Shirin & Farhad Decorative Plate Code G 06 :

The oldest love story in all of Persian folklore, the story of Shirin and Farhad has been passed down for thousands of generations across the middle east and south asia. A gorgeous Princess promised to be wed to the famous and battle-worn Shah, Khosrow Parviz, becomes the obsession of a young laborer named Farhad. The old king, seeing how infatuated and relentless his young romantic competitor has become over the lovely Shirin, comes up with a plan to get rid of him once and for all. Khosrow tells Farhad that to win Shirin’s heart, he must carve a pair of steps alongside the colossal Behistun mountain. He thus begins his impossible task, hacking away at the mountain day and night, a feat that caught the attention of Shirin.

In the mural embossed on this Shirin & Farhad Decorative Plate, Farhad can be seen in the right hand side with his chisel, fast at work while Shirin watches admiringly from afar. The story takes a tragic turn for the worst, when in his efforts to finally elimate his rival, Shah Khosrow sends word to Farhad that Shirin has died. In his grief, Farhad takes his chisel which he had been using so arduously and strikes his head, ending his own life. After noticing the absence of the sound of his constant chiseling, Shirin inquires about Farhad, and upon discovering his untimely fate, takes her own life in order to avoid marrying Khosrow. In the end, Shirin and Farhad get buried in the same plot, finally united after death. And so, the legend of Shirin and Farhad still remains one of the most retold romance stories amongst all Persian folklore.