Pejvak (God is great) / Mizuma Art Gallery
Consciously or subconsciously, I see many similarities between the current social atmosphere in Iran and Ashura(1). Perhaps the analogy came to me because of the popular movement that followed the recent presidential election which chose the color green as its symbol. In my country, green has a deep religious meaning and the chants of the post-election protest also has religious connotations, as gatherings are organized to coincide with religious events. As a form of protest against the proclaimed results of last June's elections, people started to gather on the rooftops in the evening and shout "Allah-o-akbar", 'God is great', to express their opposition and dissatisfaction. this spontaneous phenomenon has created an impressive and inspiring atmosphere. The Persian proverb that says, "What comes from the heart, returns to the heart" applies perfectly in this regard. The shout of "God is great" in the dark of night, is not only considered as a protest, but also as a reminder for those who lost their lives or have been victimized . In Iran's religious culture, the most revered figure respected for the pains he suffered is Imam Hossein. And the predominant color of his annual mourning, Ashura, is green. The color green, however, has gained a different meaning in the course of recent developments in Iran, and from now on, won't necessarily be associated only with its religious meaning. 1-Ashura is the mourning and commemoration day of the martyrdom of Imam Hossein, Shiite Muslims' third Imam and a grandson of the Prophet Mohammad. The commemoration of Ashura is the most popular religious festival in Iran and draws to the streets tens or hundreds of thousands of people