Place · The Shahnameh · Volume I

Charamچرم

CHA-ram

The road to Turan by Kalat, which Kay Khosrow forbids Tus to take.

In the poem: First at B12.2, Tus Goes to Turkistan; last at B13.2, Khosrow’s Rebuke of Tus
Named: 11 times, in 6 sections
Main stories: B12 Forood and the Snowstorm Campaign (9); B13 Mount Hamavan and the Kamus Campaign (2)

In the poem’s own words

The 6 sections that name Charam most often, with the summary from the Notes and the couplets that name Charam. Tap a couplet number to read it in the full poem.

B12.2

Tus Goes to Turkistan

Kay Khosrow gives Tus the Kaviani banner and command of the army. He warns him to spare civilians and to avoid the road by Kalat, where his half-brother Forood lives. At the fork Tus overrides Gudarz and takes the green road through Kalat.

B12.2.42
The other wound by Kalat’s guarded side,Through Charam’s fertile valleys, green and wide.
B12.2.50
Through Kalat and through Charam let us ride,At Mayam camp, with running streams beside.
B12.2.59
The Shah will not condemn this chosen way.”Toward Kalat and Charam they rode that day.

Charam named 3 times here · read the section in the full poem · notes

B12.3

News of Tus Reaches Forood

Forood, son of Siavash and Piran’s daughter Jarireh, hears that an Iranian army is coming and drives his herds into the mountain. Jarireh urges him to join Kay Khosrow in avenging Siavash, and to seek out Bahram and Zangeh, his father’s old companions.

B12.3.12
Then koust from Charam sounded far away,And Mayam’s dust-clouds darkened all the day.
B12.3.13
Jarireh watched from high upon the wall,And saw the dust-cloud over Charam fall.

Charam named 2 times here · read the section in the full poem · notes

B12.7

Forood Slays Rivniz

Rivniz rides up the mountain. Tokhvar names him as Tus’s son-in-law, the only brother of forty sisters, and advises Forood to shoot. Forood’s arrow pins Rivniz’s helmet to his head, and he falls dead.

B12.7.2
By Charam’s road toward Sepid Kooh he pressed,With malice burning fiercely in his breast.

Charam named 1 time here · read the section in the full poem · notes

B12.14

The March to Kasa Rud

Tus lays waste the Turanian marches and camps at Kasa Rud. Bijan claims the fight with Palashan as the Shah’s charge, borrows Siavash’s mail from Giv, breaks Palashan’s back with his gorz and brings his head to Tus.

B12.14.2
At Charam then he halted for three days,While dust still hung upon the mountain ways.

Charam named 1 time here · read the section in the full poem · notes

B12.20

Kay Khosrow Recalls Tus

Grieving for Forood and the army, Kay Khosrow writes to Fariborz, giving him command with Gudarz as adviser, and recalls Tus. Tus hands over the banner and returns. The Shah curses him, spares his life only for his royal blood, and imprisons him.

B12.20.22
I warned bold Tus: ‘Let Charam’s road alone,And keep from Kalat and Sepid Kooh’s stone.’
B12.20.54
Did I not warn you, ‘Shun the Charam road’?Yet there you marched, and grief became my load.

Charam named 2 times here · read the section in the full poem · notes

B13.2

Khosrow’s Rebuke of Tus

The beaten army returns from the disastrous campaign against Forood. Kay Khosrow curses Tus for disobeying him, killing his brother and losing the war, and sends the chiefs away in disgrace. They beg Rostam to plead for them.

B13.2.3
When they had reached along the Charam way,Kalat rose high; below, Mayam’s waters lay.
B13.2.16
I said: ‘Avoid Kalat; from Charam stay,Though silver coins be showered along your way.’

Charam named 2 times here · read the section in the full poem · notes