Shams Tabrizi Can Turn Khoy into Iran's Literary and Mystical Tourism Hub
An actor in cinema, theater, and television, emphasizing the cultural and economic potential of reopening Shams Tabrizi's shrine in Khoy, called the development of tourism in Konya centered on Rumi a model worth considering. He said the link between Shams and Rumi can strengthen Iran's literary tourism, expand cultural cooperation with Turkey, and support sustainable growth in the local economy.
Behzad Khodavisi, a film, theater and television actor, in an interview with Aria Heritage reporter, referring to the importance of the reopening of Shams Tabrizi Court in Khoi city, considered this event as an opportunity to redefine the place of this city in the geography of cultural and literary tourism in Iran and said: the reopening of Shams Tabrizi Court in Khoi city can have an important impact on cultural and literary tourism in Iran, especially because the name of Shams is associated with Rumi and one of the most important links of mysticism and literature. Farsi is tied.
Stating that the capacities of this event go beyond holding a cultural event, he added: the targeted introduction of Shams Tabrizi Court can lead to an increase in the number of domestic and foreign tourists, the prosperity of local businesses, the stabilization of the identity of Khoi tourism, and the development of cultural and tourism interactions between Iran and Türkiye. Provided that these capacities are utilized in the form of a coherent and long-term program.
Emphasizing the necessity of linking cultural attractions and the economic benefits of local communities, Khadavisi said: the increase in leisure travel can create new opportunities for hotels, residences, restaurants, tourist guides and other local businesses, but the realization of this goal requires that the trip to this city is not limited to a short and transient visit, and with the development of accommodation infrastructure, the introduction of other historical and cultural attractions, and the design of diverse visit programs, more tourists will be able to stay longer. to be
Referring to Konya's experience in utilizing the cultural capacities related to Rumi, he continued: In 1378, I went to Turkey to make a film about Rumi, and after that I traveled to this country several times. I could clearly see that Turkey's tourism and its amenities, centered on the presence of Maulana's tomb, have greatly expanded and many hotels have been added to the accommodation capacity of this city.
Stating that Konya's experience shows how a cultural personality can become one of the axes of a city's tourism identity, this actor noted: Khoi also has such a capacity and can become a well-known destination for those interested in Persian literature, mysticism and Iran's spiritual heritage, relying on the historical and spiritual position of Shams Tabrizi.
Khodavisi also assessed the presence of Turkish officials in the reopening ceremony of Shams Tabrizi Court as an opportunity to strengthen the cultural and tourism relations between the two countries and said: the historical and intellectual connection between Shams and Rumi can provide a basis for defining joint programs between Khoi and Konya, programs that extend from cultural and artistic cooperation to the design of literary tourism routes and the joint introduction of the mystical heritage of Iran and the region.
In another part of this interview, he described the position of Shams Tabrizi in the evolution of Persian literature, and described his influence on Rumi's poetry and Iranian literary mysticism as a deep and mostly indirect influence and said: Shams Divan does not have poems, but he pushed Rumi towards a completely personal, mystical and passionate language. "Shams caused Iranian mysticism to leave the purely educational state and become closer to a lived, human and poetic experience."
Referring to the transformations of the language of Persian poetry after the intellectual and spiritual bond between Rumi and Shams, this actor added: Rumi's acquaintance with Shams can be considered as one of the turning points in the formation of his inner and noisy language. A language in which astonishment, separation, ecstasy, spiritual conflicts and personal human experiences find a prominent place. In this way, poetry moved away from being limited to some formal formats and functions, and a new possibility was provided to express complex human and spiritual experiences.
Emphasizing that the legacy of Shams should not be sought only in the personal life of Rumi, Khadavisi said: The importance of Shams lies in the fact that he gave more space to the inner experience, intuition and human passion to be present in the literary language. This approach was reflected in the mystic tradition and Persian poetry, and traces of the extension of some of these intellectual and emotional capacities can be examined in the works of poets of later periods.
He continued: Shams dared Persian literature to distance itself from official formats and value inner and personal experience; As if it created a new legitimacy for human feelings, doubts and passion. This look at Persian poetry made it possible to become more vocal and deeper and to increase linguistic sensitivity towards emotion and intuition.
Pointing to the possibility of investigating the relationship between mystical heritage and contemporary poetry, this actor added: I believe, it is possible to establish links between this boldness in expressing personal experience and some tendencies of new poetry; Because paying attention to the inner world of man and distancing himself from the established language is one of the capacities that have been reflected in different periods of Persian literature. From this point of view, the legacy of Shams can be one of the grounds for reflection on the link between classical mysticism and literary sensibilities of the modern era.
Referring to his cinematic experiences in the field of Rumi's life and thought, Khadavisi said: I made two films about Rumi's life; I directed one in Konya in 1378 and the other in the form of a documentary called "Dance of Love". The film "Darbast Molvi" was also one of my other works in this field.
He explained about the idea behind the film "Molavi's Gate": In this work, a taxi took passengers from Roman Bridge to Molvi Street, and the driver talked to them about Rumi along the way. This film received awards in domestic and foreign festivals.
In the end, emphasizing the importance of paying attention to the neglected cultural and literary heritage of Iran, the actor pointed out: the introduction of characters like Shams and Rumi can lead to lasting cultural and economic results when it goes beyond the level of occasional events and is followed in the form of a continuous program for the production of works of art, development of tourism, strengthening of infrastructure and effective communication with Iranian and global audiences. The reopening of Shams Tabrizi Court can be the starting point of such a path for Khoi; The path in which the spiritual heritage of Iran is not only passed, but will become an opportunity to introduce the cultural identity of the country and the sustainable prosperity of tourist destinations.