Commemoration of Zohreh Zarshenas and unveiling of the special issue of Fravahar magazine were held on the 722th night of Bukhara nights, with cooperation of the Iranian Studies Association and Khaneh Andishmandan (Thinkers’ House).
Jaleh Amouzgar, an expert in ancient languages and culture, said: “The hardships of her life did not stop her from progressing. “This is the first sentence of an article I wrote about Zohreh Zarshenas in 1392 (2013), and I will start my speech today with this same phrase”. A significant number of valuable scientific articles in Farsi and English, functional and practical books, fruitful lectures in Iranian and international circles, directing a large number of students theses at the master’s and doctoral level, and accepting the problematic executive responsibilities that are the best witness for the phrase with which I have started my speech. Especially, if we add her physical ailment and the courage with which she fought with her discomforts and fulfilled her responsibilities.
She added: “She was always pleasant and kind. She didn’t get angry with any student. She helped them advance in their studies with compassionate guidance. My acquaintance with her is nearly fifty years old. From the time she started her master’s degree at the University of Tehran and until the end of her PhD. If my memory serves me correctly, she was pregnant with her daughter Anahita while she was doing her master’s thesis with me. The same Anahita was my student in the following years in her master’s course, and I cheerfully said that I hoped to see her child in my class later. Fortunately, I have several examples of teaching two generations of mother and child in my educational record, and I am proud of it.
The hardships of life did not stop Zarshenas from progressing
Amouzgar said: “Zohreh Zarshenas is an example of a successful lady. I know very well that there are many adversities in life, along with blessings. However, according to one of my artist friends, people are not keen to hear about our sorrows and woes. Instead, they want to know about the art of logical confrontation with difficulties and inconsistencies and our skill in finding solutions and escaping quagmires. Zohreh Zarshenas deserves this praise. Because she persevered in the face of adversity and looked for an answer, not for surrender, and I respect her courage. Another of her characteristics is the sense of respect and entitlement that she always had towards her teachers.
Zohreh Zarshenas always remembers her teachers well by honoring them. In line with this characteristic, she followed her professor, the late Dr. Badr al-Zaman, with full respect and recognition. She followed her expertise in studying the languages of Great Iran, especially the Sogdian language. She became one of the experts in this field. Such a passion for Iranian studies is an excuse for me to speak about the vastness and depth of Iranian culture, which has always been of interest to me. Of course, remember that tending to culture, linguistics and art is good and useful when it is separate from politics and prejudice. When I think about Iranian culture, my imaginations roams beyond the political borders of this beautiful cat (metaphor of Iran’s map).
She continued: My thoughts soar above the rich, deep and humane cultural area that spreads to the East and North-east of our land, its Seyhoun and Amu Darya and passes through the great Khorasan”. which includes lands such as Soghd and Kharzam. I think of the Yaghnobi Valley, where the Yaghnobi language, a remnant of the Sogdian language has spread among the people of that area. I visualize the Ural Lake, miles away from our political borders, which has the memory of the ancient migration of our Aryan ancestors. In the north, I reach the Eurasian plains, where a world of Iranian culture is embedded in the depths of its soil. A young friend of ours had visited the Eurasian region in the south of Russia, had come across such signs of the Scythian language and culture, and had found loanwords from the Avesta language in the names of rivers and foothills, which surprised me. I persistently asked him to publish these micro-signs in an article to remind ourselves again that the border of language and culture is beyond political boundaries.”
This Iranian researcher of ancient culture and languages added: “Going farther, we will reach the Caucasus, where we will see the traces of our culture with scrutinizing eyes.” We pass by the banks of the Middle Rivers, and then, in the south, we see Iranian culture alive on the banks of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. We see its continuation in Balochistan and on the borders of India and Pakistan. We have set boundaries and walls in this vast area where the beautiful Iranian culture cannot fit and will penetrate through the walls. According to the words of the late Mehrdad Bahar, the culture does not accept a fence, so if our scientists and Iranologists, along with the Avestan Persian languages Ancient, Pahlavi, Parthian, which belong to the current area of Iran, in Eastern Iranian languages will also include eastern Iranian languages such as Kharazmi, Khotan, Balkhi and especially the Sogdian language, which is the specialty of our dear friend, Zohreh zarshenas; they are then talking about the culture of greater Iran, which has embraced all of this in its warm embrace.
Amouzgar stated: “This is neither a claim of superiority nor a claim of civilization; this is a sign of friendships, similarities, co-linguistics, and co-cultures, regardless of political issues and self-conceit. I wish all the world’s people would love each other and not draw swords against each other. In my dreams, I think of a great miracle that, with the persistence of culture and art, grudges will turn into love and wars into reconciliation. We should not ignore Iran’s rich and fruitful culture, which belongs equally to all the ethnic groups in this large area. I admire Zohreh Zarshenas, who, with her precious research, pushed aside the political boundaries, went far away, and addressed another part of our culture. May this honor forever be hers.”
