Festivals of ancient Iran
Ancient civilizations have gone through a thousand ups and downs in the course of history, until now they are available to us in a noble and dear originality. Iranian civilization is one of these ancient relics that we should know better and dearer. Certainly, every civilization is known as authentic symbols, and the celebrations of ancient Iran are one of the best manifestations of ancient authenticity. There are many Iranian festivals and each of them has its own rituals and customs. But in general, ancient Iranian celebrations each show a corner of lasting historical information and happy and patriotic people.
Famous festivals of ancient Iran
Iranians are known for their happiness. The people of this land have been organizing historical and festive events for different days from ritual to cultural and even harvest. Ancient Iranian festivals are placed in categories. Many of these celebrations are forgotten. They still breathe in an unknown sojourn and become authentic in the eyes of the people, and ancient Iranian festivals become powerful symbols of authentic Iranian identity.
Celebrations of Ancient Iran Painting of an old celebration during the Achaemenid Kingdom
In this article, we intend to introduce a complete list of all Iranian festivals mentioned in the Avesta calendar. Surely you are familiar with some of these Iranian occasions (properly Iranian) and you have probably mastered the custom of holding them. But maybe you don’t know some other celebrations or you celebrate them in a different way and formality than the original style. In any case, if you like Iran and want to remember the way and custom of happiness of your ancestors, join us in this article to discuss the main ancient Iranian celebrations.
Why are there so many ancient Iranian festivals and Iranian festivals?
In this article, get to know the above list of different types of celebrations in ancient Iran. But before this familiarization with a simple and sweet question. Why are Iranians so fond of celebrating?
The concept of celebration in Iranian civilization is different from the concept of celebration in today’s thinking. The Iranian festival was a place to celebrate good deeds. Happiness and altruism are key manifestations in Iranian celebrations. But the main nature of these original Iranian celebrations (Original Iranian Celrations) lies somewhere in Zoroastrian thinking, or better said, the sense of well-being of Iranians.
Zoroastrianism is the religion of ancient Iran, and condemning the bad and protecting the good is one of the manifestations of this ancient religion. Zoroastrianism is the religion of happy living and in this ancient religion great value is attached to the manifestation of goodness. The people of ancient Iran use any excuse to achieve good things in good rituals. In a way, the worship and praise of Iranian God has been manifested in the glory of lasting celebrations. This manifestation was so deeply rooted that they turned Iranians into a celebration of friends of the people of the world. Celebrations that are now remembered for us in the passing of history. But what are these Iranian celebrations?
Classification of ancient Iranian festivals
Iranian festivals are held during the year and on different occasions. Most of these festivals are included in the series of calendar festivals. These celebrations do not have a specific historical or geographical reason. But on the occasion of the escape of Sidon, a special event is held every year. Nowruz is the most famous of these celebrations.
An ancient Iranian festival is a painting that shows the Persian assembly and festival in the Safavid period.
Ancient Iranians considered many days of the year to the extent that there was a special name for each day. There are many special days of the year and the celebration of the beginning of the year in the Iranian calendar, which are now remembered in some Nowruz celebrations such as Jashan and Yalda.
Some other Iranian celebrations have religious roots. Our well-known Cheharban Suri is one of these ancient Iranian festivals, which is established with living and dynamic religious roots. Nusra festival is one of Iranian festivals with religious roots in Zoroastrianism. These celebrations center around the use of fire as a symbol of divine power. Some other Iranian celebrations are to observe the blessings and gratitude of God. The end celebration in many cities of the country is one of such celebrations. Like Kurdistan’s Pomegranate Festival and Paveh, which have completely historical and ancient roots. Now, with this introduction, we introduce the festivals of ancient Iran in a simple category.
Nowruz celebration
Nowruz is one of the most famous authentic Iranian festivals. This festival is the most important festival of Iranians since ancient times. A celebration that marks the beginning of the new year in the Avestan calendar of ancient Iranians. Nowruz is celebrated at the beginning of April and with the beginning of the first day of spring at the end of winter cold.
Nowruz celebration, an Iranian festival, a celebration and joy, and a historical evening during the Safavid era
Nowruz is one of the most beautiful and attractive festivals of ancient Iran. New Year’s celebration is always exciting, special that is held at the beginning of spring with the beginning of life again in the lap of revived nature. Ancient Iranian artists have appeared on the first day of the new year. The beginning of the new year is tied to the beginning of spring and the resumption of the life of plants and earth.
