A taste of Persian beauty

Njoki Mwangi

If Iranian men were to walk in the streets of Nairobi, they would woo all women with the least effort and leave Kenyan men in tears.

Even a dye-in-the wool feminist would find it hard to resist an environment where women are given first priority in public utilities. They never scramble for seats and, when there is none available, a man will quietly vacate his for a woman. And they don’t have to be relatives or friends for the man’s noble gesture.

In case of any disagreement in the home, the woman can demand to be paid her bride money (amount they are entitled to at marriage), which is often in gold coins and is equivalent to the year she was born. If, for instance, the wife was born in 1982, she is entitled to 1,982 gold coins. The younger she is, the more the amount. This is another reason why any man would treat his wife with measured royalty.

Though I had read a lot about Tehran to prepare myself for the visit, no preparation was adequate enough. The experience was far beyond what I had expected. And to think I almost missed my flight at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport when the cab run out of fuel, a commodity that costs Sh7 a litre in Iran.

Luckily, I barely made it to the airport and was rushed through the Immigration checking points. I only relaxed when I took my seat aboard Qatar Airways. I removed my hijab from my luggage and covered my head. Since it is mandatory for women in Iran to cover their heads, I needed to start getting used to this accessory that was to be part and parcel of my dressing.

Restrained affection

We arrived in Tehran early in the morning and all women on board wore their hijabs. In no time, every woman looked the same. Gone were the different hairstyles that a few minutes earlier had differentiated us.

The journey from the airport to the city centre was a nightmare given the traffic jam. At least here was something that reminded me of Nairobi. A journey of about 50 kilometres took us an hour amidst a lot of incessant hooting.

Like Nairobi, Tehran has got crazy traffic jams that it took us one hour from the Imam Khomeini International airport to the city centre about 50 kilometres away. However, the roads are wide, cars many as reckless drivers hooted endlessly at this early time of day.

Tehran is pleasant and always cool in the evening. Its pure sky, the nearness of the mountains reminded me of Arusha, Tanzania. Its numerous parks and gardens where flowers blossom throughout the year, the alleys of young plan-trees in the avenues and smaller streets, the water which runs down from the upper city along deep and wide gutters which look like small rivers during spring.

The streets are organised, architecture unique and the artistic drawings from a rich past civilisation and contemporary influences fuse to energise the city’s culture. Being summer time, temperatures were high and the heat was sizzling.

Iranians are a cheery lot and always concerned what a visitor thinks of them. Thanks to the World Cup, we had something African to discuss with them. Most speak Persian (Farsi), which is the national language. Iranians are Persians and get offended when assumed to be Arabs.

While women dress in a conservative manner, the men have a free hand. Many are in the latest trends from European catwalks bought from various designer shops donning the streets. Ties, however, are viewed as overly Western and are rarely worn.

Wearing shorts and tight pants in public is banned. Interestingly, during my stay, the powerful Ministry of Culture and Islamic guidance issued new recommendations on male hairdos to help project an acceptable appearance. Pony-tailed, spiked, quaffed, coiffed-with-gel looks are among styles to avoid. The emphasis is for the youth to stay stylish without running into trouble with the fashion police.

I was privileged to be invited by the Kenyan Ambassador’s wife for a monthly meeting of women in the diplomatic corps. This formal event is held at the Egyptian ambassador’s residence and has representation of most resident missions in Iran. At least we are free to remove the hijab, which I learnt is worn only in public.

Culinary tastes in this expansive country vary from region to region, which boasts of a unique staple meal. The northern regions bordering the Caspian Sea, which are among the most productive areas, are widely credited with the best foods.

Cuisines

There are various restaurants catering to the various international cuisines including Mexican, Italian, Turkish, Chinese and Indian. The popular food is kebab, which is largely made from beef and chicken. I found the Iranian yoghurt very agreeable to me and I would recommend it to any first time visitor here.

Like in every other city in the world, women love shopping. They throng the shopping malls and bazaars dealing in the latest trend in designer wear. Of great interests are Persian carpets, some as old as 50 years. Such are considered antiques and are not sold outside the State. Shops here close at 10pm except during Ramadhan when they are closed early to allow the faithful to break their fast.

Numerous leisure activities abound in this city. Mountain climbing for which electric cabins are available was a no-go zone for me. Such activities need a rare kind of bravery, which I’m yet to attain.

More sane activities include archery and bowling. A popular pastime, especially for the youth, involves driving around the streets in the city centre in the evening and at night. But with a litre of petrol selling at Sh7, it is easy to see why they would indulge in driving for the heck of it.

Alcohol, scant dressing and nightclubs are forbidden. Moral Police ensure that rules are adhered to. Fines are charged against revealing clothes, coloured hair and revealing head scarves or hijabs.

Young men and women are not allowed to interact unless they are married or related by blood. This is also reinforced in public places such as airports, malls where men and women have different queues.

And while majority of Kenyans are burdened daily by the cost of essential commodities, in Iran electricity, fuel, cooking gas and water are almost free of charge. Petty crime that is the order of the day in Nairobi and Johannesburg, South Africa is rare here. Both foreigners and natives enjoy good security.

The Iranian society is awash with contradictions. While the ruling conservative clerical establishment maintains a limiting stronghold on all aspects of social life, the predominantly youthful population bends the rules with cunning and ingenuity.

Owing to the absence of bars, coffee shops are the meeting places of choice for eager young people looking for company. Given the near free cost of petrol, hordes of young people in trendy designer outfits can be seen endlessly driving about, sampling mates and sharing one of their numerous social mobile numbers.

While alcohol is illegal, it is abundantly available in the urban areas where authorities turn a blind eye if you quietly sip your white wine behind a closed door or in a mildly quiet party.