Paper short abstract:

It was common for the women in the neighborhood within Kelardasht town, to come together (while cooking), and freely discuss about several domestic and personal problems as they were very much close and intimate to each other. Exchange of food items between families was a common feature. Moreover the courtyard was considered as a common place where the women moved with comfort and without restrictions. In those days, the mothers taught the process of making ‘noon’ (bread), to their daughters. Now, the kitchen has shifted inside the modern houses. courtyards are enclosed where outsiders are not allowed. Now the women cook the food items ‘in independent, separate and isolated kitchen’. With this shift, the social gathering of the women in the neighborhood has come to a halt. The close-knit informal group lost the relevance of its structure. All the associated social interactions have now become a history with the advancement of technological innovations, disappearance of ‘tandir-sar/ ‘tandur’ and shifting of the kitchen in the modern houses. Buying noon from bakeries has become common.

Paper long abstract:

About 35 to 40 years ago, the traditional houses in Kelardasht town, had earthen 'tandir-sar' (oven), in the corner of the courtyard. Women cooked different food items and baked 'noon' (bread) in the corner of the courtyard. The 'tandir-sar' was used for baking 'noon'. All the women in the neighborhood came together (while cooking), and freely discussed about several domestic and personal problems as they were very much close and intimate to each other. Exchange of food items between families was a common feature. The courtyard was a common place where the women moved with comfort and without restrictions. In those days, the mothers taught the process of making 'noon', to their daughters.

Now, the kitchen has shifted inside the modern houses. Courtyards are enclosed where outsiders are not allowed. Now the women cook the food items 'in independent, separate and isolated kitchens'. With this shift, the social gathering of the women in the neighborhood has come to a halt. The close-knit informal group lost the relevance of its structure. Hence its function - as a conducive forum for addressing domestic and personal problems, lost relevance and existence. The modern kitchens do not have 'tandir-sar'.

All the associated social interactions have now become a history with the advancement of technological innovations, disappearance of 'tandir-sar' and shifting of the kitchen in the modern houses. Daughters do not have any motivation to learn the process of making 'noon' because buying noon from bakeries has become common.