Mahabad
(Kurdish: مەھاباد, Persian: مهاباد)
is a city in northwestern Iran with a population of 133,324 in 2006 census.[1] The city lies south of Lake Urmia in a narrow valley 1,300 metres above sea level, in West Azarbaijan Province.The name of 'Mahabad' (mah+abad) is the Persian translation of the ancient Mannaean name meaning place of moon, which is also a cognate with the Kurdish word mang.
It was referred to in the Turkic languages as 'Savoj-bolaq', or 'Sablakh', which means "Cold-spring water". Mahabad is the centre of a rich agricultural region, but the city itself is little developed by Iranian standards. Mahabad is connected by road with Tabriz 300 km north, Urmia 150 km north and Irbil in Iraq. The city has also a university, the Islamic Azad University of Mahabad.[2]
References
* Hêmin(Hemin) Mokriani in Encyclopaedia Iranica
* Short Biography and works of Zabihi
* Zabihi, Abdal Rahman, Qamusi zimanî Kurdî (Dictionary of Kurdish Language),Korî Zaniyarî Kurd Press, Baghdad Vol. II 1979. 230 + 7 p (through letter b).
* Mukriyani, Giw, Ferhengî mehabad (Mahabad Dictionary),Kurdish-Arabic dictionary, Kurdistan Press, Hawlir (Arbil), 1961,795 p.
* Sharafkandi, Abdurrahman (Hejar or Hajar), Henbane Borîne, Ferhengî Kurdî-Kurdî-Farsî (Kurdish-Kurdish-Persian Dictionary) Tehran : Sorush Press, 1991, 1032 p.,[13]
* Article of the Monde Diplo on Mahabad (in French
Contents
* History
* Culture
History
The region of Mahabad was the centre of the Mannaeans, who flourished in the early 1st millennium BC.[3] The city of Mahabad has often been the centre of Kurdish nationalist movements in Iran.[4] During the Safavid dynasty, the region of Mukriyan experienced political turmoil. In 1609-1610, during the battle of "DimDim", the Mukriyan tribes of the region supported "Amir Khan Lepzerin" (Golden Hand Khan), the Kurdish ruler of Bradost. For further detail see "Iranian Kurdistan" section in Kurdistan article. (Also see [5], [6]) . The Chuwarchira Square at night in 2006, where the proclamation of the Republic of Mahabad in 1946 was. Local traditions hold that there was an older Mahabad in what is today known as plain of Sharwêran (ruined city), in neighbourhood of modern Mahabad but was destroyed by the invading armies in medieval era. Mahabad was a small village in Deryaz, until the leader of Kurdish Mukri Tribe Budaq Sultan made it capital of its regional government with permission of Safavid kings. Budaq Sultan constructed many noteworthy buildings were there.[7] They ruled this city until Qajar kings ended their emirate in the middle of 19th century. Mahabad in World War I was a center of combat between the Ottoman Empire and Russia. It was sacked by Russia, and then by Semko. In 1935 a great flood ruined much of the city. Much of the modern city was built is the result of the reconstruction. Mahabad was briefly the capital of a Soviet controlled Kurdish Republic of Mehabad, which declared its independence on January 1, 1946 under the leadership of Qazi Muhammad and Russian backers. Iran did not relinquish Mahabad and the Soviets lost ground by 1947. Culture
The prolific translator into Persian, Mohammad Qazi came from Mahabad. He translated more than 70 important literary works into Persian. Some poets and writers have hailed from this city in the 19th and 20th century. Wafaei(1844-1902), Hejar (Abdurrahman Sharfkandi)(1920-1990), Hêmin(Sayyed Moháammad Amini Shaykho-al-Eslam Mokri)(1920-1986), Abdorrahamn Zabihi (1920-1980) and Giw Mukriyani, all from Mahabad, are considered as the main writers and poets. The first Kurdish-Kurdish-Persian Dictionary in Iran was written by Hejar. Kurdistan's national poet was the title given to Hejar(along with Hêmin) during the short lived reign of the Republic of Mahabad in recognition of his poetry's service to the cause[8]. After the fall of the Pahlavi monarchy in Iran in 1979, "Hêmin" set up the Salaha-al-Din Ayyubi Kurdish publishing house in Urmia, which publishes Sirwe (from spring 1985), a quarterly cultural magazine that Hêmin ran until his death in 1986 [9]. The dialect of Mahabad, is adopted as the literary standard of Kurdish language in western Iran.(which is very close to the standard "sorani" used in Iraqi Kurdistan)
Tnx RCH23
