Celebrations > Persian Culture > IRANIAN ROSEWATER BY SHABNAM REZAEI
The Old Persian Tradition of Gol-Ab
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Visitors to the Rosewater Plant in Ghamsar, near Kashan can partake in the beautiful and fun activities of producing rosewater or Gol-Ab when passing through in the spring season. Gol-Ab is made in different parts of this region and starts with the blooming of the rose flower, in this case, the Mohammadi Rose, which is pink and really fragrant.
The process begins with picking the flowers and gathering them all into a large area in the factory. Flowers are cleaned there and split down to their purest form for distillation. This modern plant in Iran is a good example of the mass production that goes on today for Gol-Ab. After the Mohammadi rose petals have been carefully and slowly distilled, they are then bottled and ready for shipment to retailers around the country.
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There are numerous applications for the Gol-Ab in every day life. Perhaps the most poignant which comes to mind when I imagine the see-through liquid is the application of it as a deodorizer. At the entrance of a mosque, for instance, where people take off their shoes, a hint of Gol-Ab attempts to cover up sweat and smelly feet.
In addition, my mom uses Gol-Ab in her Shohleh-zard. Something I prefer to skip, as I always have the latter use firmly planted at the forefront of my mind's eye.
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Pictures courtesy of MEHR.
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