CharshanbeSori - Joy Wednesday

Chahar Shanbe Suri چهارشنبه سوری

The festival of the last Wednesday, the ancient Iranian festival.

Today the occasion is accompanied by fireworks from locally made firecrackers. There is no religious significance attached to it any more and is a purely secular festival for all Iranians. On the eve before the last Wednesday, bonfires are lit through out the streets and back alleys, or with the more prosperous, inside walled gardens. People leap over the flames while shouting; ‘sorkhie tu az man, zardieh man az tu’. Your fiery red colour is mine and my yellow paleness is yours. This is a purification rite and ‘suri’ itself means red and fiery.

The festivities start in the early evening. Children and fun seeking adults, wrap themselves in shrouds symbolically re-enacting the visits by the departed spirits. They run through the streets banging on pots and pans with spoons (Gashog-Zani or spoon banging) to beat out the last unlucky Wednesday of the year.

They will knock on doors while covered and in disguise and ask for treats.

Chahar shanbe Suri

Event listed by Alireza

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