Chachkam Village

Chachkam is a village in Tangeh Soleyman Rural District, in Kelijan Rostaq District of Sari County, Mazandaran Province, set in a mountainous, forested area. In the past the village was part of the Chahardangeh area of Sari. In 1381 (Solar Hijri), when Kelijan Rostaq District was established, it was separated from Chahardangeh and joined to the new district. According to the 1385 census, Chachkam had a population of 130 people in 37 households, and in the 1335 census its population was recorded as 115. Historical accounts describe the village as a mountainous, forested area with a mild climate, whose water was supplied by a spring and a local river. The people of Chachkam speak Mazandarani and Persian, and farming and animal husbandry are among the main activities of the villagers.

Lush nature and forest landscapes are Chachkam's most important features for travellers, and its location within the Tangeh Soleyman area and Kelijan Rostaq District has made it one of the sights worth seeing in this region. In the past, products such as grains and rice were produced in the village, and the women worked weaving shawls and karbas (coarse cotton cloth). Besides its nature, Chachkam also has a considerable historical and cultural background, and there are various accounts of the origin of its name. According to one study on the names of settlements in Sari County, "Chach" has several meanings in the Mazandarani language, and "Chachak" refers to a kind of green leafy vegetable similar to spinach. One interpretation of the name Chachkam is therefore that it relates to a place where this plant grows. The Chachkam school was also founded in 1344, and its first teacher was Ali Sadeghi. The school was later named after the martyr Ali Dehghan, and in 1385 it was closed because of a shortage of students.

Chachkam can be reached from Sari via the roads leading to Kelijan Rostaq District and Tangeh Soleyman Rural District. In older sources, the village is described as being about 6 kilometres from the public road from Kiasar to Sari and about 30 kilometres northwest of Kiasar. The forested, mountainous nature of the area, especially in spring and summer, offers good conditions for walking in nature and getting to know village life. While visiting Chachkam, travellers should avoid leaving litter, damaging vegetation, and disturbing livestock and the villagers' daily life. To protect the area's nature, they should also avoid picking plants indiscriminately and harming the forest environment.