Registration efforts for Khalu Hossein Kuhaken Cave
The head of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department of Paveh, located in Kermanshah Province, has announced ongoing efforts to register the Khalu Hossein Kouhaken Cave in the tourist area of Meygoreh of Paveh on Iran’s National Heritage List.
In an interview with ISNA, Aziz Mostafaei described the Khalu Hossein Kuhaken stone cave as a unique and significant structure. He highlighted the importance of this site and noted that efforts have been made over the past few years to have it registered as part of Iran’s national heritage.
Mostafaei explained that a dossier for the site was previously prepared and submitted to the Ministry of Cultural Heritage as a historical site. However, since Khalu Hossein cave is less than fifty years old, it did not qualify for registration as a historical site, and the file was not approved.
He emphasized that, following a directive from the deputy minister of cultural heritage, it has been determined that the Khalu Hossein cave must be registered nationally.
Mostafaei further stated that compiling a new dossier for national registration is now back on the agenda, with plans to pursue registration as an intangible cultural heritage.
He also announced that efforts are underway to transform the Khalu Hossein neighborhood into a tourist site in Paveh. He explained that Khalu Hossein Kuhaken had endowed this site to the municipality before his death, and the municipality has made significant infrastructure improvements over the past few years.
Actions taken for the site include building access roads, developing the area, and setting up a ticket booth. However, electricity has yet to be implemented, which they hope to realize soon.
Mostafaei mentioned that one of Khalu Hossein Kuhaken’s descendants currently serves as a guide for tourists, sharing the story of Khalu Hossein and the history of the rock-cut cave.
He recounts that Khalu Hossein, a resident of Banehvreh, became disabled due to an accident as a young man and faced many tragic events in his life. Out of sorrow, loneliness, and pain, he sought refuge in the mountainous Meygoreh area, where he began to carve out a cave to live in.
Mostafaei recalled that Khalu Hossein started building this cave in 1978, dedicating twenty years of his life to its creation. The cave consists of four separate houses with nine rooms.
Khalu Hossein Kouhaken, also known as Farhad the Second, passed away in 2016.
Paveh is located in the Oramanat Mountainous region in the extreme northwest of Kermanshah Province, bordering Iraq to the west. This small mountainous city experiences cold winters and temperate summers, situated 636km from Tehran. The surrounding mountains are typically filled with fresh spring water from March to June. The town is also encircled by large fruit gardens, creating a beautiful landscape during the summer months.