Mazandaran province

Template:Infobox Iran Province Mazandaran (See other names) is a Caspian province in the north of Iran, Located on the Southern coast of Caspian Sea, it is bordered clockwise by Golestan, Semnan and Tehran provinces (All forming Greater Mazandaran, Each separated from Mazandaran respectively in 1997, 1976 and 1960 ). Province also lies Qazvin and Gilan to the west. It is one of the most populous of provinces by population density and the most wealthiest regarding diverse Natural Resources. The province's four largest counties are Sari (2006: 490830), Babol (2006: 464535), Amol (2006: 343747), and Qaemshahr (2006: 293721) (All situated on the Mid-East). Mazandaran is known for its rich history and diverse climate ranges from the sandy beaches to the rugged and Snowcapped Elburz mountains with the highest peak throughout Middle-East and Western Asia, Mount Damavand . It's diverse geography is not limited to mountains and beaches, but also includes plains, prairies, forests and jungles between Caspian sea and Elburz Sierra which at the narrowest point (Nowshahr County) are not more than 6 miles far away. Economy of Mazandaran relies heavily on agriculture and dish productions , with the highest farm fish production throughout Iran and the neighbor regions, Moreover, Tourism industry, with millions of tourists a year enjoy visiting it . After migration of Aryans to Iranian Plateau aound 1500 BC, an early Iranian civilization flourished in in Mazandaran in the beginning of the first millennium BC and has played an important role in cultural flourishing and urban development of the region . Mazandaran was part of the ancient Persian Empire province of Hyrcania . After reunification of Iran by Safavids Mazandaran was incorporated to Persian Empire in 1596 . Indigenous people of the region are ethnic Mazandaranis speaking an northwestern Iranian language which is most resemble to Gilakis and Sangiseris.

History

See Also:History of Tapuria

The province is known to have been populated from early antiquity, and Mazandaran has changed hands among various dynasties from early in its history. There are several fortresses remaining from Parthian and Sassanid times, and many older cemeteries scattered throughout the province.

In 662 CE, ten years after the death of Yazdegerd III the last Sassanian Emperor, a large Muslim army under the command of Hassan ibn Ali (Imam Hassan, the second Shi'a Imam) invaded Tabarestan (Mazandaran as it was then called) only to be severely beaten, suffering heavy losses to the forces of the Zoroastrian princes of the Dabboyid house. For the next two hundred years, Tabaristan maintained an existence independent of the Umayyad Caliphate which supplanted the Persian Empire in the early seventh century, with independent Zoroastrian houses like the Bavand and Karen fighting an effective guerilla warfare against Islam. A short-lived Alid Shiite state collapsed before the subsequent take-over by the Ziyarid princes. Mazandaran, unlike much of the rest of the Iranian Plateau maintained a Zoroastrian majority until the 12th century, thanks to its isolation and hardy population which fought against the Caliph's armies for centuries.

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  Achaemenid Golden cup. Dated first half of first millennium. Excavated at Kalardasht in Mazandaran.
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  Mir Heydar Amoli (Seyyed Se Tan) shrine in Amol, 15th century
• Abbasabd historical palace and forest,Built by Shah Abbas the Safavid, near Behshahr.
  Abbasabd historical palace and forest,Built by Shah Abbas the Safavid, near Behshahr.
• Mazandaran, a small province with various landscapes.
  Mazandaran, a small province with various landscapes.

Mazandaran was among the last parts of Persia standing against Muslim conquests

During the Abbasid caliphate of Abou Jafar Al-Mansur, Tabaristan witnessed a wave of popular revolt. Ultimately, Vandad Hormoz established an independent dynasty in Tabaristan in 783. In 1034, Soltan Mahmoud Ghaznavi entered Tabarestan via Gorgan followed by the invasion of Soltan Mohammad Kharazmshah in 1209. Thereafter, the Mongols governed the region and finally were overthrown by the Timurid Dynasty. After the dissolution of the feudal government of Tabaristan, Mazandaran was incorporated into modern Persian Empire by Shah Abbas I in 1596. In the Safavid era Mazandaran was settled by Georgian migrants, whose descendants still live across Mazandaran. Still many towns, villages and neighbourhoods in Mazandaran bear the name "Gorji" (i.e. Georgian) in them, although most of the Georgians are already assimilated into the mainstream Mazandaranis. The history of Georgian settlement is described by Eskandar Beyg Monshi, the author of the 17th century Tarikh-e Alam-Ara-ye Abbasi, in addition many foreigners e.g. Chardin, and Della Valle, have written about their encounters with the Georgian Mazandaranis.

During the reign of Nadir Shah, the province briefly occupied by Russians in the aftermath of the Russo-Persian War, 1722-1723.

