Sadeh January 30

THE legends narrate that King Hushang, the 2nd king of the mythological Pishdadian dynasty (Pishdad means giving the Law), established the Sadeh tradition. It is said that once Hushang was climbing a mountain when he saw a snake and wanted to hit it with a stone. When he threw the stone, it fell on another stone and since they were flint stones, a fire broke out and the snake escaped. In this way, he discovered how to light a fire. Hushang rejoiced and praised God who revealed to him the secret of lighting a fire. Then he announced: "This is a light from God. Therefore, it should be admired."

According to religious beliefs, Jashn-e Sadeh recalls the importance of light, fire and energy; the light that comes from God is found in the hearts of his creatures.

In ancient times, Jashn-e Sadeh was celebrated by lighting a fire. For Zoroastrians, the main preparation for Sadeh was, and in some areas still is, the gathering of wood on the eve of the festival. Adolescent boys accompanied by a few adult men would go to the local mountains to collect camelthorn, a desert shrub common in Iran.

The occasion resembles a coming-of-age ritual, a notable milestone for boys on their way to manhood. Boys would take camelthorns to temples in their towns. If it was their first time doing so, upon their return, a party would be held at home with friends and family.

In ancient times, fires were always lit near water and temples. The fire was originally intended to help the sun rebirth and bring back the warmth and light of summer. It was also intended to drive away the demons of frost and cold, which turned water into ice and could thus kill the roots of plants.

The fire was lit all night. The next day, the women would go to the fire in the morning, each taking a small portion of the fire home to make a new glowing fire from the “blessed fire” in the temple. This is to spread the blessing of the Sadeh fire to all the households in the neighborhood. Anything left over from the fire would be brought back to the shrine to be placed in a container and kept in the temple until the following year. In this way, the fire is kept burning all year round. The “eternal fire” also symbolizes the love of the homeland that is always alive like a blazing fire in the hearts of the people.

The festivities were normally to last three days. The evenings were devoted to eating and giving away food as donations, food prepared from slaughtered lambs and distributed to the poor.

The most elaborate report of the celebration of Sadeh after the Muslim conquest of Persia in the 7th century AD comes from the 10th century AD during the reign of Mardavij of the Ziyarid dynasty, the ruler of Isfahan. The Ziyarid dynasty did its best to maintain the traditions PersianBonfires were set up on both sides of the Zayandeh River to commemorate the custom of Sadeh.

The fires were kept in specially constructed metal holders. Hundreds of birds were released as the fireworks lit up the sky. There were fireworks, dancing and music with sumptuous feasts of roast lamb, beef, chicken and other delicacies.

Today, the ceremony is celebrated much like in ancient times in some Iranian cities like Kerman and Yazd. Jashn e Sadeh is also celebrated every year in the gardens of Kushke Varjavand in Karaj (a canton in Tehran province) with the presence of Persian Zoroastrians and other people interested in traditional Persian ceremonies. Sometimes, the fires are not lit outside and all the activities take place inside the Zoroastrian temples.

Camelthorn picking activities have almost stopped although there are efforts to preserve the tradition. However, most of the Iranians/Persians are getting familiar with the occasion and there are gatherings and celebrations even outside the country on January 30 every year. People will gather and pray, then they will hold hands, form a circle and dance around the fire.

Every year on January 30, Zoroastrians in Iran and other countries celebrate the religious holiday of Jashn-e Sadeh by burning wood in an open space to signify the arrival of spring and as a symbolic sign of the eternal fight against evil.