missing in the Iranian socity is a shared Iranian identity, which needs to be explored by our intellectuals. Finally, I believe that the beauty of Iran lies in its vast and colorful cultural background which takes inspiration from its different ethnical groups.

The right

2006-05-23T04:46:00.000+04:00

"Truth is something which blossoms only in individual freedom, in the total freedom of your being."
(Osho)

The campaigners in defense of women's right to enter stadiums in Iran have invited Iranians to join them. Their meeting point is at the 2nd field in Azadi stadium.
If you can't be there please help spread the news.

A trip to....

2006-05-17T14:56:00.000+04:00

My observations of Tehran from a recent visit:

Social etiquette has reached almost "0" level.
No more political babbling in the taxis.
Some sort of lame laziness has taken over the city.
People seemed moodier than ever, I don't know if it was the weather or.... .
A lot of young people with strange shapes and forms wondering in the streets. Although there is nothing wrong with wondering in streets or how our young generation wishes to express itself, but I just couldn't help thinking that they deserve much better than to just wonder around aimlessly all the time.

Tehran's new airport is a modern building, but that is half of the story. What makes a space modern are the people inside it. So I let you workout the rest by yourself.

To enlighten or ...

2006-05-06T13:01:00.000+04:00

1. Throughout the Iranian contemporary history many Iranian intellectuals have struggled to shed light when there was dark and to enlighten the minds where the forces of traditionalism and backwardness had nested for centuries. The road to enlightenment and modernism has indeed been a slippery one. So many, since Sadegh Hedayat have paid dearly for their thoughts.

Most recently, Ramin Jahanbegloo who is a teacher, a philosopher and an advocate of modern thinking has been arrested in Iran.
Here you can get more information and updates.

2. Modernism: The quality of being current or of the present.
I would be grateful if my dear readers could find the time to comment and tell me what they think of the term Modernism and how it effects their daily lives and their way of thinking.

Vay mosibata...!

2006-05-03T08:06:00.000+04:00

Bahrain from space

Yesterday in a news conference in Tehran the Amir of Qatar wished the Iranian football team success and also wished peace for the region (Persian) Arabian Gulf. Meanwhile the Iranian president reminds his counterpart that when the Amir went to school the mentioned region was used to be called the Persian Gulf, but Ahmadinejad was faced by the Amir's immediate rebuttal: "Those times they were wrong."
Let me remind the dear reader that those words are being mentioned in the presence of an Iranian president, the representative of the Iranian people and their interests; and worse of all in our own capital city, Tehran!.

By no means I want to blame the Amir of Qatar or his country. (They have every right to lookout for their national interests.)
I know that I would be considered naive to ask if we have any foreign strategic plans to insure our national interests in the region, but would it be inconsiderate of me to ask what has happened to our rightful national authority in the region?
How have we reached such an estate, where a leader of a foreign country (whomever he or she might be) dares not only to mention but also manipulate the rights and the history of more than 68 million Iranians right in their own home. vay mosibata, vay..... .

Confusion

2006-04-27T03:59:00.000+04:00

Yellow cake, centrifuge, atomic bomb, enrichment, IAEA, Al baradei, sanctions, oil and....... .

When do you think this nightmare is going to end?

I wanted to include the word WAR in the above list, but I hesitated. I am sure people from my generation remember clearly what we had to go through during the Iran-Iraq war and I still consider myself and my family to be the lucky ones, for we survived and so many others did not.

I guess what I am trying to say is that: What happened to living, to life, to love and many simple joys of life?

Does the human brain has the capacity for all these negativeness which has surrounded us? Has our souls and and even our physical being been designed to go through all this?

I believe we all need to go under the rain, and once again breath a fresh air. We need calmness, for we might once again find the courage to find our ourselves within that calmness.

Hejab (veil)

2006-04-23T16:16:00.000+04:00

Persian architect

It seems that the ba hejab , bi hejab market in Iran has warmed up again. According to the news coming out of Iran "warmed up" would be an understatement.
The guidance Police has already started a campaign of intrusions against those of whom thay feel are not sufficiently veiled.

Even a member of parliament, seyed Mehdi Tabatabi, has made recommendations to those whom are not prepared to abide by the Islamic hejab code and has advised them to leave the country for there is no place for them in an islamic Iran.

Honestly,what have we come to?

It is a sad state of affairs.

Backgammon

2005-10-21T22:50:00.000+04:00

Adib Farahani

Let me be honest with you. During the last thirty years of my life I had thought of backgammon as just a game of chance, therefore I never took it seriously, until this summer that is.
I am sure most Iranians, specially those of whom which are coming from an extended family, at one time or another have witnessed and watched some members of their family ever so ardently indulging in backgammon. My father is one of these ardent members.

This summer I went to Tehran for a visit. After arriving home and meeting my father and exchanging the usual courtesies, I saw him disappearing in to his room to return after a few minutes with his favorite backgammon board under his arms.
"Shall we?" he said.

The dear reader must realize that this was the first time I was being asked by my father to share with him the passion he has for the game. Not only did I accept his invitation, but believe it or not I took the gesture of his invitation as an honor being bestowed upon me. I felt that I was being initiated in to the world of adults and the wiseones, thus the game began.

To be precise, it was right after my fifth move when I noticed my father's face literally changing in to a dark reddish colour. My first response was to ask him that if something was wrong. He took a deep puff from his cigarette and gazed at my face.
"What kind of an architect are you?, Don't you know mathematics?, What have they been teaching you in that university of yours?"
By this time I was stunned and petrified by the barrage of questions being thrown at me and at the same time I tried to workout the relationship between Backgammon and my university!.
"How can it be? You have not even made a single right move."
He was clearly getting more anxious .
"Tell me, is something wrong? O, there must be, I am sure there is something wrong with you. You can't concentrate. I wonder, how can you even design anything with this amount of concentration?"

