In search of the forgotten identity of Karaj
Alborz - Behind the face of Karaj today, there is a history of gardens, neighborhoods, scientific institutions, villages and the lives of people who have played a role in the formation of the city's identity. On Karaj Day, the need to record and recognize this heritage once again reminds the importance of books and research in understanding the past and connecting today's generations with it.
Iran's Ambassador of Arjan provinces service (Ambassador of Arjan): 20th Mehr, Karaj day, is an excuse to turn the pages of the past of a city whose growth and expansion has brought parts of its memories and identity signs under the shadow of changes. But Karaj cannot be known only in its streets and buildings today; Part of the identity of this city lies in people's memories, old places and narratives that will gradually be forgotten if they are not recorded. Books can preserve these narratives; A topic that Alireza Ayari, the author of the book "The Green Path" and Sanaz Esfandiari, the author and director of the Cultural Institute Read With Us, address Karaj and the need to know its past from its angle.
Once Karaj had only 4 streets
Referring to the developments of Karaj and the role of scientific institutions in the development of this city, Alireza Ayari refers to the map of Karaj about 80 years ago; When the city had only four streets named Tehran, Chalus, Qazvin and College.
He said about this: Many professors and graduates of the Faculty of Agriculture, some of whom are world famous, gradually became responsible for the establishment and management of various organizations and institutions not only in the field of agriculture, but also in other sectors. For example, Shadarvan Mustafa Qolibayat and Morteza Kaveh were the main founders of Razi Serum. The late Seyed Hossein Mirshamsi was the founder of the manufacture and production of polio, mumps and rubella vaccines, and the late Karim Saei was the founder of the modern sciences of natural resources and forestry organizations in Iran. With the passage of time, public and private sectors arrived and each of them initiated tremendous changes in the expansion and development of this city.
Emphasizing the necessity of observing the principles of research and using reliable sources, Ayari considered the experience of writing the Green Path book as an example of the importance of simultaneously examining the history of an institution and its relationship with the surrounding society.
He explained: Awareness and observance of fairness and impartiality and avoiding bias are the conditions for conducting investigations. Paying attention to authentic documents and consulting and interviewing knowledgeable people will enrich and validate the topic. Historical places and different topics should be considered both separately and in general and next to the subject. The impact and influence of the Faculty of Agriculture on the people of Karaj and vice versa was considered during the review and compilation of the Green Path book.
Indications of the history of Karaj in the documents related to the Medes up to the second Pahlavi
Pointing to the extensive historical background of the region, he added: To examine the glory and greatness of Karaj in different periods of history, one must go to many sources. From a review of the history and documents related to the Medes to the Achaemenians and Parthians, Safavids, Qajars and the first and second Pahlavis to the Islamic Republic, each of which has traces and signs in this city and its surroundings.
This author also found it necessary to record the memories of informed people and review written sources and said: opportunities are passing by and unfortunately, old and informed people are also less bored, time should be taken as a treasure and go to the elders as soon as possible to get accurate information. Studying and reviewing books and documents should not be neglected. They are the source of a lot of information that should be approached with respect and courtesy to get accurate news.
The need to pay more to Karaj agricultural schools in research
Emphasizing that the history of Karaj is not limited to only one group or institution, Eyari said: The Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University of Tehran has outstanding characteristics that should be addressed more, but at the same time, there are many other institutions, old and historical places, and educational and prestigious centers that should be addressed and reviewed separately.
He also said about the necessity of recording the developments of the city: Throughout history, books have always been one of the reliable ways to receive correct information. According to the available information, Alborz province is among the most immigrant-friendly provinces in the country due to its proximity to Tehran province. New phenomena replace old experiences. Therefore, it is necessary to record the old events as soon as possible.
Eyari considered the compilation of a comprehensive culture of Alborz province to be necessary and emphasized: In my opinion, writing and compiling a comprehensive culture for the province is very necessary and action should be taken as soon as possible to achieve this goal.
He reminded: Karaj and its related topics have been of interest for a long time. On the other hand, unfortunately, there are many unwritten materials that need to be written and edited.
Sanaz Esfandiari also believes: Karaj research should not be limited to documents and historiography, but should also include people's memories, oral culture, rituals and lifestyle. He said about this: specialized and scientific research is the starting point of this path. Historical documents and detailed studies are the basis of any research and should not be ignored; But if the research remains only at this level, it may seem far-fetched and alien for the citizen who lives in this geography today.
Karaj research should deal with the intangible heritage of the city
Emphasizing the importance of intangible heritage, the director of "Bakhuan Ba Ma" Cultural Institute added: "The city is a living entity and its history should not be searched only in buildings and documents." A part of this history is going on in people's daily lives. Therefore, in addition to examining historical data, Karaj research should also deal with the intangible heritage of the city; A heritage that is less reflected in official sources, including the customs of Alborz villages, the way people lived in the past, and the memories of immigrants.
Esfandiari considered the book as a tool to record and transmit these experiences and said: If we do not record and write oral narratives based on detailed research, with the passing of older generations, an important part of the collective memory and cultural identity of the city will be forgotten.
