Seyed Mohammad Samsam, known as “Isfahan’s Bahlool”, has been a part of the historical memory of the people of Isfahan since five decades ago. Samsam was born in 1911 in the bankers’ neighborhood of Isfahan and in a Sadat family known as “Ghalamzan-e Isfahani”; and he passed away in 1980 in a car accident.
He was known as a sweet and funny man, as he would express his thoughts through his words and actions without any fear from the authorities he was addressing. For instance, it is said that one day, as usual he suddenly and without any invitation shows up at a very important religious gathering, where the city’s authorities and officials such as the governor-general, the mayor and head of Isfahan’s SAVAK agency were all present, and he goes up to the podium and says: “yesterday, my horse’s forage was finished.
I searched the city looking for barley forage for my horse but I couldn’t find any. I searched and searched; Chahar Sooq Street, Chaharbagh Street, Felezi Bridge; anyhow, wherever I went all stores were closed; until I reached Jolfa neighborhood, where I noticed a store was open. They had put some bottles outside and they were selling them. I asked them, what are these? They replied, these are beer. I said do have any grass, or barley forage for my poor animal to eat, too? They said, no; we only have beer. I said, well that’s okay; just give me some beer so I can give it to this poor animal.
So they brought some beer and held in front my horse’s mouth. The horse gave it a sniff first and then he moved his head away. As much as we tried, he refused to drink it. Our insistence did not work. At last, I got angry and yelled at the horse and said: “do you even know what this is? This is what the governor drinks, the mayor drinks, and all the officials of this country drink”. Suddenly, I noticed when the horse heard the governor’s name, he started drinking the beer.”
Name Seyed Mohammad Samsam
Fame Isfahan’s Bahlul
Lifetime From Year 1911 thru 1980
Father’s Name Darvish Seyed Jafar
Tomb Koshk-e Darvish (that has been destroyed)