The first day of spring is known as the small Nowruz, and the first five days in these beginning days of every year have great spiritual value. The four days after the starting day each symbolize a season. These first days of Nowruz are special customs for establishing ancient celebrations. But now all Nowruz is summarized in an authentic Iranian culture, from the beginning of the new year to seeing and visiting elders and acquaintances.
On Colorful tablecloths and the symbol of Haftshin, which now becomes Haft Sin, are the main manifestations of this ancient Eid. Planting greenery to show the beginning of spring is another attractive symbol of this opening celebration. A celebration that gives the full height of the ancient national identity of Iranians even beyond the geographical borders for all Persian languages.
Thirteen to the door or day of nature
The 13th is one of the ancient Iranian festivals that is held along with Nowruz. Thirteenth day, which we now refer to as nature day, is not an ancient independent celebration. Rather, it is a nature-friendly celebration that is held along with the Nowruz celebration and in a way the final ring of the beginning of the year celebrations.
Sizdeh Be-Dar is an authentic ancient Iranian festival, a green desert where many people have chosen to celebrate and celebrate Sizdeh Be-Dar.
Some mistakenly refer to this day as a symbol of sadness that they should not stay at home. There are stories for this story that are more like strange and unreal legends. But the essence of the Thirteenth Door affair, which has now been properly introduced as Nature’s Day, is a visit to the new-born spring life. This day is the celebration of the beginning of the year and being in the lap of nature will introduce us to a new world of sweet spring presence. On Nature Day, we are with nature to celebrate spring with a revived world.
Yalda night celebration
Yalda night is an Iranian celebration that is still very alive and dynamic and very famous and lasting in the eyes of all Iranians. Yalda night is the longest night of the year, passing from the last day of autumn to the first day of winter. The night that is the authentic symbol of Iranians passing through the darkness to reach the light.
Yalda night is one of the ritual festivals that is in the list of calendar festivals. In ancient history, this night is known as Mehr’s birth night, Mitra’s birthday. The night in which the god Mehr overcomes the darkness and the artists win over the dark stature of the night and adds the length of the day to the length of the night. But the main story in holding the Yalda night was related to the chronological calendar of the ancient Iranians.
Ancient Iranian festivals, Yaldar night celebration, Yalda night celebration table decorated with pomegranate and watermelon fruits
You must know that the length of night and day changes during the year. In summer, the duration of light is longer than darkness, and in winter, the duration of darkness exceeds daylight. There are two very important turning points in the chronological calendar of ancient Iranians. Two nights of cheleh, which are called summer cheleh and winter cheleh. The summer heat has played a role in the shortest night of the year right in the middle of the working days and activities of the farmers. A short night that follows a long day.
But Cheleh night, which is the same as Yalda night, is right in the middle of the coldest days of the year. This long night promises the end of cold winter nights. Because after this long night, little by little, the duration of daylight overcomes the amount of darkness at night. This night is the news of the change in the state of the earth. It is the news of the beginning of the season of work and effort in the culture of Iranian farmers and breeders. The news, which is very sweet in the eyes of the ancient Iranians, has become a national cultural celebration with a long history.
Iranians celebrate Yalda night. This celebration begins with the gathering of family members in a party and continues with poetry reading and parable telling. Yalda night food is one of the attractive parts of this Iranian celebration. The natural ones have appeared in the organization of Yalda evening snacks for artists. Because they use dried fruits, nuts and seasonal fruits to make this celebration as attractive as possible. Pomegranate is the symbol of Yalda night. Pomegranate is the original fruit of the autumn season, a symbol of the blessing of Iranians in winter and the sweetening of the Yalda night celebration.
The celebration of Charanbash Suri and other fiery Iranian celebrations
Chaharbansuri is one of the series of Iranian fire festivals, which is the most famous and lasting fire festival among Iranian occasions. Fire has had a special place in the eyes of ancient Iranians to the extent that it has found a completely independent Iranian identity as a character symbol in some authentic celebrations.
