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News ID: 152930
Publish Date : 21 August 2026 - 23:01

In Delhi, Iran Showcases Zurkhaneh Rituals and Instruments

NEW YORK -- A permanent exhibition dedicated to Iran’s traditional Zurkhaneh sports has opened at the Cultural Centre of the Islamic Republic of Iran in New Delhi, offering international visitors an introduction to one of the country’s most distinctive traditions of physical culture.
Titled “Pahlavan Pouria-ye Vali’s Zurkhaneh Corner”, the exhibition brings together the principal instruments used in Iranian Pahlavani training, including the bell, tombak-like zurkhaneh drum, various types of mil clubs, sang shields, kabbadeh bows and shena push-up boards. Each object is presented alongside information on its history, use and symbolism.
The exhibition has been conceived not simply as a display of sporting equipment, but as an introduction to the values associated with Iran’s traditional culture of physical training. 
Zurkhaneh combines athletic discipline with ideas of honor, generosity, humility and chivalry, reflecting a broader tradition of Iranian-Islamic ethics in which physical strength is understood alongside moral character.
For visitors unfamiliar with the tradition, the exhibition provides a compact window into the world of the Zurkhaneh: a space where rhythm, movement, poetry and ritual come together. 
The instruments themselves are central to this experience. The sound of the drum and bell accompanies the exercises, while the distinctive forms of the clubs, shields and other equipment reflect centuries of accumulated practice.
The initiative also forms part of

 a broader cultural and sporting exchange between Iran and India. According to Iran’s Cultural Counsellor in India, Farid al-Din Farid, the Iranian Cultural Centre in New Delhi has supported efforts over the past three years to establish a national Zurkhaneh federation in India.
Those efforts have included training programs for athletes and coaches, assistance with the federation’s registration process, demonstrations and events at the cultural center, and support for Indian Zurkhaneh athletes travelling to Iran to compete.
A major milestone came in January 2026, when India hosted the Zurkhaneh Sports and Pahlavani Wrestling World Cup following a year of preparations and coordination with Indian authorities. Held over three days at the international stadium of Jamia Millia Islamia University, the competition brought together athletes from nine countries.
Iran’s Cultural Counsellorship played a coordinating and quality-supervision role in the event on behalf of the International Zurkhaneh Sports Federation. 
The organizers described the competition as an important practical step towards establishing Zurkhaneh in India and securing wider recognition of the sport by the country’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
The event brought together athletes and coaches from participating countries, officials from international and national Zurkhaneh federations, veteran practitioners, traditional masters, morsheds and national champions.
 
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