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  View of the Caspian coast from the Namak-Abrud tourist resort.
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  Firuzkouh
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  The resort of National Iranian Oil Company, near Mahmoodabad.
• The Mazandaran (Caspian) Sea attracts millions of Iranian tourists to its coasts every year.
  The Mazandaran (Caspian) Sea attracts millions of Iranian tourists to its coasts every year.

Geography and Population

Mazandaran province is geographically divided into two parts: the coastal plains, and the mountainous areas. The Alborz Mountain Range surrounds the coastal strip and plains of the Caspian Sea like a huge barrier.

There is often snowfall during most of the seasons in the Alborz regions, which run parallel to the Caspian Sea's southern coast, dividing the province into many isolated valleys. The province enjoys a moderate, semitropical climate with an average temperature of 25 °C in summer and about 8 °C in winter. Although snow may fall heavily in the mountains in winter, it rarely falls around sea lines.

The population of the province has been steadily growing during the last 50 years. The following table shows the approximate province population, excluding the Golestan province, which has separated as an independent province in 1998 [2].

Year	1956	1966	1976	1986	1996	2006
Approximate Population	835,000	1,250,000	1,596,000	2,275,000	2,602,000	2,983,000

Administrative Divisions

The province covers an area of 46,656 km². According to the census of 1996, the population of the province was 2,602,008 of which 45.89% were registered as urban dwellers, 54.1% villagers, and remaining were non- residents. Sari is the capital city of the province.

Mazandaran is divided into 15 shahrestans (approximately equal to counties). All the shahrestans are named after their administrative center, except Savadkooh. The following map shows the respective positions of the shahrestans.

Transportation

Mazandaran is connected to the capital of Iran, Tehran, through three transit roads of Haraz (Amol-Rudehen), Kandovan (Chalus-Karaj), and Firouzkouh (Qaem Shahr-Firouzkouh), while Sari, Nowshahr and Ramsar airports connect it to the other parts of the country.

Main transport routes in Mazandaran (Click to see a larger version)

Culture

The culture of Mazandaran is closely related to that of neighboring Gilan (or Guilan) and similarities between the two are abundant. The peoples of the two provinces are largely secular or irreligious, and consequently women have had greater social freedom and independence than their Persian cousins. (Reference: "The Soviet Socialist Republic of Iran, 1920-1921: Birth of the Trauma" by Cosroe Chaqueri.)

The cuisine of the province is very rich in seafood due to the Caspian Sea, and rice is present in virtually every meal. Indeed, the rest of Iran was introduced to rice through Gilan and Mazandaran. Before the 1800s, Persians, Kurds, and other Iranian ethnic groups used bread rather than rice as an accompaniment to their meals, though bread remains a prominent staple among them. While bread remains very popular among those groups, in Gilan and Mazandaran, rice remains the choice staple of the indigenous inhabitants.

Language

1978 Iranian stamps showing traditional dressing of people of Mazandaran

Main Article: Mazandarani Language

Mazanderani or Tabarian (Avestan:Vernan, Pahlavi:Tapari]]) is an ancient northwestern branch of the Iranian languages, and is considered as a language in its own right.

Today Mazandarani vocabulary of urban people's speech is heavily influenced by the standard Persian. Notably, the language did not come under the influence of other incoming languages such as Arabic and Turkic and is still spoken in various dialects (Saravi, Gorgani, Baboli, Amoli) in the region.

Music

Mazandaran has a diverse folk music culture that includes songs and instrumental and ritual music. Rhythm is usually simple in songs, which include catouli, which is most common around the town of Aliabad Catoul ; the song is sometimes said to be sung when people take a catouli meaning cow out to graze. Because the song was originally sung while walking and working, it often has syllables like jana, hey or aye added, in order to allow the singer to breath while he was working (a work song). Another kind of song is called kalé hâl (or kal kâl or Leili's lover). The term kalé hâl may refer to its shortness of length (kalé hâl means short present) or to its common wingers, housewives who sang it while cooking with a kaleh, a type of oven. Amiri songs usually use long poems written by Amir Pazevari , a legendary poetry from Mazandaran. There is also a type of song called najma which describes the love between Prince Najmedin of the province of Fars (one of the 28 provinces of Iran, in the south of the country with Shiraz as capital). The najma is popular throughout Iran, adapted for the local cultures. The Charvadars are an ancient class of merchants who sold commodities abroad for a local village; their songs are called charvadari . In contrast to most Mazandarani music, charvadari has a prominent rhythm, which may be because it was often sung on horseback.

Mazandaran has a diverse folk music culture that includes songs and instrumental and ritual music. Rhythm is usually simple in songs, which include:

• Katuli: Most common around the town of Ali Abad-e Katul; the song is sometimes said to be sung when people take a Katuli cow out to graze. Because the song was originally sung while walking and working, it often has syllables like jānā, hey or āye added, in order to allow the singer to breath while he was working (a work song).

