Feriz, Khusf

Feriz (Persian: فريز, also Romanized as Ferīz, Farīz, and Ferīs; also known as Firīz and Fariz Khoosaf)[1] is a village in Barakuh Rural District, Jolgeh-e Mazhan District, Khusf County, South Khorasan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 216, in 81 families.[2]

Feriz فريز
village
Feriz
Coordinates: 32°42′25″N 59°08′55″E
Country	Iran
Province	South Khorasan
County	Khusf
Bakhsh	Jolgeh-e Mazhan
Rural District	Barakuh
Population  (2006)
• Total	216
Time zone	UTC+3:30 (IRST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+4:30 (IRDT)

Feriz is a village in the Brakoh rural district of Jalgah Majhan district of Khusf city, located in South Khorasan province. According to the 2005 census of Iran's Statistics Center, its population is 216 people.

Feriz is a beautiful village in Khusf. The poet, Ibn Hissam Khusfi, in his trip to Feriz, wrote his famous ode of pilgrimage related to Kahi Mazar(a place of worship), making clear references to Feriz and the beauty of its horizon, saying:

May God forgives their sins, Feriz where its sky shines with the light of the moon

At night, thousands of people made a shelter for us

Geographical Location

Feriz village is located in the south of the Bagheran mountain range, 33 km from Birjand city. Its road connection with the capital of the province is mountainous and difficult; as a result, the asphalt road that passes by the Kavir Tire factory and is known as Rekat Road is used by villagers and travelers.

Profession and Craft

The villagers are engaged in the production and sale of saffron and dried fruits such as almonds, walnuts, jujube, and barberry. Recently, the establishment of poultry and cattle breeding, a meteorological station, and greenhouses has increased the production and economic base of the village.

Ancient Relics

Existing Ancient Relics

1- One of the ancient monuments of Feriz is its castle, which was the base and military fortress of the village in the past and was built to prevent Uzbek attacks. Its architect is not exactly known.

The width of the walls is about 2 meters (eight bricks). There was a prison in this castle in which, cells are still standing and they are very dark and daunting. Inside and in the middle of the stairs of the upper floor of the castle, there is a well that used to connect to the general military fortress, but now this hidden way is blocked and impassable.

2- The second ancient relic of the village is Qanat at its center and Pahchun and Nisan Plantation and the Kalateh of Hassan Ali Khan.

Lost Historical Sites

1- There is a stout and very old plantain tree that has an old and historical birth certificate and is the oldest plantain tree that existed in this vast province.

According to the statements of the local people quoted from their ancestors, the trunk of the tree was about 10 meters, and after a fire, the trunk became hollow and remained like a circular room made of wood. This enclosure has been used to tie donkeys. Even now, when only a quarter of the wall of this enclosure remains, it still presents a shelter for passers-by, travelers, gypsies, and occasionally the villagers themselves.

Every year during Nowruz (Persian New year), a swing used to hang on one of its branches, and all the young people and men of the village and nearby villages would sit on the swing and catch the so-called wind, and Loti Mahal played a circle and a musician played. This custom was performed regularly until 30 years ago. But on one of the nights of summer, a fierce storm and strong monsoon wind broke this branch and destroyed the above custom.

2- There used to be a temple or a fire temple, probably going back to the pre-Islamic era, recently, while leveling the area, ashes dating to several hundred years ago, emerged from the ground. This is another example of the long history of the village and its people's faith.

3- There used to be a military fort, which was leveled and turned into farmland about sixty years ago. At the depth of five or six meters of this land, a house and an installation, and a guide to the surroundings and sides of the castle were found, which for the moment needs to be excavated again.

Elders and Nobles of Feriz Village

Among the nobles and scholars of this village, there is the late Akhund Mullah Ali Akbar and Mr. Seyyed Mohammad nicknamed Agha Seyyed Hafiz, Hafiz Kalamullah Majid, who died in 1931 and is buried in the tomb of Sheikh Abu Darda and Murad Bakhsh.

Among the local scholars of the last century, we can mention the late Haji Akhund Khaliqi, Ahund Mullah Abdul Javad Haji, Mullah Ali Akbar, Sheikh Ali Akbar Mohseni, and Mr. Seyyed Reza Golestani, all of whom have passed away.

Among the elders of this village, we can mention Muhammad Khan and Shir Ali Khan and rulers such as Ali Quli Khan.

Aqueducts (Qanats) of Feriz village

The main Qanat of the Feriz

Kalate Hossein Ali Khan Qanat

Pahchun Qanat

My Village, Feriz

Man Freez village

Feriz - Birjand - South Khurasan - Iran

Shall we develop Feriz?

Welcome to the Feriz Village

One has to pass through the heart of the desert, cross the mountains, and then reach a green sign that shows the freshness and greenery of the village, on which it is written "Feriz" and it shows a passerby that they have arrived at this village. A little further, one would reach the middle of the village, which is the gathering place of the men and women who sometimes spend the day there. They sit together and talk about various issues. There is a white stone in this place, inside of which there is a hole, which they used to put a long wood (Alam) inside it during the month of Muharram.

The place that is liked by most people is under the sycamore tree, the life of which according to the elders is more than a thousand years, and all the people have memories of that tree. They can hear the water passing by this tree, relieve their tired souls and bodies, and see a long life beside the water.  The Mosque of the village which is located next to the water pool has seen many celebrations and mourning.  This mosque has been a magnificent place for Seyyed al-Shohada mourning and locals cry their hearts and souls which indicates the religious beliefs of the people of Feriz.

While being among the people of Feriz, one never feels homesick; the brick-walled alleyways were always crowded with welcoming gardeners. The elders of the community would tell old stories of every neighborhood, in each of which there were hundreds of listeners. One could hear kids playing outside and people were not separated from each other. In each household, one could find seven to eight kids of different ages. At dawn, when the roosters sing, people would wake up for prayer and then straight to work and farming. In those days, there was abundant water in Qanat for farming. As time passed, the water in the aqueduct reduced. Cities in the vicinity grew with more opportunities and the kids who are now grown to be adults left the village one by one. The elders now alone in the village await their demise while even youngsters would leave this world sooner than expected. Now, the alleys are filled with solitude and silence, but they are reminders of a glorious past and one must keep this past alive. We all have faith in the water and soil of this village because we spent our childhood, in the alleys and under the walnut and berry trees and thousands of other places; we filled our baskets with various fruits. Although the Feriz was left alone all of a sudden, we will reclaim it.

Translator and Editor: Dr Ali Rafiei

Source collector: Jafar Nakhli Feriz