One month passed and we did not remind eachother of the backgammon incident, nor did we play again. It was during my flight back home when I found a book in my bag and a letter addressed to me, it was from my father.

"Dear son
I thought it best to write you a few lines a and explain the importance of backgammon, which I hope will enlighten you and clarify my reaction. Imagine the backgammon board to be a stage or even the platform of life. In this platform there are people, just like real life; whom I might add also want to win by using your weaknesses and lack of concentration.
In order to win there are there are two elements which you have to utilize. One, is upkeeping the faculty of mind and the other is to realize the chances provided to you by the dice. Let me remind you that the numbers and the combination of the dice is very similar to that of our lives.
All of us, before making any major moves in life throws the dice. Either we have a good combination of numbers or we don't, but what is essential regardless of the number of dice, is to use them in a most efficient way in order to reduce the harms which might come upon us.
Most people call this chance, but only a few can workout what is behind the myth of chance and they move accordingly. These people are the wiseones, for it is wisdom and pure concentration that can keep you safe both in life and backgammon."

Since then I have been playing backgammon almost every day. The game has also helped me to concentrate more and to gather my mind. It is astonishing to discover and notice the similarities of backgammon and life.

p.s : The book which was given to me by my father is about the histoy of backgammon, which also provides
some good tips and moves for you to learn.
The book is written by Dr. Abolghassem Tafzali.

Iran is alive

2005-09-09T22:32:00.000+04:00

Dizin

I was away from Iran for seven years. In a recent visit I noticed many changes and regardless of all the corruption, the darkness and injustice, the force which has kept this country going for so many years is still alive.

Age Of barbarism!

2004-12-02T02:03:00.000+04:00

It has been few days since Eshrat Shayegh (member of parliament) came up with the idea of executing prostitutes.

Last night while I was surfing the net I came across her recent interview with Chelcheragh magazine. In the interview Mrs. Shayegh clearly states her negative opinion of some prominent Iranian writers and goes on further to suggest that what should be done about them.

I am still in a mental shock and can't digest the fact that how can an human being, a member of parliament and a mother associate herself with such evil thoughts.
Mrs. Shayegh prescribes punishments such as imprisonment and death penalty like she is prescribing Aspirin for a simple headache.
What bothers me the most is her easiness of mind while she talks and deals with these issues. If we were living under a democratic system, not only had she to apologize to the people, but also had to resign her post.(With Iran's current system, this is just a far fetched dream.)
All I can do is to condemn Mrs. Shayegh's opinions in my own private space which is my weblog. I condemn her not only for her disrespect towards women, but against anything which is good and humane.

One thing which I can't apprehend is that why organizations such as: Iranian feminist Tribune or Women In Iran didn't react more strongly?. I just wish that there could be a platform in which we could all react.
I know I might seem rather naive but doing something is better than not doing anything. Don't you think?

So, please if you have any good ideas get in touch.

Terror Within

2004-11-24T15:51:00.000+04:00

Before anything arabian gulf .(needs no explanation)

I have got my hands on a Adbusters ,which I think is a far left magazine published in Canada. But to be honest I just couldn't put it down for an whole day.

Yesterday I was reading an article about the history of terrorism. The question which hit me first after finishing the article was," how could have living under many years of oligarchy and despotism effected my psyche?" There have been many times that I wanted to raise my voice , or at least say what I thought. But to be honest, in most cases I was afraid both for myself and my lovedones. There were even times which I started to sensor my own thoughts. A form of psychological terror. Terrorism is terror used as a means to an end.The history of terrorism is a form of insurrection against the ruling power. So I ask :"How is it, that it is almost the opposite, in my case as an Iranian citizen?" Are we terrorizing our own self in order not to be terrorized upon?

My Little Friends

2004-11-17T03:44:00.000+04:00

For me smoking has always been one of life’s simplest joys and pleasures. The following scribbles are about what I am going through while trying to give up my habit. But before going any further I deem it necessary to point out the fact that cigarettes were neither introduced to me by a friend nor was I influenced as an underage.
Smoking has been a solace through all my upheavals and have brought some kind of an order to this commotion we call”life”. So, who needs a shoulder to cry on when you have such a reliable and supporting friend?
Not taking in to consideration the physical addiction of smoking, the question which strikes me the most is that how could smoking have become so intimate with my heart and soul? The truth of the matter is that I have experienced the most amazing and unforgettable moments of my adult life while inhaling those smokes of joy which literally rejuvenated and revived my physical and emotional being.
I started smoking when I was a student in the university. As a design student, my little friends (cigarettes) were with me when I learned the basic tools of design and were accompanying me when I threw my graduation cap in the sky. Even my first memories of any notion of love and intimate relationship is some how associated with smoking.
Now as an architect not only have I lost my most important design tool, and to make matters even worse, my brain simply can’t uncover the procedures of inspiration.
The only option which is available to me is the breaking of this “intimacy”, for if I don’t ,I will be the broken one.

Here I Am

2004-11-17T03:13:00.000+04:00

First of all let me welcome myself to the world of bloggers. I have decided to write on this blog in english. Although english is not my first language, but somehow I feel it will allow me to express my thoughts and views more clearly.
During the past few weeks I have been reading some other Iranian bloggers ,which I think are doing a great job expressing their views in english.