Spoon-banging (Ghashogh Zani) is a unique and lively tradition that is practiced during the Chaharshanbe Suri festival in Iran. Private gatherings: Chaharshanbe Suri is also commonly celebrated in private homes, with families and friends gathering together to share traditional foods and engage in traditional activities. Until the early years of the Pahlavi period many Tehranis liked to go to the gallery of the Naqqra-na, where drummers used to perform at certain hours, and drop their jugs from there. The tradition of spoon-banging has evolved over time, with some participants adding firecrackers and other noisemakers to the mix. Before jumping, people recite the phrase Sorkhi-ye to az man, zardi-ye man az to, which means May your redness be mine, and my paleness be yours. This holiday ( Persian Calendar ), which dates back to at least 1700 BCE, is celebrated in Iran, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Turkey. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. The origins of spoon-banging are not entirely clear, but it is believed to have been a way for young people to celebrate the arrival of spring and to drive away evil spirits. Similarly, in Tajikistan, Chaharshanbe Suri is celebrated with traditional foods such as Plov, a rice dish, and with traditions such as Haft Sin, which involves setting up a table with seven items that begin with the letter S to symbolize good luck and prosperity. The noise of the banging is said to scare away any malevolent forces and to bring good luck for the coming year. It cant be put down its a culture, its so old and its so written into people.. Every gift has a meaning; bread represents blessings, pastries represent happiness, and pomegranates represent fertility. Therefore, the date of the Charshanbe soori celebration changes every year. In eastern and southeastern Iran a useless old pot is usually chosen, rather than a new one. Chaharshanbe Soori Origins This celebration of lights or festival of fire connects back to ancient Iranian rituals. The origins of the tradition are not entirely clear, but it is believed to have its roots in pre-Islamic Persia. Families customarily enjoy snacks during the evening and a supper at night after the end of the festivities. Chahar Shanbeh Suri celebration usually starts in the evening, with people making bonfires in the streets and jumping over them. Sometimes he puts a present for the girl in the basketan apple, a pomegranate, an egg, or some other village product; if the girl takes his present out of the basket, it is a sign of acceptance. Like other traditions associated with the Chaharshanbe Suri festival, the practice of smashing the pot is not without its risks. But making hotel reservations in Irans tourist destinations is not particularly simple. To perform the tradition of burning rue, dried leaves and twigs of the plant are gathered and placed in a metal or clay container. The tradition of smashing the pot is a unique and vibrant part of the Chaharshanbe Suri festival in Iran. The book also mentions the origin of the Pearl Cannon. There are several methods of fortune-telling that are commonly used during the Chaharshanbe Suri festival. 2017-2023 TAPPersia. From hands-on activities & adrenaline dives to online classes and resources, we have something for all ages. (Cancelled) AIAP, PCC and HOI Present: "Sizdeh Bedar", (Cancelled) Nowruz 1399 with KAMYAR Live in San Diego, (Cancelled) 21st Annual Chahar-Shanbeh Soori with Sandy, DJ Julius, DJ Mohsen, DJ Kiarash, DJ Sepand & DJ Davood in San Diego, (Cancelled) Hike: Black Mountain Open Space Park, General Meeting: "Practical Tips to Lose Weight & Keep it Off" by Ms. Erin Peisach, RDN. 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While the tradition has faced some controversy in recent years, it remains an important part of Iranian culture and tradition, and a testament to the resilience and creativity of the Iranian people. Fire is one of these four that has the most blessings since it is cleansing and never becomes contaminated. [1][6] The importance of fire is evident in the stone inscriptions of the Achaemenid kings, and the very first mantra of the Rig Veda is in praise of fire. There was also another Pearl Cannon in Tabriz. 'Scarlet Wednesday'), is an Iranian festival of the fire dance celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday of the year, of ancient Zoroastrian origin. During the rule of Fath-Ali Shah of the Qajar dynasty in 1800, the foundryman Ismail Isfehani created this large cannon, which was the subject of several urban legends. The ingredients are mixed together and placed in small bowls or trays, which are then distributed among the participants. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. Si-E Tir St, Where Different Religions Are Practiced Side By Side. Another festive food during Chaharshanbe Suri is Ajeel, a mixture of nuts, dried fruits, and seeds that is often consumed during the celebrations. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. [according to whom?] Here's a take of a small group of friends. During the Chaharshanbe Suri festival, the burning of rue takes on a special significance. Mothers also forced misbehaving and bothersome children to pass under the barrel in the hope that doing so would make them behave better. Iranians eagerly await for the last feast of the year, mark the night before the last Wednesday of the year in the calendar, and dance and sit together until late in the evening. