Tehran, Feb 9, IRNA -- A bust of the founding father of a new wave of poetry in Iran, Nima Youshij was cast on the orders of Mazandaran provincial branch of Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization (ICHO) to commemorate him as a cultural celebrity, reported ICHO press release here on Sunday.

The bust, which is cast by a sculptor known as Partovi, is 90 cms high and stands on a pedestal which is 110 cms in height. The bust was recently presented to Mazandaran University. It was installed in the Human and Social Sciences Faculty of Pardis University Complex in the city of Babolsar.

The report further said that Ali Esfandiyari, better known as Nima Youshij, was born in the village of Yoush in 1897.

"He was encouraged by his teacher, Professor Nezam Vafa, to write poems and succeeded in revolutionizing Iranian literature in a short period," added the report.

When he passed away in Tehran on January 3, 1959 he was temporarily buried at Ibn-e Bab-e Veih cemetery in Tehran.

His body was taken to his paternal residence in Yoush jointly by Mazandaran Cultural Heritage Department and a group of intellectuals and lovers of literature in 1994 and was buried at the central yard of his parental residence, as he desired in his will.

The residence which stands in an area of 1,586 square meters was constructed by his grandfather, Nazm ol-Viyaleh 200 years ago. The monument is marked for its beautiful stuccos and windows.