Yalda
- For the demiurge, see Yaldabaoth
Shab-e Yaldâ (Persian: یلدا) or Shab-e Chelleh (Persian: شب چله) is an ancient Iranian festival originally celebrated on the Northern Hemisphere's longest night of the year, that is, on the eve of the Winter Solstice.
Yalda has a history as long as the Mithraism religion. The Mithraists believed that this night is the night of the birth of Mithra, Persian god of light and truth. At the morning of the longest night of the year the Mithra is born from a virgin mother.
Following the fall of the Sassanid Empire and the subsequent rise of Islam, the religious significance of the event was lost, and like other Zoroastrian festivals, Yalda became a social occasion when family and close friends would get together. Nonetheless, the obligatory serving of fresh fruit during mid-winter is reminiscent of the ancient customs of invoking the divinities to request protection of the winter crop.
The 13th century Iranian poet Sa'di wrote in his Bustan: "The true morning will not come, until the Yalda Night is gone".
Following the Iranian calendar reform of 1925, which pegged some seasonal events to specific days of the calendar, Yalda came to be celebrated on the night before and including the first day of the tenth month (Dey). Subject to seasonal drift, this day may sometimes fall a day before or a day after the actual Winter Solstice.
Yalda Night has been officially added to Iran's List of National Treasures in a special ceremony in 2008.[1]
[edit] Yalda Tradition
In Zoroastrian tradition, the winter solstice with the longest night of the year was an auspicious day, and included customs intended to protect people from misfortune. On that day, people were advised to stay awake most of the night. They have small parties and gatherings and eat the last remaining fresh fruits from summer.[2]
In modern days, although Yalda is not official holiday in Iran, families continue to hold traditional gatherings. </ref name=Culture>[3] Iranian radio and television offer special programmes on Yalda.
Watermelons are placed on the korsi, a traditional piece of furniture similar to a very short table, around which the family sit on the ground. On it, a blanket made of wool filling is thrown. People put their legs under the blanket. Inside the korsi, heat is generated by means of coal, electricity or gas heaters. Pomegranates are traditionally eaten on this night.
[edit] More About Yalda
The Eve of the Yalda has great significance in the Iranian calendar. It is the eve of the birth of Mithra, the Sun God, who symbolized light, goodness and strength on earth. Shab-e Yalda is a time of joy.
Yalda is a Syriac word meaning birth. Mithra-worshippers used the term 'yalda' specifically with reference to the birth of Mithra. As the longest night of the year, the Eve of Yalda (Shab-e Yalda) is also a turning point, after which the days grow longer. In ancient times it symbolized the triumph of the Sun God over the powers of darkness.
The Cult of the Mithra was first introduced to Iran thousands of years ago by migrant Aryans. Mithra, the Sun God remained a potent symbol of worship throughout the following centuries. Centuries later, during the Achaemenid era, Mithra became a principal deity, equal in rank to Ahura Mazda (the god of all goodness) and Anahita (goddess of water and fertility).
In Sasanian times, Zoroastrianism became Iran's official religion, but Mithra's importance remained undiminished. This is evident from the bas-reliefs as Naqsh-e Rustam and Tagh-e Bustan. At Naqsh-e Rustam, Anahita bestows the royal diadem upon Nasri, the Sasanian King. At the investiture of Ardeshir I, Ahura Mazda bestows this diadem to the new King. At Tagh-e Bustan too, Ahura Mazda is again conferring the royal diadem upon Ardeshir II. Mithra is always present as a witness to these ceremonies.
Over the centuries Mithraism spread to Greece and Ancient Rome via Asia Minor, gaining popularity within the ranks of the Roman army. In the 4th century AD as a result of errors made in calculating leap years and dates, the birthday of Mithra was transferred to 25 December. Until then Christ's birthday had been celebrated on 6 January by all branches of the Christian Church. But with the cult of Mithra still popular in Roman Europe, the Christian Church adopted many of the Mithraic rituals and proclaimed 25 December as the official birthday of Christ. Today the Armenian and Eastern Orthodox Churches continue to celebrate 6 January as Christ's birthday.
It was said that Mithra was born out of the light that came from within the Alborz mountains. Ancient Iranians would gather in caves along the mountain range throughout the night to witness this miracle together at dawn. They were known as 'Yar-e Ghar' (Cave Mates). In Iran today, despite of the advent of Islam and Muslim rituals, Shab-e Yalda is still celebrated widely.
It is a time when friends and family gather together to eat, drink and read poetry (especially Hafiz) until well after midnight. Fruits and nuts are eaten and pomegranates and watermelons are particularly significant. The red colour in these fruits symbolises the crimson hues of dawn and glow of life, invoking the splendour of Mithra.
Because Shab-e Yalda is the longest and darkest night, it has come to symbolise many things in Persian poetry; separation from a loved one, loneliness and waiting. After Shab-e Yalda a transformation takes place - the waiting is over, light shines and goodness prevails.
' The sight of you each morning is a New Year Any night of your departure is the eve of Yalda' (Sa'di)
'With all my pains, there is still the hope of recovery Like the eve of Yalda, there will finally be an end' (Sa'di)
During the long night, Iranians also practice bibliomancy with the poetry of the highly respected mystic Iranian poet, Hafez. The poems of Divan-e-Hafez, which can be found in the bookcases of almost all Iranian families, are intermingled with peoples' life and are read or recited during various occasions like Nowruz and Yalda Night.[4]
[edit] References
- Price, Massoume (December 8, 1999), Shab-e Yalda, Burlingame: The Iranian, http://www.iranian.com/History/1999/December/Yalda/
- Kianush, K. (August 7, 2005), The Festival of 'Yalda', Highworth: Art Arena, http://www.art-arena.com/yalda.htm
- Jafarey, Ali (December 19, 2002), Winter Solstice, Yule, Yuletide, Yalda, Vancouver Community Network, http://www.vcn.bc.ca/oshihan/Pages/YaldaE.htm
- Chabok, Hamid R., Oormazd Night,, http://naturedasht.wordpress.com/
- ^ Iran to celebrate Yalda; longest night of the year
- ^ Culture and customs of Iran By Elton L. Daniel, ʻAlī Akbar Mahdī, Page 188
- ^ Dareini, Ali Akbar (December 20, 2008), "Iranians celebrate longest night of the year" ([dead link] – Scholar search), The Daily Journal, (AP wire story), http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_IRAN_LONGEST_NIGHT?SITE=NJVIN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT.
- ^ Iran to celebrate Yalda; longest night of the year
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