Ep 12 – Iran As I Knew It : A Prince is born- Grand Celebrations
By Col V K Bali, Retd
One fine crispy October morning we were in for a big surprise. On reaching the school we were told that the school will remain closed for one week as ordered by government for Celebrations.
We were told that a Prince was born to Queen Farah and King Mohammed Raza Pahelvi. On our way back to home we saw that Bazars and the shops were being decorated by the shop owners. The central park was all agog being cleaned and decorated with banners carrying the image of the king and queen. A huge stage was being constructed and decorated with flower pots and buntings.
Every body seemed cheerful, talking loudly and happy with laughter all around. There was a grand cultural program in the central park for public with free ice creams, Shar Sharbat and sweets being served to the public.
All prisoners in the prisons were released after a general royal pardon for all those involved in common crimes.
That evening it was announced that the King and the Queen along with their new born Prince would be visiting Zahedan and stay for some time to meet with general public.
On the appointed day my dad along with other town dignitaries and government officials like police chief,town administrator, Dr Zakariya who was director Radio Iran received the King and Queen at Zahedan Airport. All school children lined up along the road route bedecked with welcome hoardings, flags and flowers. We were asked to shower the King’s convoy with rose petals which was given to us in paper bag.
The king had many important officials in his entourage along with him.He spoke to each official in fairly good detail…He was very happy to meet my dad and very surprised and pleased to meet a foreign head of mission speak in fluent Persian. My dad conveyed best wishes to the Royal family and the Prince on behalf of GovernmentGovernmentand te people of India.
The King was totally floored as my father read out a hurriedly penned Persian Nazam wishing happiness to the new born Prince. He was speechless at this and vigoursly shook my father’s hand again and also thanked him.
That evening a senior official came and handed dad a gift sent by the king. It was a set of laterally opposite two wall carpets depicting the epic fight of Rustam and Sohrab. This fight was a legend of Sistan province…both father and son were heroic soldiers of Sistan folklore.
Later, before my dad passed away,he gifted these two wall carpets to me and they still adorn the walls of our drawing room.
We received another important guest after a few months in the form of Late Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, the then President of India who visited our home at Zahedan while on an Presidential visit to Iran.
Those were a kind of colourful days full of excitement and visits by very important dignitaries.
