Sports and Recreation
Horse racing is the most important recreation in Bandar Turkman which takes place in the spring and autumn. The competition is held in the main racing field which is about 100 hectares in size. The horse racing competition in Bandar Turkman has many admirers in the country, especially in Tehran and Gonbade Kavoos. Even fans from the Persian Gulf States visit Bandar Turkman to watch the races.
One of the favorite sports among the Turkmans is the traditional Goorehesh wrestling in which two rivals wrestle with each other without age or weight limitation. They take hold of each other's belt and the one who succeeds to lay the rival's back on the ground is pronounced winner and receives a present called Bayraq, which is either a ram or ewe. Ram is a symbol of uprightness and bravery among Turkmans and is much respected by them. When they want to praise the strength and valor of a youth they say the young man resembles the ram.
Dagger (sword) play is another popular sport among Turkman youth. This is a religious/mystical ceremony in which the youth wear loose colorful garments, congregate in a field and raise their hands on their heads in the form of prayer. The man who bears the sword sings musical odes with a charming voice and the ceremony continues until they tighten their circle into a knot. The sword bearer then raises the sword as a token of valor and other members firmly grasp each other's hands as a token of valor and solidarity.
Read more about this topic: Bandar Torkaman, Culture
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