A spiritual retreat for lovers of the weird and wonderful
Kashan is a dusty ancient desert city a couple of hours outside Tehran. The old town is a mud-brown maze of alleyways, wind towers and historical buildings. There’s enough history in Kashan to keep a culture-lover busy for days. But the real reason to come here is the Puppet & Toy Museum Hostel. There’s nothing quite like it anywhere else in the world.
daste shomâ dard nakone
“may your hand not hurt” - a way of thanking someone for a meal or a gift
The museum is located in a fine 19th Century house that once belonged to a poet. Already a good start. And it doubles as a hostel with traditionally-decorated rooms around a sunny courtyard. Even better. It’s run by a sweet team of artists, musicians and assorted bohemian types. The atmosphere nourishes the soul in a way that’s hard to describe. A spiritual retreat for misfits and lovers of the eccentric. The kind of place a modern-day Hemingway could hole up in for weeks to write their new novel. In the late afternoon you can hear the birds enjoying the softening sun. At €6 a night, those weeks could easily run into months.
A typical day starts with a sunrise walk around the old town, watching the shadows grow along the old walls, followed by an excellent breakfast. Guests are a motley mix of backpackers, cultivated Iranians, and families with kids come especially for the puppet show. Folk music and squeaky sounds (just like the U.K.’s Mr Punch) float up from the museum below as the performers rehearse their routine. The museum itself houses a collection of antique puppets from around Kashan and across Iran, as well as old dolls from around the world. It’s amazing to see such a collection in the middle of nowhere. They also run puppet-making workshops and carry out field research into the songs and oral traditions of the surrounding area. The entire place is a work of art. Every corner has a story to tell.
The show itself lasts around 15 minutes. The three performers - two puppeteers behind the curtain and a musician in front - really get the crowd going. Although I couldn’t understand a word, the show reminded me of Guignol and Punch & Judy shows from my childhood, with similar levels of comedy violence. The whole audience, kids and adults alike, clapped along with the call-and-response. It was a joy to witness this quirky blend of innocent fun, poetry, history and exquisite craft. The fact that it’s not on the tourist trail makes it even more worthwhile. You’re guaranteed to bump into interesting people in this place.
Aside from the puppet shows they hold traditional music performances like this Yalda (longest) night (with the Hobby Horse character also found across Europe). This video was sent to me by my friend Khimya, an architect and tile-maker from Tehran who is busy restoring parts of the old bazaar. We spent many hours exploring Kashan together. It’s easy to make friends in Iran.
