1. Consider the concept of authenticity as applied to the festival – how authentic is it?

How would you apply ‘staged authenticity’ here? Golab, or rose water, is scented water made from a very sweet-smelling kind of rose petals. It has a distinctive flavour and is frequently used in Iranian sweets (desserts) such as halva and baklava, and in some famous beauty brands of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, because of containing vitamins A, C and antioxidants. Golab is alkaline and constitutes a remedy for stress, flatulence and abdominal colic. It is also used as a perfume among Muslims.

The production of rose water in Iran dates back to over 2500 years. The main city for Golab production is Ghamsar, as a result of its natural and climatic conditions. According to a study carried out by Tehran University, the essence of the rose flowers of Ghamsar and the rose water produced from them has a concentration of 35 mg per 100 ml or 350 ppm, which makes it the finest and highest quality rose water in Iran, and even in the world. It is a source of pride for the city that each year, the most sacred place on earth, Kaaba (Mecca), is washed with its rose water. Over 2000 families who inhabit Ghamsar are involved in the cultivation, growing and picking of roses, and the production of rose water, with the major activity centred on the Karkas mountain slopes and to the west of Kashan.