Tekyeh of Moaven-al-Molk – Kermanshah, Kermanshah province, Iran
Photo by IsoGFX via Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-4.0

In Iranian culture, these two words (Tekyeh & Hussainiya) are sometimes used for a special place wherein mourning ceremonies and religious Ta’zieh (a Muslim passion play celebrated by the Shiʽa in Muharram) are held and sometimes they are used separately i.e. Hussainiya is a place for mourning, Rawda khwani (the Shia Iranian Muslim ritual of the Mourning of Muharram) and Sineh Zani (a common form of mourning ritual in which mourners beat on their chest) and Tekyeh is a place for performing Ta’zieh. There is no proof for existence of Hussainiya in Iran before Safavid dynasty or even during that period.

Tekyeh of Moaven-al-Molk – Kermanshah, Kermanshah province, Iran
Photo by IsoGFX via Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-4.0

The exact date of formation of Tekyeh in Iran is unknown, but it is believed that it was built in Safavid dynasty for Ta’zieh. The architectural structure of Tekyeh consists of a building with/without roof, a platform in internal space with two stairs in both sides or a gentle slope for horses to pass over there, a passage all around the platform for horse riding, a place for audience to watch the ceremony, and a locker room. They have several entrances, some are for the audiences and some others for the actors of Ta’zieh and their horses.

Ta’zieh and Tekyeh were highly flourished in Qajar dynasty. Tekyeh of Hasan Khan Moaven-al-Molk in Kermanshah province and Tekyeh of Dolat in Tehran province (destroyed in 1946) are the most well-known ones.

Tekyeh of Amir Chakhmaq – Yazd, Yazd province, Iran
Photo by Babak.masarat via Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-4.0

It can be certainly said that in all cities and villages of Iran that the Shia live in, there are always Hussainiya. Hussaniya of Haj Ghaffar (in Maragheh city) and Hussainiya of Mirza Mohsen Mojtahed (in Ardabil city) are the oldest ones in Iran which are considered as tourism attraction.

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The historic square and complex known as Amir Chakhmaq is perhaps the highlight of Yazd located in one of the oldest neighborhoods of the city. Amir Jalal Al Din Chakhmaq, a general and ruler of the Timurid era, was assigned as the governor of Yazd. With the help of his wife Fatemeh Khatoun, he ordered the establishment of a series of constructs that included the mentioned square, a bathhouse, a caravanserai, a monastery, a water well, and a mosque.

The complex was known with the same name in the Safavid era too; when Shah Abbas ordered parts of it to be restored; namely, four souks built on the caravanserai. In the 18th century, the square in front of the mosque and the facade of the bazaar were turned into a gathering place. We know that the place could not have had a religious function back then, because the building of religious gathering centers began in the Safavid era and continued afterwards. It is commonly believed that the square turned into a religious center in the 18th century and a Tekyeh, or the religious center was built on the façade of the bazaar at that time. The inscription of the place proves that it is about 130 years old.

In the 18th century, the square in front of the mosque and the facade of the bazaar were turned into a gathering place.

In the eastern part of the square there is a bazaar that locals call Haji Qanbar which takes its name from Haji Qanbar Jahanshahi, a person that was assigned as the governor of Yazd by Jahanshah Kara Koyunlu. The Kara Koyunlu that literary means the owners of black ships were a Turkman tribe based in north-west of Iran. They used to be under the control of Timurid rulers but their indomitable nature didn’t accept being ruled by others and soon they declared independence, starting their own kingdom

Another significant thing regarding this square is its Nakhl. Nakhl is a wooden object made in different sizes and used as a symbol of a martyr’s coffin. It is also known to represent a cradle and refers to the innocence of the martyr and the life of that person in heaven. Since it has the shape of a tree, it came to be known as Nakhl or palm but in reality it is the representation of Sarv or cedar that is the symbol of resistance and is known to stand as the symbol of Iran. The Nakhl of Yazd is the biggest Nakhl of the country known as Heidaries Nakhl. On the annual anniversary of Imam Hossein’s martyrdom (the third Shia Imam) the Nakhl is moved around by more than 100 men. With an estimation of 450 years of age that dates back to the Safavid Era, the Nakhl is known to be one of the oldest such structures in Iran.

Another significant thing regarding this square is its Nakhl. Nakhl is a wooden object made in different sizes and used as a symbol of a martyr’s coffin.

The Amir Chakhmaq Tekieh was registered as a national heritage in 1951 followed by the Amir Chakhmaq mosque, registered 11 years later. Later the whole complex that included the square, the bazaar, the tekyeh and the mosque were registered as one.

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