INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
TEHRAN-On the occasion of the global celebration of Nowruz and the beginning of the new solar year, as well as the centenary of the
establishment of diplomatic relations between Iran and the Czech Republic, a special ceremony featuring naqqali (traditional Persian
storytelling) and traditional Iranian music was held in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.The event was organized by the Embassy of
the Islamic Republic of Iran in Prague, in collaboration with the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization and the ECO Cultural Institute,
Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan, as well as other officials, several Iranologists, Iran enthusiasts, and members of the Iranian community.At the
beginning of the ceremony, Seyed Majid Ghafeleh Bashi, Iran's ambassador to Prague, highlighted the significance of Nowruz as a shared
cultural identity marker across the vast Nowruz region and its reflection in Iranian literature, music, and other cultural and artistic
expressions over the centuries.The main part of this cultural and artistic event was a bilingual naqqali performance by Bahareh Jahandoost,
an Iranian storyteller and Shahnameh reciter
This marked the first time such a performance was held in Prague and was warmly received by the audience.Jahandoost narrated the story of
the naming of Nowruz by Jamshid and the tale of Bijan and Manijeh from the Shahnameh, the legendary Persian epic by Ferdowsi, in both
Her performance was accompanied by zarb (an Iranian goblet drum) played by Saeed Gorjami, a veteran of traditional Zurkhaneh music residing
in Europe.Naqqali, or Persian epic storytelling, is the oldest form of narrating tales in Iran and has long played a significant role in
A naqqal is a storyteller who recites epic tales, primarily revolving around the stories of Iranian mythological kings and heroes.Bahareh
Jahandoost has been involved in theater since she was seven years old, and she trained with the renowned Iranian naqqal, Morshed Vali-Allah
Using the traditional form of narrating stories through naqqali performance, she has performed in China, France, Hungary, India, Italy,
It is traditionally displayed at Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, which is celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox, marking the beginning
of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.The ceremony served as a symbol of the ongoing cultural and civilizational ties between Iran and the
Czech Republic, continuing over a century of cultural interaction between the intellectuals and people of both countries.Photo: Bahareh