The celebration of the fire of Charanbash Suri is one of the authentic fires of ancient Iranian culture. Suri Wednesday is one of those ambiguous Iranian celebrations. Culturists and historians do not have a proven origin for the identity of Atash Chaharbansuri. This celebration is considered to be rooted in very ancient history, and some other celebrations of Chaharban Suri are brought forward to the post-Islam period. Anyway, there is no similar custom of jumping from the fire in any other Iranian occasion, and maybe it is similar to the style of happiness from a more recent era in Iranian culture. The story of Siavash crossing the fire in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh can be an example of such a ceremony.
The celebration of Charanshan Suri night is one of the Iranian festivals of noble women in the local dress of northern Iran who celebrate the celebration of Charanshan Suri night by jumping from the fire ceremony.
Some of the ancients celebrate the Syrian Wednesday with strong roots in the history introduced by the Iranians, which are different from what we know now. It is not unlikely that the historical passage of several thousand years has completely changed the style and method of one of the celebrations of ancient Iran. Especially since even now, the style of our Wednesday celebration has completely changed in the last few years. In any case, Cheharban Suri is one of the original Iranian festivals, regardless of historical assumptions. A celebration on the night of the last Wednesday of the year, where the whole length of the fire is lit to welcome spring.
Fire in forgotten Iranian celebrations
According to ancient Iranians, fire is a symbol of purification. It is an element to remove impurities, and there is no doubt that Chaharshan Suri is supposed to remove the impurities of the past year to prepare our pure soul to welcome the fire. be the category Nusra festival and Sedeh festival are other fiery celebrations in Iranian occasions. These two festivals are also connected with fire. Although they are still alive and dynamic, they are less popular. Sade festival is one of the most important festivals of ancient Iran in Zoroastrian religion. This festival is held every year on the 10th of Bahman. In this celebration, fire is used as a symbol to show the power of Ahura Mazda.
Iranian national celebrations, what are Iranian occasions? Many people are celebrating and dancing around a big bonfire at night.
The celebration of the century apparently refers to the 100th day of the winter season. Because the 10th of Bahman is exactly the 100th day of the cold season in Zoroastrian culture. The winter of ancient Iranians starts from the beginning of November and the tenth day of Bahman is the hundredth day in this different calendar. On the other hand, there are only fifty nights and fifty days left from the tenth of Bahman until the beginning of the year.
Nusra festival is one of the other festivals of ancient Iran, which is celebrated with a large amount of fire. The Nusra festival is held on the fifth day of Bahman and five days before the Sedeh festival. This celebration is a prelude to a bigger celebration, which is the celebration of the century.
Calendar festivals but little known ancient Iran
Many ancient Iranian festivals are on different occasions, most of which are held on fixed days of the year. Calendar celebrations are among the earliest Iranian celebrations. But these days it is either forgotten or paid less attention. Some of the most important ancient Iranian festivals are below:
Fururgan Festival: The 19th day of every month is known as the Day of the Dead in ancient Iranian events. On the 19th day of every month, ancient Iranians celebrate the dead on their graves with joy and simple celebrations. The peak of these celebrations was on the 19th day of the beginning of the year. The 19th of Farvardin was the most important day of the series of Farurgan celebrations, which took place every year in an exemplary grandeur. In this celebration, it is customary to set up a fire and light incense on the heads of the dead.
Ardibeheshtgan festival: The third day of every month was Ardibehesht day, and on the third day of the month of May, Ardibeheshtgan festival was held. This celebration is the occasion of the blossoming of flowers and the greenness of the gardens, and there was a colorful presence in the whole atmosphere of the celebration. As in most Iranian celebrations, a fire was set up in this celebration and it continued entirely with dancing and stomping.
What are the ancient Iranian festivals? A beautiful painting of a religious festival and ritual in ancient times
Khordadegan festival: This festival was a series of religious festivals among the people of ancient Iran. A celebration to commemorate Ahura Mazda, which is held on the sixth day of June. Khraddegan festival is a celebration of water as a symbol of growth and excellence. In this celebration, they would go to the source of the rivers and get purified with their body in the water of the rivers. On this day, they would restore all the streams, canals, aqueducts, etc., and finish by praising God for the blessing of water.
