“Passage Parvaneh”, literally translates to “Butterfly Market”, located in Jomhouri Street in Tehran, is home to one of the Old Iranian markets, “Jomeh Bazar”. During the week the market lives a boring routine life of a shopping centre and a multi-level parking. Though it’s just enough for the week to come to its end and on Friday the passage takes a totally different face, replete with colours of arts and crafts, and mainly of the past.
Most certainly, no parking is permitted in the parking area on Friday, since, early in the morning, various groups of young and old salespeople and peddlers arrive there, start spreading their goods out on their specific location, a parking lot, looking for the crowd of excited customers and potential buyers in the colourful market during the coming hours.
This market has grown popularity as “Jomeh Bazar” since about 15 years ago, when the Mayor’s office decided to prevent street vendors and peddlers in Manouchehri Street and Sed Esmal market and to relocate them here. The new “Jomeh Bazar” has created its own identity, with specific salespeople, distinct audience and even its own culture.
There is a story behind every item
In order to grasp the true essence of the market, one needs to experience it themselves. Wake up early this Friday morning while the city is still asleep or at least looks so, you don’t need to be very early, just try to get there before 11:00.
As soon as you arrive at the parking, the difference is quite obvious. By the time you have climbed the parking ramp you will end up among a completely unique crowd of people, parallel rows of vendors are surrounded by flood of onlookers and potential buyers of thousands of interesting and memorable goods. Here everything has a story; most of them are quite old and have found their way to this market through different generations. Antiques, old padlocks and cameras, sculptures, pots and pans of wide range of materials, from silver and copper to porcelain and crystal, kettles, typewriters, some old stamps and coins, colourful chandeliers, old radios, turn-tables and records, all sorts of books and even old match boxes. There are also some more recent handcrafts made by younger generations, most often inspired by a traditional artefact. Variety of ornaments seems to be never-ending here, some are modern handmade jewelleries, and others are quite old, looking for a beauty to opt for them, though it is not clear by whom they used to worn. Clothes follow their own fashion too. Through the fabrics, styles and vivid colours a trace of artistry can easily be seen. Some of these clothing are second hand and largely old. Others are new and sewn by Turkeman, Balouchi or even Pakistani women.
Other items that can be found in this market are different types of traditional pastry and homemade pickles, variety of musical instruments, old games and puzzles, otherwise put, whatnot!