Zarshenas creativity to open new ways of research
Also, in this ceremony, Farzaneh Goshtasb, associate professor and director of the ancient culture and languages department, said: “Those who are aware of the difficulty of the field of ancient culture and languages, especially when students enter this field, the experience of being in the classroom of a professor who makes it easy to face these difficulties and turns it into an enjoyable and beneficial challenge, will understand what I am trying to say. Dr Zarshenas is such a teacher, as her students have testified. In the first semester, in the problematic Avesta course, the professor patiently and lovingly introduced the students to the Avesta language and turned the pages of the texts and sources together with the students. She recognized the words and translated the text into Farsi. At the end of the semester, without being tired and suffering from the hardships of the road, you will see behind you a new and winding road which, by crossing every obstacle, has left you a valuable treasure. In front of you, you will see a horizon full of surprises and questions. In yourself, You feel a passion and love that unconsciously pulls you towards those wonders, and this is what a good teacher does with you when you face an unknown and challenging path.”
She added: “But the professor’s efforts in teaching and researching the Sogdian language have a different significance. Zohreh Zarshenas has spent a lifetime researching the Sogdian language, introducing its important and valuable texts to researchers, and translating them into Persian. The result of this effort is the continuation and consolidation of the foundations of scientific research on the Sogdian language in Iran. The Sogdian language is one of the important languages of the middle period of Iranian languages, and due to its importance in that period, many texts have been left behind; apart from being a rich source of linguistic data, it is also considered a valuable source for literary, religious and mythological studies. Sogdians were mostly merchants and engaged in trade along the Silk Road, which caused the Sogdian language to be used as the Middle Ages language in eastern Iran and along the Silk Road. Followers of various religions, such as Christians, Buddhists and Manichaeans translate their texts into this language, in order to spread their thoughts and beliefs.”
Farzaneh Goshtasb said: “If we consider that Badr-al-Zaman Gharib took the first steps in starting research in the Sogdian language in Iran, especially the publication of the Sogdian dictionary, wo we can see Zohreh Zarshenas has continuing research and publishing scientific articles and publication of various Sogdian texts in Persian, especially the sogdian manuscript book and stabilizing this study. Accurate and reliable translations of Sogdian texts so that everyone, not only students and researchers of ancient languages, can read and use them, has brought this ancient language among the people and researchers and different fields. The Sogdian handbook, which has won several scientific awards, including the Parvin Etesami award, is the first and only guide to the Sogdian grammar in Persian and has a significant role and importance in teaching the Sogdian language in universities.”
She further said: “Among the scientific features of Zohreh Zarshenas, which is an inspiration for her keen students and colleagues, is her courage and seriousness in going through untraveled and challenging paths, as well as her creativity to open new ways of research in ancient languages. Her books “Introduction to Iranology” and “Tales from Sogd” are examples of the master’s works as proof of this claim. The importance of the second book is that with detailed and deep knowledge of the Sogdian language, a correct and fluent translation of these ancient stories has been made available in a language that everyone can read and understand, same as has been done for some of the Avesta and Pahlavi stories, which, in addition to providing the contents of ancient Iranian stories and legends, also tell us how stories and legends were expressed in ancient languages. Also, this book and many others of her works are like a bridge between historical philology and jurisprudence to students of literature, historic, religious and mythological texts, plus it shows the high ability of these texts for her research.”
Goshtasb added: “Although here, today, and everywhere and always I consider myself to be only a student in her presence, but I had had the honor of benefiting from scientific and executive cooperation with her in the research institute, where I learned from her to do things responsibly, even in small matters. This responsibility, order, and precision are significantly associated with justice and fairness in her management. Those who worked with her for many years in the research institute and foundation of Iranian studies confirm and testify to this outstanding feature. This meeting is also an opportunity to appreciate this great lady, who calls her professor “The Sogdi Badr” and herself has also become famous as “The Sogd lady”. But not to forget that her other works are all as important and valuable as her research in the sogdian language.
Zohreh Zarshenas is one of the prominent figures in the humanities.
Mahdi Golshani, a researcher of the philosophy of science and a permanent figure in the field of physics, said: “My concern at present is the issue of culture. Culture is almost forgotten. Our culture is neither Western nor Eastern. We have only learned the ugly things of the West and the East. Culture has been forgotten, and the noble defendants of our culture and science are not in their rightful place.”
She added: You don’t see any sign of the West in China”. In our country we are only taught to write homework, but no sign of copying our excellent culture. Culture has lost it value. America’s premier engineering university has forced engineering students to study the humanities because they found it very effective. Einstein realized the importance of humanities. In the West, in order to give a wholesome view to the students, humanities has been fully revived. But in our country, only the weak students study humanities.”
Goshtasb said: “Our concern should be culture; it is our culture that will lift us. We are no less than the westerners, but this requires effort and insight. Philosophy, humanities, and religion have been revived in leading Western universities. I hope that the academicians will teach the importance of humanities to our society. We did not put any effort to introduce our beautiful ancient culture or the Islamic culture in the universities. We have to truly appreciate those who have given value to humanities. Zohreh Zarshenas is one of the most prominent personalities in humanities.”
