Chak Chak and the Caravan

Before Islam arrived here, there was Zoroastrianism, which is the world's first monotheistic religion that have apparently gone onto influence Islam, Christianity and Judaism in their later forms. There are just over 300,000 Zoroastrians that live in Iran, most of them based in the Yazd area. It is more or less more tolerated than other minor religions in Iran. One would find another sizable population in India, of which many religious refugees had fled to during the revolution.

The desert road out to Chak Chak was absolutely mind blowing. Imagine driving from the built up dusty city onto a never ending highway, and onto flat desert plains where houses disappeared one by one. And suddenly, out of nowhere, craggy mountain mud hills appear so tall and towering, first a few, then a whole mountain range. Some of it dusted in snow, others just brown and barren. As we arrived at Chak Chak, the mountain range which housed the Zoroastrian Temple, the pollution haze cleared a little to reveal a beautiful clear sky. Brown and blue cut into each other so sharply but so naturally.













This is such an unusual temple. A spotlessly polished silver gate opened up into a natural stone cave that had a man-made marble floor, and the 'foyer' around the altar was also partially man-made, furnished with simple seating, and a few religious symbols and pictures hung around the top as if its like a family lounge room. Natural spring water is splurging from the top of the opening of the cave and washes through the walls of the cave. Drips of water rains down into the cave, and carefully caught by metal bowls strategically placed under the droplets, each making a clear soothing sound - and so a lovely rhythm is built up making a very natural, continuous meditative tune. In the middle of the shrine a gumtree brunch is incensed and smoke slowly being released out of it, whirling up the cave and into the opening at the top which a beam of sun ray casts in.

According to legend, Sassanian princess Nikbanou was fleeing Arab invaders in 640 AD, and had fled to these mountains. She threw a staff at the wall and water cam pouring out, and had been dripping ever since. Chak Chak is basically the onomatopoeia of 'drip drip' in the local language. This sacred site has been one of the most important Zoroastrian pilgrimages ever since. The water is 'recycled' by the thinking modern followers, and transported to a tank and available through taps just a few meters and our driver Lorian, who is a Zoroastrian himself, tells us that the spring water has medicinal purposes for his sore back.



Its so chilled out here. While I admit I am a little out of tune with spirituality these days, it is an absolutely fantastic spot to relax and think here. The view into the desert from such a high vantage point is vast and awesome. The cool breeze that blows over these cliffs rolled past my face, and birds dance through the branches of the eucalyptus trees that line the steps to the temple. I took out a small envelope of thin short hair from my pocket, unwrapped them and blew them into the air, making a wish. I could gaze into the desert like this forever, I really can.

We drove passed a Zoroastrian Village on the way back in, Lorian stopping the car to greet a few elderly locals that must have been relatives. They were dressed in elaborate colourful but still long and covering attire, with head wraps that are significantly different to their Muslim counterparts. The older lady's eyes were suffering from cataract and her wrinkles so deep set from the desert sun that it looked like a landscape itself, her smile cracked like a long thin river...