Eric Lurio writes a wonderful three part travelogue on modern day Iran. Titled
Notes on the Iran/Persia Conflict: A Travelogue it runs on the famous Huffington Post website. Below is an excerpt from the first part. Continue reading parts two and three at the links below.
Part One: Tourism is not a dirty word
Few countries are as historically important as Persia. Not Iran, Persia. True, the area was to some extent called “Aryan” or “Iran” on and off for millennia for the last two and a half thousand years, it’s been Persia, and that’s what most of the people consider themselves, Persian. They speak Farsi (Persian), not Irani, but that’s a discussion for later. For now, let’s discuss why anyone in their right mind would travel half way around the world and back and spend a quarter-year’s salary (minimum wage) to go there for two weeks.
Before the 9/11 attacks, there was a company called “Now Voyager” which specialized in what were then called “courier flights.” Back in those days, it was cheaper for a company to buy a plane ticket and use the luggage space than to just ship the packages. So they would sell the seat to some poor fool who just needed a change of underwear and a small knapsack that fit in the overhead bin for up to 90% off, and viola! You could spend a week in Hong Kong, or London, Paris or Rome, for almost no money. Then there were other ways to get across the Atlantic cheap, and for a thousand bucks, you could go clear around the world…and I did. [link]
On the ‘There are about 22 thousand Zoroastrians left in Iran, and as a persecuted minority have gone from the vast majority of a world empire to a mere 22 thousand hangers on.’
What started 2000 years ago i.e destablising the Zoroastrianism from Persia and Zoroastrians from their faith continues.
The Persian Empire gave refuge to all including the early Christians only to be hassled by the menace of convertion into the faith of the missoneries once they had got a foothold after enjoying the tolerance by Zoroasrianism. Political turmoil was created , wars against Zoroastrianism and Persia had a new angle now, i.e religion, Armenia broke away from Zoroastrianism and turned to be the 1st Christian nation.
This continued and as Zoroastrian Empire was made to crumble, another faith as thirsty to convert the world aided in the struggle to destablise and uproot Zoroastrianism from her ancient land.
In the end those who destabilised the Zoroastrian homeland themselves lost against the smaller Islamic tribe then…
Zoroastrians were made a world minority yet arose and its members managed to keep the flame of the faith going.
NOW 2000 years hence, i.e Still the zoroastrian/persian lands are a battle ground….and ironicaly so tween the faiths that strived to dethrowned Zoroastrianism from Persia due to their thirst to convert the world and still the struggle to maintain the hold of that place.
Perhaps one day Persia will once again be Zoroastrian in faith and tolerance once again will be the forfront of Persia..
On the part of ‘statue of ohramzd’ there is none…
I just loved reading Eric’s article on Iran/Persia. I am eagerly awaiting for the next part of his travel to Persia. The more I read about Iran & it’s lost history, my longing to visit Iran increases. I can hardly wait for Zoroastrian faith to return to it’s homeland.
I just loved reading Eric’s article on Iran/Persia. I am eagerly awaiting for the next part of his travel to Persia. The more I read about Iran & it’s lost history, my longing to visit Iran increases. I can hardly wait for Zoroastrian faith to return to it’s homeland.
On the ‘There are about 22 thousand Zoroastrians left in Iran, and as a persecuted minority have gone from the vast majority of a world empire to a mere 22 thousand hangers on.’
What started 2000 years ago i.e destablising the Zoroastrianism from Persia and Zoroastrians from their faith continues.
The Persian Empire gave refuge to all including the early Christians only to be hassled by the menace of convertion into the faith of the missoneries once they had got a foothold after enjoying the tolerance by Zoroasrianism. Political turmoil was created , wars against Zoroastrianism and Persia had a new angle now, i.e religion, Armenia broke away from Zoroastrianism and turned to be the 1st Christian nation.
This continued and as Zoroastrian Empire was made to crumble, another faith as thirsty to convert the world aided in the struggle to destablise and uproot Zoroastrianism from her ancient land.
In the end those who destabilised the Zoroastrian homeland themselves lost against the smaller Islamic tribe then…
Zoroastrians were made a world minority yet arose and its members managed to keep the flame of the faith going.
NOW 2000 years hence, i.e Still the zoroastrian/persian lands are a battle ground….and ironicaly so tween the faiths that strived to dethrowned Zoroastrianism from Persia due to their thirst to convert the world and still the struggle to maintain the hold of that place.
Perhaps one day Persia will once again be Zoroastrian in faith and tolerance once again will be the forfront of Persia..
On the part of ‘statue of ohramzd’ there is none…