Iran Rose Water Festival in Kashan Kashan, located on Iran Classic Route, is one of Iran's five major tourist destinations. It is not only home to invaluable historical and cultural attractions, including Tangible and Intangible UNESCO Cultural Heritage, but also festivals and activities. Rose Water Festival in Kashan is a popular and famous festival celebrated annually in May in Iran. Being made from the Damask rose (also called Mohammadi rose in Iran), rose water is an aromatic tonic liquid. The cultivation of Mohammadi roses in Iran dates back to around 7,000 years ago; however, the rose water festivals have been feasted since 1,000 years ago. The early rose water was made by rose distillation, but over the years, this procedure continued with the distillation of Damask roses (Mohammadi roses) as well. Although the ancient method of rose water making has changed over time, it has still retained its originality. There were no varieties of methods in the past, but new fashions have been generated for rosewater making due to the current technological developments. It is worth mentioning that special equipment (congruous to the regional climate), used in the traditional method, is still applied by those who prefer to make rose water in the old manner. festival in Iran. Qamsar, located 30 km south of Kashan, is another city well-known for the rosewater festival. Although the name Golab (Rosewater) is more closely tied to Qamsar, other cities in the Kashan district, such as Niyasar, are also professional in this field. It should be mentioned that not only Iranian people come to visit this festival, but also people from all over the world are interested in it. So, Kashan is a host to many tourists every year for the Rosewater festival. This experience is unique since it is a festival full of
Iran Rose Water Festival in Kashan Kashan, located on Iran Classic Route, is one of Iran’s five major tourist destinations. It is not only home to invaluable historical and cultural attractions, including Tangible and Intangible UNESCO Cultural Heritage, but also festivals and activities. Rose Water Festival in Kashan is a popular and famous festival celebrated
Sizdah Be-dar Day Sizdah Be-dar is the thirteenth day of Farvardin (the first month of the Iranian calendar) and is one of the New Year’s festivals. In Iran’s official calendar, this day is designated as Nature Day and is a holiday. Some people believe that Sizdah Be-dar day has an ominous feel about it, so they prefer to leave their houses that day to spend time outdoors in natural surroundings. However, there is no historical and credible narrative to prove that the ancient Iranians had this view. After twelve days of celebration, Ancient Iranians would, on the thirteenth day of Nowruz, considered an auspicious day, go outside to appreciate nature and rejoice. By celebrating this day, they ended the Nowruz period. Sizdah Be-dar Traditions People prepare everything for Sizdah Be-dar a day before. For Aush Reshteh, all beans and grains get cooked the night before. In some parts of Iran, people believe that food must be cooked with wild herbs on this day. For example, one of the Sizdar Be-dar rituals in Khorasan province is cooking a kind of Aush with wild native herbs. Samanu or halva should also have been on the table on Sizdah Be-dar. Kabab is the other popular food that can be seen on almost every occasion and Sizdah Be-dar is no exception. Before lunch, we eat lettuce with Sekanjabin, (the oldest Iranian drink which is made of honey and vinegar). Usually, nuts are eaten in the afternoon. Playing in a group is the other delightful part of this day. Playing with the family brings joy and vitality, which is an important part of this day's program. Some examples of these games are pantomime, kabaddi, dodgeball, kite flying, snakes and ladders, and football.Knotting the greenery is another tradition of this day. It is common for
Sizdah Be-dar Day Sizdah Be-dar is the thirteenth day of Farvardin (the first month of the Iranian calendar) and is one of the New Year’s festivals. In Iran’s official calendar, this day is designated as Nature Day and is a holiday. Some people believe that Sizdah Be-dar day has an ominous feel about it,
Yalda Night Yalda is the traditional Iranian celebration of the winter solstice – the longest night of the year. Observed widely throughout Iran’s history stretching back into pre-Zoroastrian times, Yalda Night evolved into a treasured festival bringing the family together and continues to be practiced by Iranians around the world. The ritual symbolizes the rebirth of light following the darkest night, and mythologically speaking, represents a critical moment in the eternal battle of Ahuramazada (light/ virtue/ existence) over Ahriman (dark/ evil/ nonexistence). On this cosmically important night, family members gather together in the home of the family elder (typically grandparents, parents, or great aunts and uncles) to share sweets, red fruits (including pomegranate, watermelon, and persimmon), and a mix of candied and roasted nuts. Sometimes, Persian herbed rice with fish is steamed for dinner. In the old days, fruits were set on a korsi – a low table with a heating source underneath – and the family would huddle under a thick blanket to munch on treats and tell stories. The use of the korsi diminished as modern heating systems became common in Iranian homes, but the feeling of togetherness survives in various forms. Some choose to eschew the traditional ceremony and instead gather with close friends for a music-fueled dance party. Whatever the feast, the one ever-present element is the cherished poetry of Hafez, the 14th-century Iranian poet, and mystic, whose words, even 700 years later, are still revered as a kind of oracle by all generations. Similar to fortune-telling with a side of mysticism, each family member puts their hand on the edge of the book, closes their eyes as they make a wish, and opens up a random page. Every family has a dedicated reader, who interprets the selected poem to suit the details of the wisher’s life. It
Yalda Night Yalda is the traditional Iranian celebration of the winter solstice – the longest night of the year. Observed widely throughout Iran’s history stretching back into pre-Zoroastrian times, Yalda Night evolved into a treasured festival bringing the family together and continues to be practiced by Iranians around the world. The ritual symbolizes the rebirth
