| The historical accounts of what transpired in Iran in the wake of the Arab invation of 13 centuries ago has often been mis-represented.
A naive observer is led to believe that the Sasanian Iran was rip with social problems and when the liberating Arab armies arrived, people volunteerily converted. Far from it, the events that unfolded in one remote village in Southern Fars province of Iran in late 19th century as reported by an eyewitness is more representative of the fate that befell many in the land. This reprot appears in the informative book by the late Mobed Rashid Shahmardan of Iran "The history of Zoroastrians after Sasanians" that was published in Tehran in 1982. Mr. Shahmardan whose birth centrary was celebrated in Tehran recently produced many valuable texts in his life time, and was of great service to the community. Eyewitness report was recorded by a Mr. Shahriar Jamshid Varjavandi based on a trip he had undertaken in 1951 and relayed the report to Mr. Shahmardan. Mr. Varjavandi, who had spent some years of his earlier life in Bombay was at a time an employee of the British-Persian oil company (BP) that was at the time operating in Iran. [Within a year, premier Mosadeq nationalized Iran's oil industry, and BP was forced out.). Mr. Varjavandi was traveling aboard a local mini-bus in Southern Fars province, when the bus arrives at what appears to be reminiscent of a remote village. The driver stops and announces to the passengers that he will be visiting relatives in the village for a few hours, and that the passengers should wait around there for him to get back to resume the trip. Shahriar approaches the driver and tells him, that not being from that area he would not know where to go. The driver invites Shahriar to accompany him as he visits relatives. Once they land at the house of the driver’s relative, and they find out Shahriar is a Zoroastrian, the level of excitement increases. They informs Shahriar that their grandmother, well advanced in age is still a practicing Zoroastrian, and she would be interested to meet another living Zartoshty. One family member departs immedialely to inform the grand mother, and soon an old rugged lady walks in with the help of a cane. Shahriar gets up to greet her, but she motions him to stop and asks him to produce his Sedreh and Kushti first, which Shahriar does. Reassured Shahriar is a Zoroastrian, the old woman embraces him, and informs him, this is the first time since her youth that she is meeting another living Zoroastrian, as she did not think any more had survived. She goes on to say all her children and grand children were converted to Islam and relates what happened to the Zoroastrians of her village when she was young some sixty years earlier. “One day an Islamic mullah (clergy) passes through that remote village that had miracously managed to stay out of harms way until that day. On finding there was no village Mosque or any Moslems in that village, the Mullah becomes very unhappy about his finding and moves on, only to return a few months later with a gang of aubash (fanatical rabbles - brain-washed Talibans). They would stalk and descend on individual villagers, male or female, kidnapping them, and taking them to the village well, where the villagers would be decapitated and their bodies thrown into the well. [The villages of Iran those days as a rule did not have any security forces, and were open to raids from outside.] The unsuspecting villagers who did not know what was happening, had no time to organize. Once the surviving villagers realized what was happening, some run away, others converted to Islam to save their lives, many of whom abandoned the village. The old lady being amongst those who had fled, later came back to the village to live amongst converted Moslems, but never converted despite marrying a Moslem convert. Being in an isolated and remote village, she had no news of any other surviving Zoroastrians in Iran, and was happy and emotional to meet another living Zoroastrian who had survived the incredible genocide that had unfolded in the land since the Arabs had arrived. It would be sad if we forget all the heros and heriones of the long struggle who stayed to course to the very end. Regards, Mehr Soroushian San Diego, CA |
 |
| Lest we forget - Legacy of village of Qatel-Gah (slaughter house) |