The Footprint of Kermanshah Fictional Literature from the Constitutional Era / “Shams and Toghara”; The Initiator of Modern Story Writing

IBNA News Agency’s Provinces Service – Somayeh Nouri: In every corner of Iran, stories are hidden that narrate the lives of people, customs, and history of that region. These stories not only reflect the past but also serve as a bridge to understanding the present and future. Indigenous storytelling, by depicting tangible realities and local language, plays an important role in preserving cultural identity and transmitting social values.

Indigenous stories, by reflecting real life and cultural characteristics of each region, provide a vivid and tangible picture of society. These works, in addition to entertainment, are tools for recording social and historical experiences and linking generations with local culture and identity.

If we want to trace the geography of storytelling in Iran from a historical perspective, the name of Kermanshah is recorded for the first time in this field with the pen of Mohammad Bagher Mirza Khosravi, the author of the novel “Shams and Toghara”. Khosravi, a Qajar prince and native of Kermanshah, was born in 1228 Solar Hijri year and is known as a litterateur, poet, and one of the pioneers of new prose in Iran.

By writing the first Persian historical novel in three volumes named “Shams and Toghara”, “Toghrul and Homa”, and “Mari Vanisi”, he opened a new path in Iranian narrative prose. Using a romantic style and a loving narrative against the backdrop of the Ilkhanate Mongol history, he laid the foundation for a different and new literature. His work, a blend of romantic imagination and social perspective, gained fame during the Constitutional period and was influential in the formation of modern narrative language in Iranian literature.

As mentioned, the novel “Shams and Toghara” cannot be considered the first romantic story in Iranian literature, but it can be counted as one of the first coherent romantic narratives in prose form and with a novel-like structure. The importance of this work lies in the fact that for the first time it brought love out of the form of poetic verses and narrated it within the framework of history, with a precise plot and clear characterization. Before that, romantic works in Persian literature mostly appeared in the form of poetic narratives such as “Vis and Ramin”, “Layla and Majnun”, and “Khosrow and Shirin” and did not approach the modern storytelling style. “Shams and Toghara” can be considered Iran’s first successful literary experience in entering the realm of the historical-romantic novel, where literary prose intertwined with narrative storytelling, creating a new form of Iranian storytelling.

However, although “Shams and Toghara” is the first historical novel in Iran with a romantic theme, and Khosravi should be considered the initiator of storytelling in Kermanshah, what is referred to today as Kermanshah’s indigenous literature has a different meaning. This literature was not formed in courts and among princes, but among the people and on the basis of local life, beliefs, dialect, and collective memory of this region; literature that later continued in the works of contemporary writers, from reflecting popular culture to representing the language and life-world of the region’s people, and became the narrator of the identity and collective memory of the people of the western part of the country.

From Ali Mohammad Afghani to Ali Ashraf Darvishian; The Path of Formation of Regional Literature in Kermanshah

Perhaps in Kermanshah, Ali Ashraf Darvishian is considered the initiator of this style of indigenous storytelling. The first indigenous fictional works of Kermanshah province were published in local periodicals in the early 20th century, and some were later published as books. Darvishian and his contemporaries depicted the culture and life of the people of western Iran by creating short and realistic stories.

Recent decades have seen the emergence of younger writers who, using new storytelling techniques, continue this path and transmit Kermanshah’s cultural identity to new generations through their works.

Esmaeil Zareei, a prominent and stylistic Kermanshah writer, has been active in the field of storytelling for many years, and his works, especially in the realm of novels and short stories, reflect the culture, life, and concerns of the Iranian people. Zareei began his activity in the 1980s (1360s Solar Hijri) by writing social stories in various styles, and over four decades, he has published numerous novels and story collections. In some of his works, by utilizing local language and indigenous narratives, he has managed to preserve the cultural identity of the province and influence new generations of Kermanshah storytellers with his experiences and style.

The Beginning of Narratives in Western Iran; From the Constitutional Era to the First Pens in Kermanshah

Zareei, at the beginning of an interview with an IBNA reporter, referring to the initial roots of storytelling in Iran, said: “If we want to talk about the beginning of modern storytelling in Kermanshah, we must go back to the Constitutional era; where Mirza Bagher Khosravi is known as the pioneer of historical novel writing. Khosravi addressed social and historical issues in his three-volume book, but due to the use of standard language and the absence of indigenous cultural and linguistic elements, his writing cannot be considered indigenous literature. Nevertheless, modern storytelling in Iran and Kermanshah began from that time.”

