The people of Iran hold various cultural festivals and celebrations throughout the year, many based on ancient Persian traditions. Iran’s Fire Festival or ‘Chaharshanbeh Suri’ is a 4,000-year-old celebration, with deep historical and traditional roots. It is one of the most popular festivities among Iranians. On the eve of the last Wednesday of the Persian calendar, millions of Iranians in Iran and around the world light bonfires and jump over them as they celebrate the Fire Festival, the prelude to Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
Symbolically, the Fire Festival signals the end of one year and the beginning of another. The symbolic gesture is meant to purify against evil and misery. According to Encyclopedia Iranica, people living in rural areas across Iran gather bushes, camel thorns, date-palm leaves, desert brush, or rice stalks for the Fire Festival. City dwellers buy brushwood, the bushes or brushwood are laid out before sunset on Tuesday – in one, three, five, or seven bundles (always an odd number) spaced a few feet apart – in village squares, city streets, house yards, on hilltops or rooftops. These are set alight at sunset or soon after. Men, women, and children then jump over the flames chanting.
It is believed that the flames take away a person’s pallor, giving them warmth and energy, and render them immune to sickness and misfortune for the year ahead.
Throughout the years, the clerical regime and its officials have tried to use all their propaganda and intimidation resources to downplay the importance of such cultural and festive events. Every year laws, regulations, limitations, threats, fines, among other excuses, are laid out way in advance, intended to sway away people’s willingness to participate in the festivities.
State agent explains that main highways leading to Tehran are closed off on for tonight, the Fire Festival.
The dictator regime in #Iran fears that crowds and #Nowruz gatherings will lead to an opportunity for antigovernment protests. pic.twitter.com/rDPf7BhF67— Iran News Wire (@IranNW) March 15, 2022
Footage shows special forces dispatched into the streets of Bukan, NW #Iran on the annual Fire Festival.
Due to the explosive state of the society, the clerical regime fears the traditional fire festival will get out of hand and discourages the celebration. pic.twitter.com/6SLEMd239b— Iran News Wire (@IranNW) March 15, 2022
Young Iranians have found this opportunity a priceless chance to not only defy all kinds of government warnings but to spread anti-regime slogans.
Warnings and threats of state officials for the discouraging festivities on the traditional Fire Festival hold a clear message of fear among the regime’s officials. In previous years, Iranians attacked state buildings and chanted anti-government slogans as acts of defiance. The explosive state of society has rendered fear among the regime, especially after protests in the past years.
They are afraid that the burning bushes in the passages, alleys, squares, and streets will become the center of attraction and gathering place for the insurgent youth, and they will shout anti-regime slogans while jumping over the fire. The happy and lively spirits of these young people are dangerous for the government because it brings hope and change and the ability of solidarity to society. The regime fears that the possible burning of Khomeini, Khamenei, and Raisi’s photos in the fires will become widespread, and nothing can be done to prevent it.
Source » irannewswire