Chaharshanbe Suri

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Chaharshanbe Suri is an ancient Persian festival dating at least to 1700 BC of the early Zoroastrian era. The festival of fire is a prelude to the Norouz festival, which marks the arrival of spring and revival of nature. Traditionally celebrated on the last Wednesday night of the Persian year. The word Chaharshanbeh means Wednesday and Suri is red. Bonfires are lit to keep the sun alive till early hours of the morning. The celebration usually starts in the evening, with people making bonfires in the streets and jumping over them. The tradition includes people going into the streets and alleys to make fires, and jump over them while singing the song Sorkhi-ye to az man, zardi-ye man az to. The literal translation is, Your fiery red color is mine, and my sickly yellow paleness is yours. Loosely translated, this means you want the fire to take your paleness, sickness, and problems and in turn give you redness, warmth, and energy. There is no religious significance attached to Chaharshanbeh Soori and it serves as a cultural festival for Persians, Persian Jews, Muslims, Armenians, Kurds, Turks and Zoroastrians alike. Indeed this celebration, in particular the significant role of fire, is likely to hail from Zoroastrianism. (Wikipedia)

However, there is a funny issue in the today Iran. The clergies who govern the country are diametrically opposed to Persian national events and try to fade them away. Thus, they have been imaging Chaharshanbe Suri as a dangerous and lethal event with showing the burned and injured people while the Halloween highly publicizes and celebrates with glamorous and attractive icons in west.

anyway, Chaharshanbe Suri is still very much alive and kicking in Iran .. 16 March 2010.

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