Her effort is like keeping a light on in the wind
Also, Dr. Fariba Afkari, copyist and history researcher, said in this event: “This event is not only to honor Dr Zarshenas’s great scientific position but also an event to celebrate Iran and Iranian studies. She, who has devoted all her life for Iran; lovers of Iran like her, the late Professor Iraj Afshar, and the highly learned lady of Iran, Dr Jaleh Amuzegar, have always said that when she takes the name of Iran tears of love and passion come to her eyes and her heart starts beating in her chest. I was familiar with her name, from many years ago, through her articles, until luck gave me the chance to cooperate with her.”
He added: It was 1386 I went to the Iranology Foundation at the invitation of Dr. Hassan Habibi to develop a master’s course in manuscripts, and this course was established with his efforts and is still active today. Since 1388 (2009), as head of the manuscript group, I became her roommate and colleague, and I learned a lot from her. I was witness to her sincere and outstanding efforts in the management of Iranian studies.
Fariba Afkari continued: “I have seen her welcoming the students and listening to their viewpoints, criticisms and suggestions with an open mind; I have seen her talk with students with compassion and respect, to find a way to solve their problems. As a colleague, she always seeks and uses the expert opinion of others. Even though she had a physical problem due to an accident during a trip, she would walk while bending and suffering from pain, but she would nevertheless attend her classes. I often witnessed her all-around efforts and companionship as a mentor, advisor, or referee with students. She always respects the side of fairness in the evaluations, and by discussing the problems and corrections need for their cases, in this way she gives value to the students’ efforts, which is a virtue worthy of admiration. The effort of people like Dr. Zarshenas is an individual effort in a field and an example of keeping a light on in the wind so that it does not go out.”
In our ancient culture it is believed that one’s knowledge will bring her/him salvation.
At the end of the ceremony, Dr. Zohreh Zarshenas said: Seeing you who are interested in the Persian language, Iran, and Iranian studies here has made me so happy and enthusiastic that it has taken away my ability to speak. There is no happiness in this world better than meeting friends. The holding of this meeting is the result of empathy, like-mindedness, and efforts of all friends, professors of culture, and sympathizers of our culture and Iranian studies, in whose eyes my little services look big!
She said: “I think it necessary to thank all of the dignitaries, especially Ali Dehbashi, who, despite various problems including economic, social, and political issues, has been promoting Iran’s civilization, cultural heritage, and Iranian identity for many years by holding Bukhara nights and publishing, with interruption, the Bukhara magazine, a specialized publication, among his other scientific and cultural activities, for example, introducing Iranian civilization and its cultural heritage and Iranian identity to Iranologists and spreading the knowledge of Iranology in Iran and the world.”
Zarshenas said: From Farzaneh Ghstasab, who has always had special love and kindness towards me, Dr. Razieh Mousavikho and engineer Soroushpour, who prepared and published Farvahar magazine and have always been and continue to be the pioneers and supporters of cultural activities. From all the professors who sent an article to Farvahar magazine. Thank you. Thank you to all of you who love Iran and are the source of my encouragement and happiness. There have been many distinguished scholars in Iranian culture, literature and languages. I am just a teacher who loves teaching and research. If I have succeeded it has been through the grace of God. I was just lucky to have been born into a culture loving and educated family, and from childhood, I found love with books and reading. Throughout my studies, I tried not to waste my time. After graduating from Tehran University, I devoted all my efforts to teaching and research. The research results in various works in Iranology, ancient culture, and languages. Especially the Sogdian language in the form of books and articles in Farsi and English, and most importantly, several generations of my dear students who are my greatest asset in life, and many of them are my current lovely colleagues and a source of pride.
She said: I am thankful for my good fortune that in all my years of studying and researching and teaching, nothing but learned professors, sympathetic colleagues, and grateful students stood in my way, and they have always helped me in this way. The dignitaries who arranged today’s meeting so that I know that my efforts in the field of Iranology and dealing with culture and civilization are not in vain and are approved by the professors and cause movement and motivation among those interested. Indeed, you, dear ones, have breathed new energy and spirit into me. A person tired of this automated life needs an incentive to continue.
Zohre Zarshenas added: “I am happy that now that I have reached the retirement age, my duties towards the scientific community has not ended and will remain for ever. In our ancient culture it is believed that one’s knowledge will guide him/her to salvation. In a guidebook in the Sogdian language it is written: “Learn from the wise and religious person the way to salvation, which means, law and justice and forgiveness and through him you will gain salvation. Ferdowsi has a verse: “Increase your knowledge and trust in God; these both will guide you in your life.”
She said: “This ancient land has raised many great people in her ever-lasting culture and long history of many great people who have written and composed in the Persian language, the common language of all of us, and have protected and perpetuated our national and cultural identity, and I love her and the Persian language so much that reading her life story, I realize that through the ups and downs that she has gone through in history, she has become polished and transformed, and still stands firm through the difficult and complex challenges of the past. I love Ferdowsi, who built the high and powerful palace of Shahnameh. Let’s do our best to protect the Persian language and make our beloved Iran proud. As Ferdowsi says: If Iran stops existing may I not exist either.”
