About month of Ramadan in 1950s-60s

Nobody would protest to Sahar-Khani

Ehsan Mansouri
Translated by Seyyedeh Zahra Alavian

2016-7-31

Note: Ali Asghar Laali is a locksmith in one of the crowded streets of Arak. He is 62 and faces his customers with smiling. Accidently I encountered and talked to him shortly in a warm evening in blessed month of Ramadan about this month in 1950s-60s. Although the subject of conversation was the month of Ramadan but we talked about other issues.

How old are you?

I’m 62.I was born in 1963 in Tehran and then we moved to Arak.

How was Arak at that time?

In the evenings workers of municipality would come with buckets of water and spilt it on the ground, not to raise dust. Two men had cars, one of them was a Jeep and the other a Chevrolet, later some buses with wooden chairs would appear which would take two Shahis and would stand in front of the coffee house in Shohda square. They didn’t have many passengers except the train that would come from Ahwaz and some passengers were found for them. When the taxi would appear, they would stop on guards in turns in police station to use those who had problems in coming and going at nights. Weather was cold in Arak. It wasn’t so hot like what it is now. My grandfather had vineyard in present silo site. That garden had the best grapes.

How was break fasting at sunset (Iftari)?

That time was better; because food was better and had high quality.

What would you eat for break fasting?

It was easier than now. We would break our fast with very simple foods.

Was there Zolbia & Bamie[1]?

It was rarely founded. If it was the season fruits, it would be founded in Arak. It was used in break fasting.

What kind of fruit was there?

 There was grape. There were lots of fruits.

Weren’t different fruit found, Wasn’t it like now?

Yes, it was found in its season .For example in summer fruit bore in Arak. From Vali Asr hospital all of them was garden. From silo and Khoram Street all of them were garden. In Malik Street was garden after Shams mosque. Apricot, peach, black cherry and ruby grape were in this season. A lot of apricot was under the trees and nobody thought to collect them.

Did you have special ceremony for break fasting?

No, it wasn’t like now that mosques have detailed ceremony.

Now, Halim[2] is served. Was it available at that time?

No, everybody would make it at home. There wasn’t a restaurant. There were Kebab shops. For example in present Imam Khomeini Street, in front of Bazaar, there were three kebab shops. The owner of one of them was Ostad (Master) Abdul Hossein who has passed away. Halim was customary in winter but not in summer.

What would you eat for dawn (Sahari[3])?

It was simple but it wasn’t whatever was remained of the night before.

How would you wake up before dawn?

We usually would wake up by radio, and mostly by those who would sing before dawn .They would sing on the roofs. It was called Sahar-Khani[4].

Where was your house?

In Baroo Alley[5].

Who would sing?

 The local clergyman would usually do that.

Would Mr. Nahr Miany[6] sing?

No, he came later. Some men like Sheikh Ali and Haji Zahraii would sing too.

Didn’t people protest to those who song at dawns?

No, because of their beliefs they liked it. I usually used to go to pray in Akbar Mosque[7]. Communal Prayer leader in that mosque was the late Mr. Imami[8]. He would interpret Holy Koran in the month of Ramadan.

I have record these interpretations before revolution and I have 30 cassettes now.

What were the ceremonies in Tehran?

People had hold good ceremonies in Tehran. It was usual to break the fast before saying communal prayers.

Which mosque would you go there in Tehran?

Sobhani Mosque[9], in Soraya square (now it is Shahid Namjo) which now it is at the end of Nezam Abad street (now it is Ayatollah Madani).

How was there? Was there Halim for breaking the fast?

Yes, contrary to Arak, there was Halim.

When did you move to Arak and what jobs were more current there?

Mostly agriculture and animal husbandry were the occupations of people.

Where was your father’s shop?

His shop was in front of the previous location of Mellat Bank, at the beginning of Baroo Street. He was a locksmith. Generally there were 3 locksmith shops in Arak. One of them was my father’s, Ali Akbar Laali, two others were for Mr. Mokhles and Mr. Naraghi. Actually my father was a mender of chinaware; it means he would fix the broken china wares.

How were the locks?

Most of them were like a pipe.

Is your father alive now?

Yes, of course. He doesn’t work, but he can handle his own affairs.

Who were mostly your customers?

Mostly ordinary people; in that times each lock was bought and sold by 2 or 3 Rials. It is for 42-3 years ago. My father was originally from Arak and because of becoming jobless he came to Tehran and then returned to Arak in 1963 again.

When fasting in summers, what tools would you use for cooling yourself then?

The walls of houses were thick, and the houses were cool by it. On the other hand houses had passages called dalan and it would make the houses cool.

What would you do for keeping foods?

It wasn’t necessary to keep food; everybody would by meat for the use of two or three days. For example my mother chopped meat and mixed it with spices and poured it in the bottom of pot.  In Araki expression it was said tal and it was so delicious.

Was there a gap between the time of serving dinner and breaking fast at sunset?           

Yes.

What about Tehran?

No. People in Tehran would break their fast and have dinner together.

How would you cool water then?

We were used to use jugs. At the beginning of Mohseni Street, there was a canal crossing and we would take water from there. Of course, some houses had pools.

How was the people’s mood?                               

The beliefs were so firm. They would fast in cold and warm weather. I remember the heavy snow falls that would make people to make tunnels to cross through this Baroo Street.

How the children were encouraged to fast?

There was no need to encourage them because of the firm beliefs.

Were you given something to be encouraged when you were a child?

No.