TEHRAN, Aug. 3--Great Iranian epic poet Abolqassem Ferdowsi presented women on an equal footing with men in his masterpiece Shahnameh and some even believed that he wanted to accord women a higher status than men, said a noted historian Sakineh Kharrazi.
In an article called ’Women in Shahnameh’, she pointed out that generally speaking Ferdowsi’s masterpiece depicted men and women as sharing the trait of courage and bravery, reported ISNA.
She said that women in Shahnameh were pious and had a strong character which Ferdowsi described as ’admirable’.
“When we read Shahnameh, we see that whenever a hero or a king is to emerge, first of all, his mother is admired.“
Ancient Iranian culture is proud of women and whenever a hero wanted to introduce himself in the battlefield to his rival (in Shahnameh), he first referred to his mother of whom the hero was proud.
“Another interesting point in Shahnameh is that some foreign women pledged loyalty to Iran and Shahnameh made it clear that they broke with their home country and brought happiness to Iranian kings and peace of mind to prisoners of war,“ the historian said. “Women in Shahnameh are models in integrated personality. Ferdowsi encourages women to take good care of their husbands. A wife, the poet says, should provide the husband with a pleasant family life. Ferdowsi calls for the wife’s loyalty to her husband. Shahnameh encourages girls to marry and establish family and train brave children for Iran.“

A view of Masouleh, Gilan province

TEHRAN, Aug. 3--Director of Cultural Heritage and Tourism Office in Masouleh, Gilan province, has expressed concern about plans to construct a park in the historical city.
Nikrooz Mobarhan Shafiei told CHN that the construction of a park would have undesirable impact on Masouleh’s cultural heritage site.
Shafiei said that Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization had decided to apply with UNESCO for registering Masouleh on the list of Global Cultural Heritage Sites, but, construction works in the city would influence UNESCO experts about accepting Iran’s proposal.
He held the mayor of Masouleh and governor general of Gilan province responsible for any damages that may be inflicted on the cultural site and said that the mayor should have not authorized the construction of the park in the city at the cost of destroying sections of the city’s old texture.
Shafiei also criticized provincial officials for constructing a meteorological office in the suburb of Masouleh which, he said would damage the cultural heritage of the city.

TEHRAN, Aug. 3--The Fine Arts College plans to establish a theater faculty which will offer courses in five majors of dramatic theories, stage design, puppetry, training actor and actress and stage director at the post-graduate and doctorate levels, announced an instructor at the college, Majid Sarsangi.
He told Fars news agency that Fine Arts College has undergone dramatic changes by extending its activities and setting up additional arts faculties in Pardis, a suburb of Tehran.
“The arts groups at the Fine Arts College have each developed into an independent faculty. For example, the music group has developed into Music Faculty while the theater group is going to be developed into Theater Faculty,“ he added.
Sarsangi said that Theater Faculty will conduct four courses: dramatic theories, stage design, marionette, training actors, actresses and stage directors while the Music Faculty will offer courses in traditional and classic music.
He said that level of study at Fine Arts College has been upgraded to the post-graduate level in puppetry and the doctorate level in theater adding that the puppetry course has been divided into three branches: dramatic theories, stage director and marionette.
Sarsangi said that the Fine Arts College has also launched courses at the master of arts level for actors and actresses in filmmaking.

Members of Kamkars Music Group (ISNA Photo)

