۷Berkeh: For the third year in a row, ICOMOS Society of Gerash furnished an old house in a project called “Khuna Kadim” (Old House) in Nowruz. Things should have been special this time, and they were.
The old house of Martyrs Azimi was selected for the site of Khuna Kadim this year. This house is dedicated to the Gerash Museum of Anthropology, but has been sitting still for people and money to be inaugurated. So, the members of the Society saw a chance to hit two birds with one stone: they commemorated the bravery of the two martyrs who once lived in this house, Shahid Ali Akbar and Shahid GholamHossien Azimi; and also prepared everything for the museum to be opened up properly.
“This year’s job was special, so it was harder than before,” says GholamReza Armanmehr, the director of the Society. “We had to clean and restore the house AND sort out the material for the museum.” A very difficult and specialized job, of course.
They planned special events too: Gerashi Lullabies, Earth Hour, Joys of Literature and the Dance of Swords were among the most well-received events. Guests such as the poet Sadegh Rahmani, the researcher Dr. Keramatollah Taghavi, and the researcher Dr. Javad Askari Chavardi also attended the events.
In the closing ceremony of Khuna Kadim, AbdolAli Salahi, researcher and supporter of the group, wished to expressed his gratitude towards all the members of ICOMOS Society: “The family of Martyrs Azimi dedicated this house for Gerash Museum of Anthropology, but we haven’t been able to open the museum until these young people stepped up.”
Hamed Abdollahi, the president of the society, says up to 400 people visited Khuna Kadim every day. “This shows a 30 percent increase in the number of visitors compared to last year.” He does not forget to mention his friends in Gerash-Touring Tent in the entry of the city: “They guided the Nowruz travelers who were passing through Gerash toward this house. They also showed historical sites of Gerash to them for free, such as Haft-Berkeh, Berkeh Kal [Kal water reservoir, the biggest of its kind in Iran], Tang-e-Ab dam [a remnant from Sassanid period in Gerash], etc.”
See more pictures here, here and here.
Some words and expressions in this news story:
Gerash Museum of Anthropology: موزه مردمشناسی گراش
two birds with one stone: یک تیر و دو نشان
the director of the Society: دبیر انجمن
president: رییس
Gerash-Touring Tent: چادر گراشگردی
Exellent.