Chaharshanbe Suri

Chahārshanbe-Sūri is the ancient Iranian festival dating at least back to 1700 BCE of the early Zoroastrian era. The festival of fire is a prelude to the ancient Norouz (Persian New year) festival, which marks the arrival of spring and revival of nature. Chahrshanbeh Suri, is celebrated the last Tuesday night of the year, which would be on 18 March this year. The word Chahar Shanbeh means Wednesday and Suri is red. The bon fires are lit at the sunset and the idea is to not let the sun set. Bon fires are lit to keep the sun alive till early hours of the morning. The celebration usually starts in the evening. On this occasion people make bon-fires on the streets and jump over them. The young shoot lots of fireworks before and during Chaharshanbe Suri.

The tradition includes people going into the streets and alleys to make fires, and jump over them while singing and dancing. There is no religious significance attached to Chahar Shanbeh Suri and it serves as a cultural festival for all Iranian Jews, Muslems, Armenians, Turks and Zoroastrians alike. Indeed this celebration, in particular the significant role of fire, is likely to hail from Zoroastrianism. In addition another tradition of this day is to make a special Ajeel ‘Mixed nuts and berries’. People wear disquise and chadors and go door to door knocking on doors. Receiving of the Ajeel is customary, as is receiving of a bucket of water.

Here are some pictures of Charshanbe Suri in Tehran.

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