Behbahan
Encyclopedia
Behbahan is a city in and the capital of Behbahan County
, Khuzestan Province
, Iran
. At the 2006 census, its population was 99,204, in 24,204 families.
To the north of the city lie the ruins of the ancient city Arrajan, built during the Sassanian period, where important remnants from the Elam
ite era can be found.
The people of Behbahan (Behbahanis) speak a Persian
dialect distinct to their group, as well as Luri
, and may still use words of Khuzi origin, the language of the original inhabitants of Khuzestan. Behbahanis claim various lines of descent: from the ancient peoples of Arrajan - the Lurs
/ nobility
or the sons of Prophet Muhammad
. The inhabitants of the suburban districts are primarily of Lur background. The majority of Behbahanis are remains of Arrajan (Arjan/Argan) after an earthquake destroyed a dam, which lead to the flooding of the city. People of Arrajan were originally Zoroastrian during the elamite period, and later on converted to Islam. The details of how or when they converted are unclear. According to the elderly of the city and the oral history, the current population of Behbahan consists of a mixture of 60% zoroastrian background, and 40% others. They are mostly Muslims, even those who still observe sabbath to be the holy day of the week. However, a large Baha'i minority can be noticed.
Since Arya-gan (Argan) city was destroyed in a natural disaster, most probably because of massive earth quakes and floodings, all survivors were forced to leave the ruins. A Luri group who lived in tents were forced to leave to another part of the city across the Maroon river. There, they founded a city on a plain of land where they started building better homes, the "Good Tents". Those tents were never made of wool in their new place. Instead, they were made out of bricks and clay.
The name Behbahan is a result of the combination of two words, "Beh" and "Bahan".
The first part, "beh" (Persian: به), simply means "Good".
The second part, "bahan" (Luri / Ancient Khuzi Iranian: بهان), means "a tent" used by Luri people.
So, simply the name of Behbahan means the "Good Tent".
Behbahani, Reza Roghani, Nima project manager.
Ahmad Beladi Behbehani, leader of alleged Iranian terror.
Behbahan County
Behbahan County is a county in Khuzestan Province in Iran. The capital of the county is Behbahan. At the 2006 census, the county's population was 172,597, in 39,607 families. The county is subdivided into four districts: the Central District, Aghajari District, Tashan District, and Zeydun District...
, Khuzestan Province
Khuzestan Province
Khuzestan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the southwest of the country, bordering Iraq's Basra Province and the Persian Gulf. Its capital is Ahwaz and covers an area of 63,238 km²...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. At the 2006 census, its population was 99,204, in 24,204 families.
To the north of the city lie the ruins of the ancient city Arrajan, built during the Sassanian period, where important remnants from the Elam
Elam
Elam was an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran. Elam was centered in the far west and the southwest of modern-day Iran, stretching from the lowlands of Khuzestan and Ilam Province, as well as a small part of southern Iraq...
ite era can be found.
The people of Behbahan (Behbahanis) speak a Persian
Khuzestani Persian
There are a number of Khuzestani Persian dialects unique to the province of Khuzestan in southwestern Iran.There are two main regional classifications, in addition to less common varieties:-Northern region:* Behbahani* Dezfuli* Masjed Soleiman...
dialect distinct to their group, as well as Luri
Luri language
Lori or Luri is a collection of Southwestern Iranian languages which are mainly spoken by the Lurs and Bakhtiari people in the Iranian provinces of Loristan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad and parts of Khuzestan and Esfahan province and Fars provinces...
, and may still use words of Khuzi origin, the language of the original inhabitants of Khuzestan. Behbahanis claim various lines of descent: from the ancient peoples of Arrajan - the Lurs
Lurs
Lurs are an Iranic people living mainly in south-western Iran. Their population is estimated at above two million. They occupy Lorestan, Bakhtiari, and Kuh-Gilu-Boir Ahmed. "....
/ nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
or the sons of Prophet Muhammad
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
. The inhabitants of the suburban districts are primarily of Lur background. The majority of Behbahanis are remains of Arrajan (Arjan/Argan) after an earthquake destroyed a dam, which lead to the flooding of the city. People of Arrajan were originally Zoroastrian during the elamite period, and later on converted to Islam. The details of how or when they converted are unclear. According to the elderly of the city and the oral history, the current population of Behbahan consists of a mixture of 60% zoroastrian background, and 40% others. They are mostly Muslims, even those who still observe sabbath to be the holy day of the week. However, a large Baha'i minority can be noticed.
Etymology
The name (Behbahan) was not mentioned in text books earlier than the 14th century. Because the land of what is currently known as Behbahan was part of Arya-gan (Argan) city instead; back then, the land of the current Behbahan was not inhabited.Since Arya-gan (Argan) city was destroyed in a natural disaster, most probably because of massive earth quakes and floodings, all survivors were forced to leave the ruins. A Luri group who lived in tents were forced to leave to another part of the city across the Maroon river. There, they founded a city on a plain of land where they started building better homes, the "Good Tents". Those tents were never made of wool in their new place. Instead, they were made out of bricks and clay.
The name Behbahan is a result of the combination of two words, "Beh" and "Bahan".
The first part, "beh" (Persian: به), simply means "Good".
The second part, "bahan" (Luri / Ancient Khuzi Iranian: بهان), means "a tent" used by Luri people.
So, simply the name of Behbahan means the "Good Tent".
Famous People
MarafiMarafi
Marafi Behbahani , also written as Ma'arafi, Marafie, or Ma'arafie. He was Mohammad-Rafie Mohammad-Zaman Behbahani, the founder of the currently known Marafi/Marafie Family of Kuwait. He was born in the Iranian city of Behbahan . He migrated from Behbahan to Kuwait due to many reasons; the one...
Behbahani, Reza Roghani, Nima project manager.
Ahmad Beladi Behbehani, leader of alleged Iranian terror.