Flower-Picking Ceremonies Underway in Kashan
Both Iranians and foreigners associate the city of Kashan in central Iran with its 800-year-old roses, rose-water and carpets. But what accounts for the glory of this area and its inhabitants each year is washing the Ka'ba of the world Muslims with the pure fragrant rose-water produced in Kashan.
The high popularity of the fragrant rose-water is not limited to the slopes of Karkas Mountains, but second half of Ordibehesht (second spring month) is marked by roses and rose-water worldwide.
The dry central desert of Iran has hidden pink-colored gems in its depth and the spectators eyes are dazzled at the rubies.
The flowers should be picked before sunrise to preserve their fragrance and members of each family specially women set out to rose gardens once they are through with their morning prayers and addressing their appreciation to the lord for his blessings. The sight of women with rose-filled baskets under their arms is quite interesting.
Over 2,000 families inhabiting Kashan are involved in the cultivation, growing and picking roses and the production of rose-water whose major activity is centered at the Karkas Mountain slopes and the west of Kashan.
The rose-water product of the area is categorized as Do-Atasheh', Zir-Atri' and conventional'.
The cultivated lands are estimated by the experts at 850 hectares and on the average three tons of rose are harvested at each hectare.
This year, the steady spring rainfalls, the rather sufficient water supply and the cool weather were among the factors contributing to the special freshness of roses in the area, while around 1.5 liters of firs-grade standard rose-water is extracted from each kilogram of rose.
Three industrial plants and over 2,000 traditional workshops with thousands of pots are involved in the process of extracting rose-water.