Photo: Anisha Shah
Inside Iran
– The Glories of Persia
By Anisha Shah
Dawn light streams into Nasir al-Molk mosque,
illuminating the meditative dusty air with a
vibrant palette, enriched in intensity by the
stained-glass windows. The reflections cast
onto a deep-pile Persian rug snuggling my toes
and inviting me to stay a while. The mosque is
empty at first light; a privilege which is a rarity
in Shiraz, the city of poetry, literature, flowers
and wine; the vineyards of old no longer exist
since Iran became the Islamic Republic in 1979.
Shiraz is one highlight amidst a handful
of enchanting cities on my cross-country
voyage. Unearthing turquoise-tiled minarets and domes dotting Esfahan’s Naqsh
e-Jahan Square, the immense power of the
Achaemenid’s ancient capital Persepolis, staggering beauty of Elamite ziggurat temples at
Choqa Zanbil and roaming the parched mudbrick lanes and crumbling rooftops in Yazd, is a
vivid journey through history.
Driving the frontier
Travelling by road through the frontier,
renowned moreso internationally for it’s
nuclear ambitions than as a travel destination, I realize it is as spectacularly beautiful
as the people are hospitable. Nestling a
staggering 16 Unesco world heritage sites;
architectural marvels and treasured remnants
of powerful early empires, Iran is the vanguard
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