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Mehregan 2024
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Past Events Highlights
Traditional Events
Nowruz
In Iran, Nowruz (or Norouz) is a jubilant and deeply rooted celebration marking the Persian New Year. Nowruz, meaning “new day” in Farsi, heralds the arrival of spring and is observed on the vernal equinox, typically around March 20th.
This ancient festival has ties to Zoroastrianism, dating back thousands of years, and holds immense cultural significance for Iranians and many other communities across the globe. Nowruz represents a time of renewal, rebirth, and the triumph of light over darkness.
Preparations for Nowruz begin weeks in advance, involving a thorough spring-cleaning of homes, symbolizing a fresh start and the removal of negativity from the past year. Families come together to set up the “Haft-Seen” table, an elaborate arrangement of seven symbolic items, each starting with the Persian letter “seen” (س), representing various aspects of life, such as rebirth, health, prosperity, and wisdom.
The Haft-Seen table typically includes items like:
- Sabzeh (wheat, barley, or lentil sprouts) symbolizes rebirth and growth.
- Samanu (a sweet pudding) represents affluence and fertility.
- Senjed (dried fruit from the oleaster tree) symbolizes love and compassion.
- Sir (garlic) represents medicine and good health.
- Sib (apples) symbolizes beauty and health.
- Serkeh (vinegar) represents aging and patience.
- Sumac (dried red berries) symbolizes the sunrise and the triumph of good over evil.
Mehregan
Mehregan is an ancient Persian festival that celebrates friendship, love, and the harvest. It is traditionally observed on the 16th day of the seventh month of the Persian calendar, which corresponds to early October in the Gregorian calendar. The festival is named after Mehr (Mithra), the Persian deity of light, friendship, and love..
Key aspects of Mehregan include:
Mehregan dates back to the pre-Islamic era in Persia and was widely celebrated during the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sasanian periods. It originally marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of autumn.
The festival symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and the end of the harvest. It is a time for family gatherings, expressing gratitude, and sharing blessings.
Special meals and sweets are prepared, often featuring pomegranates, apples, and other autumnal fruits. Lighting candles and bonfires is a common practice, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness. Reciting Persian poetry and enjoying traditional music are integral parts of the celebration.
Yalda
Yalda Night, also known as Shab-e Yalda or Shab-e Chelleh, is an ancient Persian festival celebrated on the longest night of the year, which usually falls on or around December 21st in the Northern Hemisphere. The name “Yalda” means “birth” and refers to the birth of the sun, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness as the days begin to grow longer.
This celebration has its roots in Zoroastrianism, an ancient Iranian religion, and is now observed by Iranians and Persian communities worldwide. Families and friends gather together on Yalda Night to mark the arrival of winter and the renewal of the sun’s strength.
Central to the festivities is the tradition of staying up late into the night, sharing stories, poetry, and engaging in lively conversations. Pomegranates, watermelons, nuts, and other fruits are prominently featured on the Yalda table, symbolizing the colors of dawn, the red hues of the sun, and the enduring cycle of life.
Eating certain foods like pomegranates (which symbolize the glow of life), reading poetry by renowned Persian poets like Hafez, and engaging in cheerful conversations are believed to bring good luck, prosperity, and protection against misfortune for the upcoming year.
Chaharshanbeh Suri
“Chaharshanbeh Suri” or “Charshanbeh Suri” is an ancient Iranian festival celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday (Chaharshanbeh) before Nowruz, the Persian New Year. This lively and vibrant festival, which translates to “Red Wednesday,” is a precursor to Nowruz and is deeply rooted in Zoroastrian traditions.
Chaharshanbeh Suri is a night of festivity, marked by various customs and rituals. One of the most iconic traditions involves jumping over bonfires, symbolizing the purification of the soul and the departure of misfortunes. People leap over the flames while chanting, “Zardi-ye man az to, sorkhi-ye to az man,” which translates to “My yellowness to you, your redness to me,” signifying the exchange of illness and negativity for warmth, energy, and health.