Jashn-e Mehregan - The Autumn Festival OF HARVEST

Zoroastrians divided the Iranian year into two equal seasons: summer and winter. The beginning of each season would then be celebrated through a big feast, one called Noruz and the other Mehregan. The coming of autumn is celebrated usually on the 9th or 10th of October (the Mehr Month of the Persian calendar) and is dedicated to the Goddess of Light Mitra or Mehr. Mehr represented knowledge, love, light and friendship. Her followers believed that she defeated evil and darkness, a scene that is often depicted with a triumphant lion residing over a bull. The word "mehr" in Farsi means kindness.

After Noruz, the festival of Mehregan is the second most elaborate celebration and marks the harvesting season and coming of winter. There are many different renditions of how and why Mehregan has come about. Some say Mehregan was a day of victory for Fereydoon and Kaveh, who won over Zahak with the help of angels. They imprisoned him in the Damavand Mountains where he perished from his wounds. Others say that the Festival of Mehregan came about when God gave light to the world, which had been dark up to that point. Yet others argue that on this day Mashia and Mashyaneh, who are the conceptual Semitic Adam and Eve, were created or some say, the sun was created. No matter what the origins, Persians all over celebrate this festival in the fall signifying the season of harvest and thanks. Friendships are renewed and families are visited.

Iranians have different ways of celebrating Mehergan. Historically and still today in some parts of Yazd, sheep are sacrificed for this occasion by Zoroastrians on the day of Mehregan. Sometimes they continue this tradition for three days. The sheep is grilled on a three-stone oven, to represent the good words, good deeds and good thoughts which is the cornerstone of the religion. At the end, the sheep is given to the fire temple. The fat of the sheep is strewed on the flames and prayers are held. Mehergan can last up to five days.

In modern days, families gather to celebrate and welcome the new season much like they do with Noruz and the coming of spring. Preparations are made to get ready for winter and thanks is given to the harvest. For this celebration old and young gather to reconnect and prepare foods to share with the poor and those in need. Ajil is made and handed out to friends and relatives. Traditional Persian Aash dishes are cooked along with lamb, rice dishes, dessets, and the like. Celebrations can end with bonfires and fireworks preparing the children for the new school year and rejoicing on this merry occasion.

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A PErsian Thankgiving

There is nothing more pleasurable than combining cultures, traditions and tastes. Thanksgiving has always provided the perfect opportunity for this as it is a non-religious holiday and very much in tune with the traditions of old Persian culture: to forgive, and to give thanks for the family and friends that we have.

Celebrate this wonderful holiday with an added twist filled with homely flavors and familiar aromas. Offer your guests a tasty menu which will provide a delightful change to the traditional turkey dinner. Comprised of all the right starters, sides and main course, this menu is a sure way to have them coming back for seconds.

This recipe has been compiled with the help of our resident Persian Cuisine expert Azar Kamarei. For more about Azar, visit the Persian Pantry.

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Shab-e Yalda - The Winter Feast

This winter celebration has to do with the longest night of the year. Yalda, a Syriac word imported by the Syriac Christians means birth and is related to the birth of Jesus. It is also interchangable with “Shab-e Cheleh”, the Zoroastrian celebration of Winter Solstice, the longest night of winter, around December 21st and forty days before the next Persian festival ‘Jashn e Sadeh’. Cheleh is the word for forty and Shab means night.

Traditionally on this night the forces of Ahriman are at the peak of their strength. The next day, the first day of the month of ‘Dey’ known as ‘khoram rooz’ or ‘khore rooz’ (the day of sun) belongs to Ahura Mazda, the Lord of Wisdom. Since the days are getting longer and the nights shorter, this day marks the victory of Sun over darkness.

On this night, family and friends gather for a large feast. Various dried fruits, nuts, seeds and fresh winter fruits are provided at these events to celebrate and pray to the deities to ensure the protection of the winter crops. The traditional feast for the night is eggplant stew with saffron rice, rice with chicken and yoghurt. Medieval poetry from Hafez can be read and fortunes are told in the famous “Fal-e Hafez” tradition. Children and parents gather around a warm korsi, which is an older Persian oven (wooden box filled with coal), and hear tales of Rostam and Sohrab or other great stories from the Shahnahmeh. Candles are lit and fireplaces, ovens and heaters are all turned on to get through the cold night together. Families cuddle under the korsi and pass snacks around, tell jokes and stay up all night to share in the fun.

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Jashn-e Tirgan - The Rain Festival

This event is celebrated in July (the Tir Month of the Persian calendar) and refers to the archangel Tir (arrow) or Tishtar (lightning bolt) who appeared in the sky to generate thunder and lightning for much needed rain. Legend says that Arash-e Kamangir was a man chosen to settle a land dispute between two leaders, Iran and Turan. Arash was to shoot his arrow on the 13th day of Tir and where the arrow landed, there would lie the border between the two kingdoms.

Turan, who had suffered from the lack of rain, and Iran rejoiced the settlement of the borders, the peace and rain poured onto the two countries. Today, some Iranians celebrate this occasion with dancing, singing, reciting poetry and serving spinach soup and sholeh zarid. It hasalso been observed that during this celebration children rejoice by swimming in streams and splashing water around. The custom of tying rainbow-colored bands on their wrists, which are worn for ten days and then thrown into a stream, is also a great way to rejoice for kids.

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Jashn-e Sadeh - The Fire Festival

This event, which pays homage to fire and light, is celebrated on January 31st of the year. As with other elements, fire is one that is celebrated often and signifies light and knowledge. Jashn-e Sadeh marks a hundred days of the great winter, which start on the first of the Persian month Aban. Sad means one hundred in Farsi.

There are many suggestions as to the origins of the fire festival. Some say the event comes from the legend of Hushang Shah, who encountered a black snake one day on his ride. In his defense, Hushang threw a rock at the snake and missed. Instead, the rock hit another large rock and started a spark starting a fire. The fire spread and engulfed the snake saving Hushang’s life.

To celebrate, friends and family gather firewood and build a huge bonfire. Candles, lite and fire are respected and celebrated. Chestnuts, potatoes and nuts are roasted in fires and enjoyed by all. Traditional drinks, sweets and meals are served as people sing and dance.

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