Tirgan Festival: Tirgan Festival is held on the thirteenth day of July. This festival, which is one of the most important festivals of ancient Iran, is the anniversary of the release of the arrow from Arash’s bow. Arash Kamangir is one of the prominent legends in ancient Iranian culture. This character is one of the heroes of Kayanian who, in a mythological story, marks the border between Iran and Turan by drawing a warrior’s bow and releasing an arrow from Damavand peak. Tir Arash is the end of historical and mythological battles between Iranians and Turanians. Tirgan celebration is held in honor of this historic shooting and in memory of brave man Arash Kamangir in honor of peace and friendship. Tirgan festival is celebrated in a different style from other ancient Iranian festivals. In this celebration, it is customary to sprinkle water. People go to the banks of the rivers and play in the water under the pretext of escaping from the heat of July. This celebration continues with a gathering by the rivers. It is a festival full of joy and interesting dance that in recent years, the Tirgan festival has been culturally viewed. Perhaps Arash’s famous name has been influential in this revival. Anyway, the Tirgan festival on the 13th day of July is now one of the symbols registered in the list of national works and it becomes official throughout the country. All you have to do is keep your ears open to participate in these Iranian national holidays in the middle of July, the hottest days of the year.
Tirgan Festival, an authentic Iranian festival, a beautiful photo of Arash, the legendary hero of Iran and the Earth
Shahriorgan Festival: Shahriorgan Festival is a commemoration of Darab’s birthday, which is Father’s Day in Avestan culture. At the same time, this festival is a memory of prominent Avesta personalities. Shahrivargan festival is held on the fourth day in the month of Shahrivar. Regarding the interpretations, this festival was an example of paradise or the powerful and magnificent land of ancient Iranians. Maybe Shahrivargan festival is a kind of national festival to celebrate the glory of Iranian land.
Mehrgan festival: Mehrgan festival is one of the most important festivals of ancient Iran, which still has a well-known place. This celebration is one of the live occasions of Iranians and many people take it seriously. Mehrgan festival takes place on the day of Mehr month. According to mythological legends, this day is the day of Kaveh’s uprising against the tyrant Zahak. Surely, Kaveh and his uprising is one of the most important mythological historical events of Iranians. Kaveh’s uprising is a national uprising that is still respected by Iranians even in the aura of legend. The national day of this uprising is a big, famous and effective celebration. Some cultural experts consider the Mehrgan festival as the ancient Nowruz festival. According to ancient narratives, the month of Mehr was the beginning of the Iranian year, and the festival of Mehrgan was introduced as a celebration of the beginning of the new year.
To During Mehrgan festival, bonfires are set up and tables are set around and water is poured into all kinds of foods, rose water, sherbets and sweets. Mehrgan festival is an attractive symbol of authentic Iranian culture. The autumn season also has other celebrations. The Abangan festival on the 10th day of Aban and the Azargan festival on the 9th day of Azar are among the festivals of the autumn season.
Bahmangan Festival: Another important festival of Iran is held on the second day of Bahman. Bahmangan festival is one of the series of ritual festivals to honor Ahura Mazda. This celebration is for the protection of private animals of domestic cattle. Ancient Iranians have remembered animals in Iranian festivals, and on this day they especially appreciate the presence of animals by their side. On this day, they avoid eating meat and wear uniform white clothes. Badideh festival is celebrated in honor of the god of wind. It is a continuation of the Bahmangan festival.
Iranian ancient festivals, Bahmangan festival, people who lit a big fire and celebrated around it.
Sepandar Mozhgan Festival: This festival is one of the ancient Iranian festivals that has religious historical roots. Sepandar Mozhgan festival is celebrated on the fifth day of March in praise of the guardian goddess of pious women. This day is the earth for Iranian women and men give gifts to their women on the occasion of this day. The word Sepandarmaz in the Avestan language means humility and chastity. On this day, Ahura Mazda shows humility towards the position of women. On the other hand, this day is a symbol of fertility and childbirth, and they are in a prominent position on such a blessed day. Sepandar Mozgan festival is an attractive festival to celebrate women. On this day, women wear beautiful and luxurious clothes and become the rulers of their homes in a symbolic ceremony. The memory of this celebration is more of a reason for men to show their love and affection to honor their women.
The last word about Iranian celebrations:
Iranian celebrations are a beautiful mirror of the art of happy and cheerful life of Iranians. These celebrations tell about the culture and art of Iranians beyond any country opening to the history of wars, conquests and dynasties. The celebrations of ancient Iran are held in the ultimate sense of philanthropy in being with nature. The celebrations of ancient Iran have been handed down to us through a history of thousands of years, and we have a duty to preserve this ancient authenticity better and more beautiful than ever for future generations.