Zareei further referred to the content of works published later and said: “The subject of some stories written in Kermanshah has been a reflection of the lives of the people of this city and its surrounding areas. Writers primarily addressed social concerns such as poverty, human relationships, and sometimes local beliefs and traditions, striving to narrate a part of people’s daily realities in the form of stories; these works had a simple expression but a humane and realistic view, emerging from the way of life and experience of the writers.”

He continued: “If we want to talk about the beginning of indigenous storytelling in Kermanshah, we must trace its origins in the writings of Ali Mohammad Afghani. In Afghani’s works, especially in the two well-crafted novels “Shohar-e Ahoo Khanom” and “Shadkaman-e Darreh-ye Qarasoo”, although events take place in Kermanshah and even names of neighborhoods are mentioned, they cannot be considered indigenous stories because they lack the necessary characteristics for creating the desired works.”

Darvishian and the Portrayal of Life in Abshouran Alleys

Zareei said: “After Afghani, it’s Ali Ashraf Darvishian’s turn, a writer who, with works like “Abshouran” and “Hamrah Ahanghay-e Babam”, took steps to introduce his hometown. Darvishian, unlike Afghani, used the language and tone of the people of Kermanshah. Inspired by people’s daily lives, he wrote about neighborhoods, rituals, and natural events like devastating floods, especially in the Abshouran neighborhood, creating atmospheres that flowed within the city and its people. Although his language was still standard, the narrative tone and spirit of the stories strongly reflected his hometown, and this created a difference between his works and Afghani’s.”

Referring to the publication of Darvishian’s first works, he said: “The book Abshouran should be considered his most prominent work, which was initially published under the pseudonym Latif Talkhestani. This work is the first collection of stories that is fully linked to Kermanshah in both theme and atmosphere and has managed to provide a vivid picture of the social life of the people of this city.”

Emphasizing that indigenous writing is not limited to merely presenting language, Zareei explained: “For indigenous writing, it is essential for the writer to use all the assets of the desired region in their narrative; from the tone and speech of the people to the type of clothing, foods, beliefs, proverbs, idioms, outlook on life, historical influences, geographical conditions, and many other characteristics. When these elements come together, the work created can be considered indigenous or regional literature.”

He then referred to several other writers and said: “Alongside Darvishian, writers like Ms. Peymaneh Roshanzadeh with her book (Nastaranha bar Shaneh Divar) also wrote in this vein. Of course, the works of these writers were mostly influenced by Darvishian and pursued the same indigenous concerns, but with simpler language and structure.”

Reflection of Social Reality in Kermanshah Stories

Zareei further stated: “In my collection “Shadi va Shiyon”, I have also tried to preserve the language and culture of Kermanshah. In this book, I have used Kermanshahi dialect, proverbs, local foods, and subcultures of the people. My goal was not just to write stories, but to record a part of this city’s cultural memory. In fact, preserving it is a kind of cultural responsibility for me. The book “Parvaneh” by Ms. Atefeh Konjuri was written precisely in line with recording the culture of the region and was published by Dibacheh Publications.”

Explaining his view on the relationship between indigenous and national literature, he said: “In my opinion, indigenous storytelling and national literature are not very separate, except for the difference that in regional writings, we are compelled to write in a language that most people understand, so that indigenous roots easily settle in their minds and memories, because indigenous language is the cultural capital of every region and must be kept alive. However, the ultimate goal in literature is to convey a human message, not to be limited to a specific geography.”

Indigenous and National Literature; Two Parallel Paths with a Common Goal

Zareei also has a clear opinion on the influence of the capital on literary movements and said: “Some people think that provincial writers are influenced by the literature of the capital, but the reality is that the capital itself is made up of people from the provinces. For example, Ahmad Mahmoud and many of his compatriots are from the south of the country, Golshiri and many of his fellow citizens are from Isfahan, Afghani and other Kermanshahi storytellers are from this city, and others from various cities and provinces have worked in Tehran. Therefore, it cannot be said that a writer is influenced by the capital. Tehran’s literature is the result of the convergence of various cultures, and every writer has a share in shaping it.”

Zareei continued: “Kermanshah has moved along with other cities in its storytelling journey. It has neither fallen behind nor gone ahead. Storytelling here, like in other parts of the country, has followed its path of growth and evolution and is still expanding.”

Indigenous Literature, A Child of Concern, Not Command

He concluded by addressing the role of institutions in strengthening indigenous storytelling: “It is better that no institution or organization tries to encourage or guide storytellers towards a specific topic, because when commands in the form of suggestions, prize determinations, etc., are involved, what is presented will lose its effectiveness, as work prepared under instruction will not come from the heart and soul.”

Zareei believes that writing should be formed by interest and concern; if someone truly has something to say, they will take up the pen themselves and do not need to be pushed or encouraged by others; in short, real support comes from the people, not from government institutions.