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. As a result, each years Charshanbeh Soori festival falls on a different day. King Keikavooss queen Sudabeh is said to have fallen in love with the kings son Siavash. Today, the Pearl Cannon is placed in the opening of Building Number 7 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 30th Tir Avenue. After that, they visit the neighbors homes and smack spoons into bowls. Event information, telephone number, location for Chahar Shanbe Soori at UMD on Friday, March 11, 2022 College Park University of Maryland Iranian Students' Foundation . Then, the entire family jumps over the fire while chanting, My yellow is yours, your red is mine, in accordance with the Charshanbeh Soori. Smashing the pot (kza-ekan) is one of the more fun activities of Chaharshanbe Suri. We may request cookies to be set on your device. Chaharshanbe Suri (loosely pronounced shab-e chahar shanbeh suri and meaning the Eve of Red Wednesday) is an ancient cultural-religious ceremony held before the first day of Spring by people of Iranian, Afghan, Kurdish or Azeri descent and in a number of different religious communities. The annual Iranian tradition of 4Shanbe Suri will take place on March 15, 2022, with the afterparty inside the world-renowned REBEL Nightclub. You may also want to check with your hotel or tour operator to see if they are offering any special Chaharshanbe Suri events or activities. One of the philosophies of holding this celebration and lighting a fire has been escaping from the cold and seeking heat; The Aryans, on the other hand, saw fire as a purifier and a means of purification. The cannon has occasionally served as a haven for political and non-political fugitives seeking protection from family issues or an escape from capture. It is a way for young people to celebrate the arrival of spring, to drive away evil spirits, and to express their creativity. This treat is called 'Ajeel e Chahar Shanbeh Suri' and is a mixture of seven dried nuts and fruits, pistachios, roasted chic peas, almond, hazelnuts, figs, apricots, and raisins. There is a nice song that goes along with it: My sickly yellow paleness is yours; your fiery red color is mine. It is like a mantra you say as you make each jump, in a symbolic move to exchange all the dust and soot you have collected over the year with the liveliness and splendor of the burning fire. Chaharshanbe Soori Festival Rue contains several bioactive compounds, including alkaloids and flavonoids, which have been shown to have antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. The festival has its origin in ancient Iranian rituals. The act of breaking the pot symbolizes the breaking of barriers and obstacles, and the embracing of new beginnings and opportunities. Chaharshanbe Suri, contrary to its name, begins at sunset on the last Tuesday of Esfand each year and continues until late at night. Some of the most well-liked and popular ones are listed below: Lighting a fire, jumping over it, and spending the night by the fire is the most significant Chaharshanbeh Suri rite that is still practiced today. The process of making Ajeel e Chaharshanbe Suri is a communal one, with families and friends coming together to prepare the snack. Site uses cookies. I could tell you about all the many different traditions that are part of this special festivity, such asGhashogh-Zani(Spoon-banging), the Persian equivalent of trick-or-treating if you will, where young people go door-to-door while banging a spoon against a bowl to receiveajil(trail mix), orKuze-Shekani(Urn-Breaking), in which people throw an urn filled with coals and worthless coins down the roof to drive away misfortunes, orFalgush-Neshini(Eavesdropping), where girls hide behind a wall and listen to the conversations of passersby to see if their wishes would come true; but the truth is, there is barely any of those interesting traditions left now, especially in bigger cities that have transitioned into modern life. Individuals with impairments and unmarried women who are childless or unhappy spouses frequently sit on the barrel or crawl underneath it. Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. While rue and a small amount of salt are thrown on the fire the people recite rhymes, which, though varying with the local dialects, usually go something like this: Rue shrubs and rue seeds (esfandne, i.e., esfand-dna), rue shrubs with thirty-three seeds (dne), rue shrubs know themselves; let them blast (be-tarkne, i.e., be-taraknad) the jealous eye (or the evil eye). Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. At sunset, after making one or more bonfires, they jump over the flames, singing sorkhi-ye to az man, zardi-ye man az to, literally meaning "[let] your redness [be] mine, my paleness yours", or a local equivalent of it. The festival of fire heralds the coming of spring, the Persian New Year, the new beginnings, and has for centuries served as an occasion to join family members, friends and everyone you care about in a time of festivity and fun. Every year, the Festival of Fire (Chaharshanbe Suri) is held on the final Wednesday (marks the arrival of spring). For the new year, health and happiness were wished by fire and light. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the, Owen Fullerton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star It is hung from a rope or cord and placed in the center of a gathering of people. A central part of the festival is the food that is prepared and consumed during the celebrations. Required fields are marked *, document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()), A tailor-made day by day plan based on your interests and budget. (Cancelled) 21st Annual Chahar-Shanbeh Soori with Sandy, DJ Julius, DJ Mohsen, DJ Kiarash, DJ Sepand & DJ Davood in San Diego When. This heavy gun, which was cast by the foundry-man Ismil Isfahni in 1800, under the reign of Fath-Ali Shah of the Qajar dynasty, became the focus of many popular myths. In any case, the oldest source that mentions Chaharshanbe Suri is the book History of Bukhara by Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Jafar Narshkhi, which says: When Amir Mansour ibn Nuh ascended to the throne, in the month of Shawwal in the year 350, he told Joey Mulian to rebuild the palace and achieve whatever was better and more wasted. It is a way for individuals to connect with their spirituality and to seek guidance and insights into their future. Lovers in Iran How Iranians Celebrate Valentines Day? In Ark and the tn district grains of barley are put into the pot. One person holds the sash and begins to pass it to another person, who then passes it to another, and so on. Fund 311 East 4th Street New York, NY, 10009 United States (map) Google Calendar ICS RSVP Dedicated Website Beloved friends, our fire-jumping companion, Chaharshanbeh Soori Festival happening at Razi Farsi School & Art Academy , 4125 Blackford Ave, # 145, San Jose, CA 95117, Sunnyvale, United States on Tue Mar 15 2022 at 06:30 pm. 