Pahlevan of Iran

Pahlevan of Iran (Persian: پهلوان ایران) is a national championship for pahlevani wrestling (koshti pahlavāni) held annually in Iran. Though the competition has ancient roots, its modern form began in 1944.[1][2]

The champion earns the title of Pahlevan and the right to wear the Bazouband (championship armband). Described as "tangled up with the soul of Iranian peoples", the title is athletically and culturally prestigious in Iran.[3] The Pahlevan armband was formerly awarded by the Shah of Iran and is now presented by the president of Iran.[4] Many Pahlevan have gone on to win medals in international competition.

Mostafa Tousi, 3-times winner (1323–25)
Ahmad Vafadar, 3-times winner (1329–31)
Abbas Zandi, with 4 titles (1328, 1332–35) and the youngest Pahlevan ever (18 years old)[1]
Gholamreza Takhti, 3-times winner (1336–38) was nicknamed Jahan Pahlevan[1]
Alireza Soleimani has the most titles (6-times in total: 1358,1361–62, 1364–65, 1369) and is nicknamed Pahlevan Bashi  [1]

Early Period (651–1450)[5]

Middle Period (1450–1795)[5]

  • Mirza Beyk-e Kashani
  • Beyk-e Khorassani
  • Hossein-e Kord[citation needed]
  • Mir Baqer
  • Jalal Yazdi
  • Kabir-e Esfahani (Pahlavan-e Bozorg)
  • Kalb Ali Aqa Jar
  • Haji Yadollah Rezapoori

Pre-Modern period (1795–present)[6]

  • Haj Seyyed Hasan Razaz (Pahlavan-e Bozorg), also known as Pahlavan Shoja'at[citation needed]
  • Ali Asghar Yazdi
  • Haj Reza Qoli Tehrani
  • Mohammad Mazar Yazdi
  • Shaban Siyah Qomi
  • Yazdi Bozrog (Pahlavan-e Bozorg)
  • Akbar Khorasani
  • Abolqasem Qomi
  • Hossein Golzar-e Kermanshahi
  • Sadeq-e Qomi
  • Mirza Hashem Akbarian Tefaghi, Moblsaz Esfahani[citation needed]
  • Yazdi Kuchak (last official Pahlavan of Iran)
  • Aziz Khan Rahmani /Kurdistani also known by Sanandaji(Gold Medal in 1945)[citation needed]

List of Modern Pahlevans[1]

Year Pahlevan Hometown
Gregorian Iranian
1944–45 1323 Mostafa Tousi Khorasan
1945–46 1324
1946–47 1325
1947–48 1326 Ziaeddin Mirghavami Tehran
1948–49 1327 Abolghasem Sakhdari Khorasan
1949–50 1328 Abbas Zandi Tehran
1950–51 1329 Ahmad Vafadar Khorasan
1951–52 1330
1952–53 1331
1953–54 1332 Abbas Zandi Tehran
1954–55 1333
1955–56 1334
1956–57 1335 Not Held
1957–58 1336 Gholamreza Takhti Tehran
1957–58 1337
1957–58 1338
1958–59 1339 Not Held
1959–60 1340 Yaghoub-Ali Shorouzi Khorasan
1960–61 1341 Mansour Mehdizadeh Tehran
1342–1343 Not Held
1965–66 1344 Mansour Mehdizadeh Tehran
1345–1353 Not Held
1975–76 1354 Reza Soukhteh-Saraei Mazandaran
1355–1357 Not Held
1979–80 1358 Alireza Soleimani Tehran
1359–1360 Not Held
1982–83 1361 Alireza Soleimani Tehran
1983–84 1362
1984–85 1363 Mohammad Hassan Mohebbi Kermanshah
1985–86 1364 Alireza Soleimani Tehran
1986–87 1365
1987–88 1366 Mohammad Reza Tupchi
1988–89 1367 Mohammad Hassan Mohebbi Kermanshah
1989–90 1368 Mohammad Reza Tupchi Tehran
1990–91 1369 Alireza Soleimani
1991–92 1370 Majid Ansari
1992–93 1371 Ayyoub Bani-Nosrat Azerbaijan
1993–94 1372
1994–95 1373 Mahmoud Miran Tehran
1995–96 1374
1996–97 1375
1997–98 1376
1998–99 1377 Hamid Ghashang Khorasan
1999–00 1378
2000–01 1379 Mahmoud Mohammadi Tehran
2001–02 1380 Amin Rashidlamir Khorasan
2002–03 1381 Hamid Ghashang
2003–04 1382 Abdolreza Kargar
2004–05 1383
2005–06 1384 Not Held
2006–07 1385 Shahrokh Sedaghatizadeh Mazandaran
2007–08 1386 Fardin Masoumi Gilan
2008–09 1387 Amin Rashidlamir Khorasan
2009–10 1388 Arash Mardani Lorestan
2010–11 1389
2011–12 1390
2012–13 1391 Jaber Sadeghzadeh Mazandaran
2013–14 1392 Ahmad Mirzapoor Khorasan
2014–15 1393 Parviz Hadi Azerbaijan
2015–16 1394 Jaber Sadeghzadeh Mazandaran
2016–17 1395 Jaber Sadeghzadeh Mazandaran

In Shahnameh

Main article: Jahan Pahlavan
Rostam and Sohrab, two of the Pahlevan in Shahnameh

There are many Pahlevan in the epic poem Shahnameh. But the meaning of Pahlavan in Shahnameh is not only attributed to the wrestler. In Shahnameh, the word Pahlevan is referred to its ancient status as a title of honour granted by Shah of Persia. Pahlavan title was granted by the shah to the candidates whom beside their athletic manner, honesty, righteous were brave warrior; and the hero Rostam was given the title of Jahan Pahlavan (Persian: جهان پهلوان), a title higher than Pahlavan, which most recently is used for Gholamreza Takhti.[7][circular reference][8][circular reference]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Abbasi, Pouya (2009). "Pahlevani: From Zoroastrians to Takhti" (PDF). Hamshahri Tamashagar (in Persian). Vol. 72. pp. 74–75. ISSN 1735-7535.[dead link‍]
  2. ^ Sarrafi, Khashayar. Modern Pahlevan: Jahan Pahlevan Takhti (PDF) (Report). Shanghai University Sports Research Center, College of Physical Education. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 May 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  3. ^ پهلوانان ایران زمین [Iranian warriors of the land]. Hamshahri (in Persian). 30 April 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  4. ^ رستم‌پور, مهدی (9 May 2013). "پناهندگی صاحب بازوبند پهلوانی ایران به هلند". رادیو فردا (in Persian). Radio Farda. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Timeline - Islamic Era". Traditional Iranian Martial Arts (Varzesh-e Pahlavani). 2002. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  6. ^ "Timeline - Contemporary Era". Traditional Iranian Martial Arts (Varzesh-e Pahlavani). 2002. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  7. ^ "پهلوان - ویکی‌پدیا، دانشنامهٔ آزاد". fa.m.wikipedia.org (in Persian). Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  8. ^ "جهان‌پهلوان - ویکی‌پدیا، دانشنامهٔ آزاد". fa.m.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 2020-12-01.