Chahar Shanbe Suri

The ancient Iranians celebrated the last 10 days of the year. The ten-day festival also coincided with festivals celebrating the creation of fire and humans.
Spring housecleaning was carried out and bon fires were set up on the rooftops to welcome the return of the departed souls. Food and wine were put aside for the spirits. Small clay figurines in shape of humans and animals symbolizing all departed relatives were placed on the rooftops.
Flames were burnt all night to ensure the returning spirits were protected from the forces of darkness. This was called Suri festival. There were gatherings in joyful assemblies, with feasts and communal consumption of food that was blessed ritually.Rich and poor met together and the occasion was a time of general goodwill when quarrels were made up and friendships renewed.
Even today many families visit graveyards and pray for their dead relatives just before No Ruz. This is considered a blessed act and is regarded as an obligation by many, especially if the dead person is a very close kin.
Iranians today still carry out the spring-cleaning and set up bon fires for only one night on the last Tuesday of the year. Young and old will leap over the fires with songs and gestures of merriment.
Today the occasion is accompanied by fire works 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 color is mine and my yellow paleness is your.
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 reenacting 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.
Wishes are made and in order to make them come true, it is customary to prepare special foods and distribute them on this night. Noodle soup called �Ash e Chahar Shanbeh Suri is prepared� and is consumed communally. People passing by are served with nuts and dried fruits. 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. Local variations apply and the mixture is different according to the location and the group celebrating it.
People who have made wishes will stand at the corner of an intersection, or hide behind walls to listen to conversation by anybody passing by. If there is anything positive and optimistic in the conversation, the belief is that the wish will come true or there is good fortune to be expected. This is called Fal-Gush meaning �listening for one�s fortune�. The night will end with more fire works, feasts where family and friends meet and with the more modern Iranians music and dance will follow.




In Tehran This year:
Days even weeks prior to Chahar-Shanbeh Suri, young Tehranis started igniting their Made-in-China fire crackers or their home-made bombs. And bombs they were. The city streets were scene to ominous jubilations that were traditionally meant to establish a relationship between Man and Fire.
Chahar Shanbeh Suri night, I was almost busy in the office then hospital to pay a visit, but on the way going here and there, I could see the difference all over the town with other nights. Last moment at midnight, I look at a fire near by my flat. Young people were still out to let the ceremony gets as longer as possible! It was one of the most crowded Chahar shanbe suri, since many years ago. People will save their customs.