The pit
The heart of a zurkhaneh is the gowd, a sunken octagonal or circular pit about a metre deep, lit from a single opening in the ceiling. The athletes train in the pit while spectators sit around it. The master of ceremonies, the morshed, sits on a raised platform beating a goblet drum, the zarb, and reciting poetry and stories from the Persian epic tradition. He sets the pace and the mood of the whole session.
The exercises
Athletes swing heavy wooden clubs called mil, spin on the spot in rhythm, lift wooden shields, the sang, and bow-shaped iron weights, and sessions end with wrestling. The movements are often compared to a dance.
The way of the pahlevan
The zurkhaneh is as much about character as strength. A true pahlevan, or champion, is expected to be modest, honest, generous and chivalrous. The tradition looks back to heroes like Rostam of the Shahnameh, and it flourished in particular in the Qajar period. Today there is an international zurkhaneh federation with dozens of member countries.
