Some Persians may like to rock out, but the cultural elite enjoy the more traditional type of classical music the country has to offer. The music dates back to medieval times and it is not so much entertainment as a type of spiritual tool.
The musical system is made up of twelve modal units that are divided into small melodic units and ranges between improvisation and composition. Many of the pieces are connected to poetic Persian writings and they can vary widely in rhythm and intensity during the performance. The vocalist plays an important role in the tone of the composition because he or she portrays the feeling of the piece and decides what to perform and may even decide on the lyrics.
Too Many Holidays?
There are many public holidays in Iran, and Iranians enjoy a whopping 25 days off just for them each year. It may sound nice to be the world leader in public holidays, but there has been concern over the past 30 years that the abundance of holidays may hurt the Iranian economy in its efforts to be relevant internationally. To make matters worse, different unofficial holidays are added to the list every year.
A significant portion of the Iranian holidays are religious and commemorate the birth or death of several Shi’a Imams. The country uses three different official calendar systems, the Solar Hijri calendar, the Gregorian calendar, and the Islamic lunar calendar and the holidays take place according to the lunar calendar. Therefore, the locals have a hard time figuring out exactly when the holidays take place each year and enlist the help of a Muslim cleric who helps calculate the dates for each
The Biggest Carpet in the World
Due to its affinity for rug making, it is hardly a surprise that Iran has also created the biggest hand-woven carpet in the world. This enormous rug is roughly the size of a soccer field and was created in 2007 by the Iran Carpet Company specifically to be placed in the Abu Dhabi mosque in the United Arab Emirates.
It was made up of nine separate pieces and then put together in the mosque itself. The carpet measures a massive 60,600.81 ft² (5,630 m²). The original carpet was even larger, but some pieces were removed to ensure that the final product fit the mosque floor exactly.
Eating Customs
If you are lucky enough to be invited to dinner in an Iranian home, don’t assume they forgot to bring out the chairs, instead you may have to practice your squat. It is perfectly normal for a big Iranian family to share their dinner on cushions on the floor.
And don’t look around for a knife and fork either, in many instances, utensils are not used, and people eat with their hands, or more specifically only with their right hand. It is polite to wait to be told where to sit and taste all the dishes that are offered. So, our best advice is to arrive hungry.
"RKOT"
RKOT or “The Rich Kids of Tehran” is a popular Instagram account that reveals that living it up with fancy cars, expensive jewelry and private jets, is not limited to the wealthy youth of the West. The account, which proclaims it is showing things “they” wouldn’t want you to see, is proof that young people everywhere are into pretty much the same things including shopping, skiing and pool parties.
These sons and daughters of Iran’s wealthy and powerful, are famous for their massive parties that are filled with fun and illegal alcohol. Instagram is currently the only form of social media which is still legal in Iran, although the administration has repeatedly threatened to add it to the national banned sites list. In any case, many Iranians use an overseas VPN to circumvent any temporary or permanent banning.