The vacancy of a serious literary stream in Karaj
Referring to the void of a serious literary stream about Karaj, he stated: To be honest, the void of a serious literary stream that systematically makes Karaj its main topic is completely felt. Many people of Qalam have lived in this city, but Karaj is less reflected in their works.
Esfandiari considered the experience of turning historical places and rural contexts into stories as a way to create an emotional connection with the past and added: In our field experiences, we have noticed that when we turn a historical place or a rural context into a story based on research, people's view of that place changes. People may not make lasting emotional connections with historical documents, but stories can.
He also said: We have good writers, but it is necessary to use the local research capacities of Alborz to create narratives; Narratives that make the identity of this city alive and tangible for the audience.
Cultural diversity of Karaj; An opportunity to enrich the urban identity
This author considered the cultural diversity of Karaj as an opportunity to enrich the urban identity and emphasized: As someone who has worked in this field, I believe that cultural diversity is not only a threat, but can also help the cultural richness of Karaj; Unless we fail to introduce the roots and native identity of the city.
Referring to the role of knowledge of local history in strengthening residents' sense of belonging, Esfandiari said: Immigrants who come to Karaj, if they do not get to know the history and cultural background of this city, they may feel less belonging to it. But if we can introduce the native heritage of Karaj, which is the result of years of research, in diverse and attractive cultural formats, such as local stories and village narratives, the ground for the formation of this bond will be provided.
He added: In my opinion, if cultural diversity is accompanied by the recognition of historical roots and common narratives, the presence of different ethnic groups will not be a threat, but an opportunity to further enrich the city's culture.
Referring to the speed of urban changes and the distancing of the new generation from past experiences, Esfandiari said: the speed of changes in Karaj has been so high that the new generation may not have a clear idea of the gardens of the past or the lifestyle of the predecessors of this city. This problem shows a kind of gap between generations.
He also said about the effect of rewriting local memories in the form of stories: In the visits we have had to different villages and neighborhoods, I have noticed that when we rewrite the memories of the elderly in the form of short stories based on documentation and with a research perspective, they become more attractive to the younger generation.
This author considered the role of literature to be important in connecting generations and added: In my opinion, writing has a connecting role here; That is, it can turn the experiences of an elderly gardener or one of the old bazaars into a text that is faithful to reality and is readable and attractive for today's audience.
The published books about Karaj are limited to specialized researches
Esfandiari did not consider the lack of authors to be the main problem in the lack of quality of works related to Karaj and said: "In my opinion, the problem is not the lack of authors, but rather the one-sidedness in the field of publishing and the neglect of producing general and comprehensible content from research." For years, a significant part of the published books about Karaj have been limited to specialized research; Although the works have scientific value, they have not been able to reach the mainstream of people's reading.
Referring to the experience of publishing the book Tales of Sulaymaniyah Palace, he explained: In fact, it seems that the link between research and the general audience has weakened. In my personal experience, I have seen that when instead of focusing only on the publication of research books, we pay attention to the transformation of the historical and cultural capacities of the city into fictional narratives, the possibility of connecting the audience with these works increases. For example, the book Tales of Sulaymaniyah Palace, published by Anik Publications, is the result of a literary experience in the historical space of this palace. This collection includes 17 stories by 17 authors in different genres, which, inspired by the atmosphere of the palace and the remaining signs of the past, narrate part of the history and cultural identity of Alborz in the form of stories.
Esfandiari emphasized the need to support creative works that meet the needs of the audience and added: "In my opinion, if the support goes in the direction of presenting the research findings and historical capacities of the city in creative formats that meet the needs of the audience, we can hope that the image of Karaj in the minds of the people will become more vivid and lasting."
We must move towards research-oriented narration
He considered it necessary to use various formats to introduce the history of the city to the young generation and said: Exactly. In my opinion, we should go beyond mere research literature and move towards research-oriented narration. The new generation usually communicates less with thick books and official conferences; But our experiences have shown that when we introduce a historical place or a local ritual rooted in the past to the audience in the form of stories or image collections, it becomes more possible to communicate with it.
Esfandiari also added: multimedia narratives and combining stories with images can be an effective way to communicate with today's generation. In my opinion, we should take the history out of the library shelves and bring it closer to people's daily life with an attractive and understandable language.
Regarding the role of cultural institutions in turning research into readable works, he said: Cultural institutions should play a facilitating role, not that their activities be limited to holding conferences. We have tried to form such a chain in our field experiences; In this way, we first collect information and intangible heritage based on research and then provide these data to creative writers to turn them into narratives.
How does Karaj Research distance itself from sectional and administrative activities?
The director of Bakhoan Cultural Institute continued with us: In my opinion, if the non-governmental organizations and cultural collections take seriously this cycle, i.e. the movement from field research to narrative narration, Karaj research can distance itself from occasional and purely administrative activities and become a continuous, lively and influential flow.
Esfandiari considered the recording of human experiences and the evolving identity of the city to be one of the most important priorities of Karaj research and said: I think what should be recorded from Karaj today is the sense of place and human experiences. It is necessary to record and preserve the efforts of people for the coexistence of different ethnic groups and the evolving identity of this city based on documentation.