Undoubtedly, human beings live in different societies that have their own myths and legends, and in many cases are inspired by them and which give shape to their lives, just as Iran has always been an important cultural hub in this world, from the East to the West.
Based on the documents and discoveries of Khorasan cultural heritage, the estimated age of this region is about 800 thousand years from Kashaf rud region, 35 to 85 km southeast of Mashhad, belonging to the Lower Paleolithic period and one of the oldest known human territories in Iran. About five years ago, in the Great Museum of Khorasan, several tools that were probably made for battle and defense by the first humans were on display, and this fertile soil has accommodated and nurtured all kinds of wonders. It is also surprising that Kashfroud is mentioned in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, which was the place of Sam Nariman’s battle with the dragon.
However, research on the Kashaf-rud region requires a separate article, which I will certainly tend to. Ancient Kang is another beautiful tourist attraction on the northeastern slopes of Mount Binaloud. When we talk about a steppe village, Masouleh village immediately comes to our minds, while the village of Kang is also known as “Masouleh Khorasan.” Of course, we have to pray that there will be a change to the area’s ecosystem, because the climate change has put severe effects on the region’s flora and fauna.
The village has a temperate and cool climate with spectacular beauty most of the year. With the beginning of spring and the New Year, this village takes on the most beautiful scenery. Following the longevity mentioned above based on various documents and texts, one of the most ancient structures left is a shrine of a mystic by the name of “Sheikh Abdullah”, who studied and gained knowledge in Mashhad, Qom and Atabat-e-Aliat, and died in this same village. But, some mistakenly name this tomb after “Khajeh Abdullah Ansari”.
In the new division of the village, perhaps due to the significant height difference, it has become in the form of Upper and Lower Kang. Unfortunately, the population of the ancient villages of Iran is declining. Many of them have migrated to the cities and suburbs and found new jobs for themselves, same as we see in the village of “Page” (Ferdowsi’s birthplace). The work of the people of the Kang village is gardening, animal husbandry, carpet weaving, carpentry and turnery, though lately the people of the village have switched to renting out their orchards and houses (turned into suites) to tourists. In addition, with the help of the Cultural Heritage Department of Khorasan Razavi, they have turned a historic building of 300 years age into “Kang Tourism Resort” and are busy serving the tourists. The word “Kang” refers to a bird with powerful paws, belonging to the mountainous regions, or the wings of this bird, or it also means a strong fortress.
This village is part of the Torqabeh territory, belonging to Torgabeh/Shandiz County, in Khorasan Razavi province. But what made me write about this village after photographing the area is the many references to the name of this village from millennia ago until now. The name Kang village is available in many sources, not all of which can be addressed here.
Again unfortunately, in some of the photos we often come across ugly scenes of unclean environments created by tourists, which are actually a disgrace and disrespect to this beautiful and historic land. It is so painful to have to write everywhere “Please do not throw garbage”, or “Please do not cause destruction”.
One of the most important of them is referring to narratives and documentary stories (topography) from Ferdowsi’s shahnameh and Bondahesh; it is a fortress that Siavash built with the help of his spiritual and kingly power (farr-e kiani), on top of the heads of the demons, and for this reason, this place is called “Siavashgerd”. In this respect, our poet Malek-ol-shoara Bahar, has a different story; According to “Bahar,” Kang is a celestial fortress that, at the end of the world, Kaykhosrow lands on the ground and places on Siavashgerd.
According to Bondahesh, Kangdej is located in the region of “Khorasan” and one the other side of Farakh-kard river, between mountains, one of which is “Sichi Dauv”. This is the place where, according to Yasht 5, paragraph 54, the sons of Vaske “Vise” were defeated by “Toos,” a warrior on the battlefield of Khashtrosuk.
Another story refers to this fort as “Seven Walls” (haft divar) found in some sources, and built of gold, silver, brass, iron, glass and precious stones, and perhaps for this reason this fort is described as “Bami” meaning bright and luminous. These seven walls may be reminiscent of the seven concentric walls of Hegmataneh “Ekbatan” in Hamedan, and the story of Kang Dej happened much earlier than the story of the construction of Keikavous Palace, so it is thought to be the first imitation of “Var Jamkard” or Jamshid Palace.
Photos by Shermin Nasiri
