Travel Photography Photos tagged as qom
It is winter in Iran. So if you travel to this beautiful country, you will see these street sellers selling hot beet root on the spot. Just careful not to burn your tongue!
Kashan is a city in the province of Isfahan, Iran. It had an estimated population of 272,359 in 2005. The etymology of the city name comes from the Persian word Kashi, which translates into the English word tile. Kashan is the first of the large oases along the Qom-Kerman road which runs along the edge of the central deserts of Iran. Its charm is thus mainly due to the contrast between the parched immensities of the deserts and the greenery of the well-tended oasis. Archeological discoveries in the Sialk Hillocks which lie 2.5 miles (4 km) west of Kashan reveal that this region was one of the primary centers of civilization in pre-historic ages. Hence Kashan dates back to the Elamite period of Iran. The Sialk ziggurat still stands today in the suburbs of Kashan after 7000 years. The three wise men who followed the star that guided them to Bethlehem to witness the nativity of Jesus, as recounted in the Bible, reportedly came from Kashan. The artifacts uncovered at Sialk reside in the Louvre in Paris and the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Iran's National Museum. Sultan Malik Shah I of the Seljukian dynasty ordered the building of a fortress in the middle of Kashan in the 11th century. The fortress walls, called Ghal'eh Jalali still stand today in central Kashan. Kashan was also a leisure vacation spot for Safavi Kings. Bagh-e Fin (Fin Garden), specifically, is one of the most famous gardens of Iran. This beautiful garden with its pool and orchards was designed for Shah Abbas I as a classical Persian vision of paradise. The original Safavid buildings have been substantially replaced and rebuilt by the Qajar dynasty although the layout of trees and marble basins is close to the original. The garden itself however, was first founded 7000 years ago alongside the Cheshmeh-ye-Soleiman. The garden is also notorious as the sight of the murder of Mirza Taghi Khan known as Amir Kabir, chancellor of Nasser-al-Din Shah, Iran's King in 1852. The earthquake of 1778 leveled the city of Kashan and all the edifices of Shah Abbas Safavi, leaving 8000 casualties. But the city started afresh however, and has today become a focal tourist attraction via the numerous large houses from the 18th and 19th centuries, illustrating the finest examples of Qajari aesthetics. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashan
I was passing by in Qom, then I found this amazing colors and religious messages.
Biography of Imam Khomeini =================================== Childhood and Parents: Imam Khomeini was born in the town of Khomein, about 350 kms south of Tehran (the capital of Iran) in the central province, on the 20th of Jamadi-Al-Thani, the year 1320 L.H.,(September 24, 1902). Also the birth anniversary of Fatima Zahra, the daughter of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him). He was named Ruhollah. The spirit of God. His father, was Ayatollah Seyyed Mostafa Musavi, the religious leadership of the people of Khomein and the nearby villages. Imam Khomeini`s mother, Hajar, was also of a prominent religious family. She was the daughter of an Ayatollah Mirza Ahmad, a scholar and teacher in Karbala and Najaf theological centers, in Iraq. Education: Despite loosing his parents in very early age, the Imam remained resistant and began using his talent and intelligence in learning Islamic sciences --first under his brother, Ayatollah Seyyed Morteza Pasandideh. Later he went to the theological school in Arak where he attended the classes of the prominent scholar of his time, Haj Sheikh Abdulkarim Haeri Yazdi. He also mastered Arabic literature. After top theologians moved from Arak to the holy city of Qom, the Imam intensified his studies and completed the highest level of theology by 1927, and soon later was pronounced a mujtahid, qualified jurist, by his senior tutors. He specialized in various fields other than Fiqh (jurisprudence), including Philosophy, Irfan and Ethics. Political Life before 1963: Known for his strong political views against the regime, the security agents of Reza Khan,(the father of shah) the founder of the Pahlavi dynasty, were ordered to restrict the Imam's activities. But the Imam continued his gradual but firm effort to spread his enlightening message to masses. After the death of Ayatollah Borujerdi, the paramount shia leader of the time, the Imam was chosen his successor by the Ulema (theologists) and people. With this, his cultural Jihad against the monarchy gathered momentum in 1961, reaching a climax in 1963. Uprising: On June 3rd of that year the Imam made a historical speech against the dependence of the Shah's regime on foreign powers and its support of the Israel. The Imam was immediately arrested on June 5th. But his powerful speech brought the people of Qom out into the streets. News reached other cities and for two days people in several major cities including Tehran, demonstrated against the Shah and in support of the Imam. On June 5th, troops supported by tank were deployed crush the growing movement. Many are massacre and the Shah's dictatorial regime appeared to have achieved victory. But the seed of the Islamic Revolution had been planted. In Exile 4/11/1964-3/10/1978: Following the Imam's arrest, the regime came under sever pressure from the Ulema and the massage. On November 4th, the Imam was sent into exile. He was first deported to Turkey and then to Iraq where he took up residence in Najaf. Migration (Oct.3,1978-Feb.1,1979): Imam Khomeini set out for Kuwait on October 3rd 1978 but was denied entry by the government. After consulting with his son, Ahamad, the Imam decided to go to France where he arrived on October 5th and a few days later took up residence in the small village of Neuphle le Chateau. In Iran mass protests against the regime and the continued exile of the Imam grew to such an extent that it become impossible to control and suppress completely. The Imam made frequent speeches, sent messages to the Iranian nation, gave numerous interviews to the media, outlining the liberation- seeking values and ideas of Islam and explained the framework of the Islamic state based on divine justice. The ruling regime was facing a serious crisis. The West forced the Shah to leave Iran to allow the newly formed "liberal" Bakhtiar government to gain legitimacy in the eyes of the people. But the Imam still held the initiative: he was determined to return to Iran. The nation prepared for the greatest home coming ceremony in history. The Imam left Paris for Tehran on 1 February 1979. Return to Home 1/2/1979: The Plane carrying the Imam landed safely at Tehran's Merababd Airport. The Imam set foot on the Islamic homeland for the first time in more than 15 years. His first move upon arrival was to go to Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery to pay tribute to the martyrs of the Islamic Revolution. Confident of victory, people rejected everywhere. The regime unleashed its last bullets. Love, courage, and martyrdom in the struggle led every step of the monarchical regime. The Islamic Revolution triumphed spread its wings over Iran.