A fire festivity, Chaharshanbeh-Suri is held on the night before the last Wednesday of the year when families and friends gather by bunches of open fires and keep them lit till dawn.
Narratives say that ancient Iranians originally observed Chaharshanbeh-Suri in a bid to ward off all the misfortunes and bad omens with hopes that their wishes would come true.
In ancient Persia, fire was deemed as a sacred element, a belief that modern Zoroastrians still adhere to. The fire has been supposed to give people its warmth and energy and take away their paleness, sickness and problems in return.
People chant “Give me your fiery red color and take back my wintry sallowness,” while they are jumping over open fires. In short, the festivity may symbolize a euphoria of nature on the eve of spring.