• Kaleh Hāl / Kal Hāl / Leili's lover: The term Kaleh Hāl may refer to its shortness of length (Kale Hāl means short present) or to its common wingers, housewives who sang it while cooking with a Kaleh, a type of oven.

• Amiri: Amiri songs usually use long poems written by Amir Pāzvāri, a legendary poet from Mazandaran.

• Najmā: Najmā describes the love between Prince Najmeddin of the Fārs area and a girl named Ra'nā. It is popular throughout Iran, adapted for the local cultures.

• Chārvādāri: The Chārvādārs are an ancient class of merchants who sold commodities abroad for a local village; their songs are called Chārvādāri. In contrast to most Mazandarani music, Chārvādāri has a prominent rhythm, which may be because it was often sung on horseback.

Mazandarani Songs (In Mazandarani: Vəng) are mainly composed about Sunset (Mazandarani: Nəmáşūn).

Dance

Mazandarani Dances are dances that are performed throughout the world by Mazandarani people, mostly on occasions such as weddings.

Types of Dances:

• Tesh Sema
• Chakka Sema
• Saz Sema
• Sema Hal

Festivals

Tir Ma Sezde Şű Means 13th of the mounth Tir in the Taberi Calendar which is in the November and the purpose of celebrating it is back to when Arash succeed in the Attack among Iran and Turan. Çəlë Şű Means Shab-e Yalda in Persian and every year people Celebrate it in December. Pədrám Sərūş Means Chahar Shanbeh Souri in Persian and every year people celebrate it in March.

In Literature

A region called Mazandaran is mentioned frequently in Persian epic Shahnameh, it is an area in north of Iran which is mostly inhabited by Div (demons). The legendary Iranian Shah Kaykavoos as well as the Iranian hero Rostam each take turn to go to Mazandaran in order to battle the demons.

A famous verse from Shahnameh is when Zal tells Kai Kavoos:

شنیدم یکی نو سخن بس گران ..........که شه دارد آهنگ مازندران

"I heard troubling news that the king is planning to go to Mazandaran"

Temperate rainforest on the northern slopes of the Alborz mountain ranges

However, this Mazandaran is not considered identical to the modern province of Mazandaran, and is instead a land to the west of Iran. The current province was simply considered a part of Tabaristan; the name Mazandaran is a later development, perhaps based upon local terminology.

Significant natives of Mazandaran

See Also List of Mazandaranis.

Mazandaran has been home to many significant Iranian figures. These range from scholars and poets to politicians and actors. Of the most notable Mazandaranian figure is Reza Shah Pahlavi who was born in Alasht, Savad Kooh, Mazandaran in 1877. Reza Pahlavi became the Iranian Shah from 1925 until 1941, when he was forced to relinquish his throne to his son.

Notable Mazandaranian poets include the modernist poet Nima Yooshij, the great late contemporary poet of Iran who was born in Yush, Mazandaran.

Mírzá `Abbás Núrí, father of Mirzá Husayan-Alí Núrí, known as Bahá'u'lláh, founder of the Bahá'í Faith, is a native of Núr (Noor) in Mazandaran.

Interesting note: Being formerly part of the kingdom of Taparia or Tabaristan, two famous 9th-century Mazandarani scholars are from Mazandaran, both commonly called "al-Tabari" (An Arabic term meaning simply "from Taparia").

Mazandaran today

Economy

Rice, grain, fruits, cotton, tea, tobacco, sugarcane, and silk are produced in the lowland strip along the Caspian shore. Oil wealth has stimulated industries in food processing, cement, textiles, cotton, and fishing (caviar).

A typical beach house in Mazandaran, near coast of Caspian sea.

Suitable environmental conditions, pleasant and moderate climate, beautiful natural landscapes, and proximity to Tehran, have led the province to be one of the main recreational and tourism areas of Iran.

Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization lists close to 630 sites of historical and cultural significance, hence a wealth of tourist attractions.

Colleges and universities

1. Babol University of Medical Sciences
2. Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences
3. University of Mazandaran
4. Behshahr University of Science and Technology
5. Islamic Azad University of Neka
6. Islamic Azad University of Sari
7. Islamic Azad University of Tonekabon
8. Islamic Azad University of Babol
9. Islamic Azad University of Amol
10. Imam Khomeini University for Naval Sciences
11. Shomal University

See Also

• Mazandarani people
• Maziar

External links

• Official website of Mazandaran Governorship
• ICCIM's page on Mazandaran
• Mazandaran Cultural Heritage Organization
• Mazandaran Tourism palaces
• Official website of Mazandaran Meteorology Organization