Chaharshanbe Suri; From Bidding Farewell to the Souls of the Dead to the Noise of Sulfur

The tradition of Chaharshanbe Suri in many parts of Iran has been reduced to mere noise and the sound of firecrackers. The sulfur smell fills the air, and some citizens complain about the explosions. It seems that the past of this ancient ritual can only be found in songs, where Shahyar Ghanbari speaks of the joy of a leap over 'bushes of light' in 'Koodakaneh' or describes 'the spoon beating of a girl in a black chador.' In one of the recent programs about Chaharshanbe Suri, Ahmad Karimi Hakak, a writer and professor of Persian literature in the U.S., spoke of the 'darkness of history' surrounding Chaharshanbe Suri. According to this university professor, there is no mention of Chaharshanbe Suri as one of the Iranian festivals in historical texts like 'Al-Athar al-Baqiya' by Al-Biruni. Ahmad Karimi Hakak states that some opponents of the Islamic Republic's policies view the government's approach to Chaharshanbe Suri as a symbol of its opposition to 'national identity,' and according to him, they exaggerate. This university professor explains that the government's resistance to holding Chaharshanbe Suri is due to the fact that the organizers have turned it into a 'political matter' and have effectively created a 'state of insecurity for themselves.' According to Pedram Soroush Pour, a Zoroastrian priest, jumping over fire has no place in this religion, and 'the tradition has gone astray' and has become 'contradictory.' He mentions that in Tehran, the closest ritual to the Chaharshanbe Suri celebration among Zoroastrians is the 'Panjah' ceremony, which encompasses the last five days of the year. Mr. Soroush Pour states that during these five days, the souls of the deceased return to their homes, and Zoroastrians bid farewell to them by lighting fires on rooftops and gathering together. He reiterates that jumping over fire has no place in this religion and that 'the tradition has gone astray' and has become 'contradictory.'