Celebrate Tirgan, An Ancient Persian Summer Festival

In America, the beginning of July is associated with Independence Day, patriotic banners, parades, barbecues, and lots of red, white, and blue. The day honors liberty, but not just the liberty in a governmental sense. The day celebrates the freedom of summer -- the freedom to stay up late, to take a day off, to eat candy, and have fun.

In Iran, summer shares the same sweet significance, minus Independence Day. In fact, on the Fourth of July, you'll find Iranians celebrating a different holiday: an ancient celebration with Zoroastrian roots. It is called Tirgan and it is celebrated starting on the 13th day of the month of Tir in the Persian calendar. This corresponds with between July 2nd and 4th.

Tirgan celebrates to main figures: Tishtrya and Arash the Archer.

• Tishtrya is the Zoroastrian god associated with the star Sirius and for bringing rain in times of drought. This rain god is central to some of the traditions associated with Tirgan.

• Arash the Archer is an Iranian mythological hero. Legend claims he shot an arrow from Mount Damavand (in Tehran) to settle a land dispute. Where his arrow landed at the Jeyhun River became the border for Persia and it ended a drought. Arash sacrificed his life in the act but is immortalized in Persian lore.

Traditions associated with Tirgan:

• Water splashing (Ab-Pashi):

  • Iranians splash water onto each other to cool themselves off and celebrate the blessings of Iran. The water is a symbol of Tishtrya and Arash's sacrifice as both figures ended droughts.

• Tir-o-baad (Tir and wind) bracelets:

  • Individuals craft bracelets using seven colored threads. The bracelets are worn after the start of the festival and symbolize wishes. After nine or ten days of wearing them, the bracelets are released. They can either be released into a stream or off a high place into the wind. This is to carry the wishes to the divine.

• Fortune-Telling (Fal-e-Kouzeh or Chak-o-Dowlah):

  • This tradition is centered around women. The day before the festival starts, a woman fills a green clay vase (dowlah) with water. She then covers the vase with a silk handkerchief before placing it under a tree. People place objects inside the vase and make a wish as they do. On the day of Tirgan, the women return and the woman who prepared the vase removed the objects as elders recite poetry. The poems correspond with the items that are being removed to show the fortune of the individuals who own them.

While Tirgan is not as widely-known as Nowruz, it is a vibrant summer celebration that continues to be observed to this day. Mazandaran and Yazd are communities that actively celebrate Tirgan but festivals have expanded internationally as well. Celebrate Tirgan by making a bracelet or just spashing yourself with some cool water this July.