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These ancient Iranians used to praise the spirits of the dead in a celebration called Hamaspathmaedaya. Fireworks on the roofs of houses are the last rituals of the end-of-year or occasional paw rituals, according to which people called fire holders went to towns and villages a few days before Nowruz to be the messengers of this Ahura celebration. Today, rue is still widely used in traditional medicine and is believed to have a range of healing properties. "Love, Happiness & Challenges dur. Until the 1920s, it stood in Arg Square, to which the people of Tehran used to flock on the occasion of Chaharshanbe Suri. Some view it as a superstitious and un-Islamic practice, while others argue that it is an important part of Persian culture and tradition. Actually, people prepare this soup if they have a sick person at home and hope the new year will bring him healing. rights reserved. The tradition of jumping over the fire is a central part of the festival and is believed to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits. The festival also coincided with festivals celebrating the creation of fire and humans. In addition to its spiritual significance, Ajeel e Chaharshanbe Suri is also a delicious and nutritious snack that is enjoyed by people of all ages. General Meeting: Legal Ways to Transfer Assets from Iran to US and How to Obtain OFACLicense" by Ms. Mehrnoush Yazdanyar, Esq. Listen to Chahar Shanbeh Soori from Morteza Aghili's Norooz Umad - Persian New Year for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. The seven holy immortals (Ama Spnta) were honored, and were bidden a formal ritual farewell at the dawn of the New Year. This game involves the use of a long, brightly colored sash or scarf, which is passed between players as they dance and celebrate around a bonfire. In fact, as mentioned, there was no week in ancient Iran, and the time of holding Chaharshanbe Suri was between the last 10 days of the year; Until apparently this festival is established in the early Islamic centuries on the last Wednesday of the year and it is used to remove misfortune and misuse. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. Karma by Boyer Vertical Coming to Phoenix in 2022, these 11 customizable homes marry light and airy interiors with smart, sustainable design. 2801 E Spring Creek Parkway in Plano, Texas, 75074 Presented by: Texas Persian Cultural Center 6 - 9 pm 972-492-0604 Tuesday, March 12 Char Shanbeh Soori - Festival of Fire after the Picnic Website: https://www.facebook.com/events/409213915820870/?fref=ts The book also mentions the origin of the Pearl Cannon. A custom once in vogue in Tehran was to seek the intercession of the so-called "Pearl Cannon" (Tup-e Morvrid) on the occasion of Chaharshanbe Suri. Another unique tradition that is a part of the Chaharshanbe Suri festival in Iran is the practice of smashing the pot, or kza-ekan in Persian. Another common method of fortune-telling involves the interpretation of dreams. Another Chaharshanbeh Suri tradition is called shal-andazi, and it is observed in various Iranian villages as well as in Hamedan and Zanjan. It is a way for individuals to connect with their spirituality and to seek protection and guidance from the divine. Fire and light hoped for health and happiness through the coming year. Shattering an earthenware jug was another unique Chaharshanbe Suri ceremonial that was primarily carried out in the past. All Palmistry, or the interpretation of the lines and markings on the palm of the hand, is also a popular method of fortune-telling during the Chaharshanbe Suri festival. The use of rue for spiritual and medicinal purposes has been prevalent in Persian culture for centuries. Today, this celebration does not depend on any religious or ethnic thought, and Muslims to Zoroastrians, Christians, etc., participate in this celebration and pass it on from one generation to another. Loud, scary and sometimes dangerous, too. Zoroastrians had great regard for fire; hence they would never intentionally start a fire in the street and leap over it. where people of all ages congregate and jump over fires that burn all night. Fire Festival (Chahar Shanbeh Soori) The fire festival began on the final Tuesday evening of the year. If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. The story did not end there, and the people, by moving house and wearing new clothes, prepared themselves for the New Year and to get away from enmities and turmoil, thus making the Forouhars happy. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto Chaharshanbe Suri is the symbol of good health, cultivation, light, and purity to the Iranian. An Enthusiastic person about history and an in-love person with biking, history and astronomy, I finally found all the sweet combination in one word: Tourism. In addition, unique cuisine is made in several regions of Iran for the Chaharshanbe Suri celebration. 201 Cantera Way, San Rafael, CA 94901. Some believe jumping over bonfires is a way of taking away negative energy, sickness, and problems and in turn getting fulfillment, warmth, and energy. However, it is important to note that the tradition is not without its risks, and caution should be taken to ensure the safety of participants. NTC Park, 2455 Cushing Rd, San Diego, CA 92106.