TEHRAN, Aug. 3--For the first time, Malmo Symphony Orchestra has invited the Iranian musical band Kamkars to take part in a concert due to be held in Sweden from October 5.
According to ISNA, Arsalan and Ardashir, members of the Kamkars Music Group, will perform in Stockholm with Malmo Symphony Orchestra.
Kamkars will also undertake another concert in Madrid on October 1.
The group is scheduled to perform concert at Arbil City Hall, northern Iraq. The members of the group left Tehran for Iraq on Monday.
Houshang Kamkar, head of Kamkars Music Group, said that the group has prepared several songs which will be published under the patronage of Chahar-Cheragh Company.
He said that Osman Khalifa, great lute player of Arab origin has composed a conservatoire for lute and symphonic orchestra and sent a note to Arsalan Kamkar to perform it. “It seems that Khalifa has recognized that it is very difficult to perform his composition and has asked Arsalan Kamkar to present it.“
Houshang Kamkar said that he became acquainted with Osman Khalifa while performing Shahrzad Ballet 2001 directed by Karakara Abdul Halim in Lebanon. The ballet was performed in China, Europe and Lebanon.
Kamkars Group was established 25 years ago and has had a successful record. Some American filmmakers have placed orders with the Kamkars for composing film music for them.

A craftsman from Isfahan (ISNA Photo)

TEHRAN, Aug. 3--Handicraft exhibits can only forge positive interaction between producers and consumers once they pursue specific goals, observed the director general of Handicrafts Department of Isfahan province.
Alireza Hosseini told ISNA that handicraft markets should also be set up at tourist sites to make them readily available to tourists who are visiting cultural heritage sites and are willing to buy handicrafts.
Currently, handicrafts are available at shopping malls which are generally located away from tourist sites.
He said that handicraft customers prefer to see innovation and sometimes the craftsmen fail to satisfy the taste of the buyers.
He advised craftsmen to initiate innovation while safeguarding the originality of Iranian handicrafts.
Hosseini admitted that taste of the consumers is not taken into account in the handicraft sector and this has led to a decline in sales.
He pointed out that exhibitions help organizers get a better insight into the taste of consumers and reflect this to producers.
Isfahan has set up a permanent exhibit of handicrafts in which 40 branches of craftsmanship are presented to tourists including enamelwork, inlaid work (incrustation), carving and kelim weaving, he added.

TEHRAN, Aug. 3--Lullaby, which is the basis of every popular song, is regarded as poem or music in its very nascent stage, said an author of theoretical book about music who also plays the musical instrument Kanoon which is similar to harp, CHN said.
Maliheh Saeedi said in her essay about ’Illusion and Inspiration in Art’ that in ancient times, people used to murmur their feelings in a rhythmic way or in the form of simple music. Such melodies are still prevalent in popular songs, she pointed out.
The authoress referred to lullabies which mothers sing to put their children to sleep and said that babies regard their mothers as masters of poem and music.
Saeedi said that babies learn art and music from their mothers. Songs depict the feelings and faith of mothers, she said adding that babies store them in his/her unconscious memory.
“Music, which is a means of expressing what cannot be conveyed through words, demands self-realization,“ she said.
The authoress said that mothers are effective in arousing their children’s interest in music.

TEHRAN, Aug. 3--Poet Shams Langroudi will publish his poetry ’Carnation’, reported the Persian daily Iran. ’Carnation’ is a poem about love which has a philosophical approach and focuses on social issues.
There are 54 poems, 53 of which are love poems and the last one is ’Gardner of the Hell’.
Bahaeddin Morshedi has selected the poems which will be published by Cheshmeh Publishing House.
In the book, Morshedi has also included an interview with the poet.
Meanwhile, a book by Shams Langroudi about Nima Youshij and a CD of 53 love poems by Langroudi which were performed by singer Mohammad Farmanian will be available this weekend.

TEHRAN, Aug. 3--The elevation of Niasar Observatory which is to be built near Niasar Fire Temple will be lower than what was earlier planned, a cultural heritage expert said.
Nasser Mashhadizadeh told ISNA that the original plan was to build Niasar Observatory in three stories but this will be reduced. The decision, he pointed out, was taken to safeguard the architectural and ritual values of the nearby Niasar Fire Temple.
Niasar Fire Temple, which is the first Sassanid monument, dates back to 2,000 years ago.
Mashhadizadeh said that 50 monuments in Niasar will be registered as national cultural heritage sites. The monuments also include Niasar Fire Temple, its surrounding citadel, mineral water springs, waterfall and a wheat mill.