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One Hundred Years Since My Mother’s Birth
It is the birthday of my mother, who was born one hundred years ago in the village of Yancheshmeh, in the city of Fereydun, Isfahan Province. Today, on her centennial, her memory and the place where she rests—Shami Valley—flow vividly through my mind. For some time, I had wished for a ceremony to be held in Shami Valley—not merely a personal commemoration, but an opportunity to reflect on a hundred years of history, progress, and change in this region, connecting the memory of my mother with that of the community living in this valley.
For me, Shami Valley is a symbolic place: there, my mother rests in the embrace of the valley, and the valley holds her in eternal embrace. The passage of time invites us to look at the past, present, and future—not to foretell or predict impossibilities, but to remind us that history has meaning: history is the heritage of us all, and without remembering the past, building a harmonious future is difficult. My wish was very strong, and for a whole year I hoped that my idea would be accepted by others. I do not expect anyone to carry it out in my place from afar; I know well that daily life is full of difficulties, and it is understandable that we cannot always realize what we hope for. This is not a complaint: it is a way of accepting reality, of approaching friends, breathing the valley’s air, hearing the shepherds and their flocks, and smelling the scent of growing plants. All of this, for me, is already a celebration.
Mother, though I cannot be present, I apologize to you. But I also wish this: I am certain that you will gift me a smile, because right on your birthday, your son has been invited by several regional mayors—who recognize his work—to be heard and honored for his service to the community and its dignity. Consider it a gift to you, a gift that reaches you through what your son creates for others. I know everyone remembers in their own way: some with presence, some with words, some with silent expressions of love. I am grateful to all for who they are and what they do, and I wish health for the elders and growth and joy for the younger ones, so that they may enjoy the beauty of this land.
The Bakhtiari people, with their culture and values, are a fragrance that accompanies my thoughts and strengthens memories. I send them my greetings, grateful for the magnificent ceremony they held for my mother’s passing. Today, one hundred years after my mother’s birth, once again her memory embraces you all, and I hope that new generations—children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren—will honor those who came before them, those who gifted smiles, those who were able to gather love and community around them.
An eternal embrace for my mother.
A grateful embrace for those who keep her memory alive.
Thursday, 24 September 2025Anniversary of my mother passed away a year ago
Those high and dry mountains, with various colours and different slopes embrace one with another, they paint the sky of intense blue
The hills that lead the road down to the valley, the sheep that cross it with their bells, play the soundtrack of that glorious and silent valley. In search of the meagre grass on which to graze, on the way to the homes of owners simple and generous peasantries , always on the move to face everyday life,
Those patches of often fragrant shrubs and those drought-tolerant grasses, like the isolated spot of fragrant myrtle, which, along with a few other shrubs, provide some shade under that blazing sky.
My mother sees everything around from her eternal home on the hill of Shami valley overlooking the ancient archaeological site, she is, the present witness in the valley,
She wishes for the well-being and prosperity of her beloved Bakhtiari, she prays for progress in their lives and for those who bring about it, and will forever praise those who cause this progress and those who carry it forward in history.
She looks at everything and continues to praise life and never stops praying for our future
Rremembrance of mother
On July 6, 2023, as local tradition dictates, the "fortieth" day after the death of Mrs. Hajar Shokrollahi will be celebrated.
This remembrance will take place at the grave of the deceased, and it will involve the local population of the villages of Charmorun and Kolchandar in the Shami Valley, located in the city of Izeh in the Khuzestan region of Iran.