The Bath in Iran

[ Hammam-eh Nomreh ]

During my childhood, a bath was not a part of most Iranian homes. Only the very rich had residential baths, but even many of those did not have warm water during winter.

When I was a child, I usually used the public Turkish bath with my grandma every week. During the teenage years, things had changed and I used the hammam-eh nomreh. Literally: the numbered bath; semi-private bathrooms for rent. The designs of the baths were so different than the Western model and the way we approached the task was also different. It was a big deal, sometimes taking a good part of the day.

I remember the rugged texture of the kisseh — a sort of a rough wool mitten we soaped up with sefidab (a natural peeling, consisting of only natural ingredients and minerals).

حمّام نمره

[ بَسروم ]

هنگام كودكي من، در بيشتر منازل حمّام وجود نداشت فقط خانواده هاي ثروتمند در منزل حمّام داشتند كه آن هم بدليل نبودن آب گرم در زمستان زياد استفاده نميشد.

در دوران کودكي بيشتر بهمراه مادر بزرگم از حمّامهاي عمومي استفاده ميكرديم و در دوران نوجواني از حمّامهاي عمومي با کابین های انفرادي (حمّام نمره) بود استفاده ميشد. فرم حمّامهاي ايراني و استفاده از آنها كاملا با حمّامهاي غربي متفاوت بود . بايد گفت حمّام رفتن در آن زمان يكي از برنامه هاي جالب و طولاني روزانه بود.

براي شستشوي خود از كيسه هاي ضخيمي استفاده ميكرديم كه با آغشته ساختن آنها به سفیداب (مادّهُ تمیز کننده ،مخلوطی از مواد طبیعی) بدن خود را ميشستيم.

Diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, depicting the bath in her childhood Iran, growing up in Shiraz, Persia, RememberingPersia.com.
Diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, depicting the bath in her childhood Iran, growing up in Shiraz, Persia, RememberingPersia.com.

A small place next to the shower room was decorated with Zouzani and Bokhcheh. These were part of a girl’s dowry; though things differed by class orientation. While the poor had nothing at all or something made of ordinary fabric, the rich had Zouzani and Bokhche made of Termeh (a hand-made and precious fabric decorated with pearls from Persian Gulf.)

جای کوچکی در کنار حمّام با سوزنی و بقچه پوشیده شده بود که بخشی از جهیزیه دختران بشمار می رفت، البتّه با توجّه به وضعیّّّّّّّت مالی خانواده ها این اشیاء کیفیّت های متفاوتی داشتند. در حالیکه فقرااصلاً چیزی نداشتند و یا تنها یک پارچه معمولی بکار می بردند، خانواده های ثروتمند از سوزنی و بقچه های ترمه (یک پارچه دست بافت گرانبها که با مرواریدهای خلیج فارس تزئین شده بود) استفاده می کردند،

Diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, depicting the bath in her childhood Iran, growing up in Shiraz, Persia, RememberingPersia.com.
Diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, depicting the bath in her childhood Iran, growing up in Shiraz, Persia, RememberingPersia.com.

In every bathroom, special sandals (made of wood and leather) were available. We were told that the floor was contaminated and one should wear slippers to protect herself from germs.

در هر حمّام دم پائی های مخصوص (که از چوب و چرم ساخته شده بود) برای استفاده بکار می رفت. به ما گفته بودند که زمین حمّام آلوده است و باید از این دم پائی ها برای حفظ بدن در برابر میکرب استفاده کنیم.

Diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, depicting the bath in her childhood Iran, growing up in Shiraz, Persia, RememberingPersia.com.
Diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, depicting the bath in her childhood Iran, growing up in Shiraz, Persia, RememberingPersia.com.

Relative to girls, boys were coddled, and mother or the nanny took extra care to protect them from getting cold.

به پسرها در مقایسه با دختران محبّت بیشتری نشان داده می شد و مادر و ننه هااز آنها بیشتر مراقبت می کردند تا سرما نخورند.

Diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, depicting the bath in her childhood Iran, growing up in Shiraz, Persia, RememberingPersia.com.
Diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, depicting the bath in her childhood Iran, growing up in Shiraz, Persia, RememberingPersia.com.

Playing with water was fun, but soaping and washing hair was awful due to a harsh soap.

بازی با آب در حمام لذّت بخش بود امّا صابون زدن برای شستن سر شکنجه بزرگی محسوب می شد چون صابون ها معمولاً بسیار سوزنده بودند.

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