What fire-jumping festival is held on the eve of Nowruz in Iran?
Answer
Chaharshanbe Suri
Chaharshanbe Suri is the fire-jumping festival held on the eve of Nowruz in Iran.
The celebration takes place on the last Wednesday evening before Nowruz. People traditionally light small fires and jump over them while reciting a Persian verse asking for the fire’s redness and vitality and offering their own paleness and illness in return.
The name combines “Chaharshanbe,” meaning Wednesday, with “Suri,” a word associated with festivity and redness. Although the custom has pre-Islamic associations, modern observances vary widely by family and community.
Chaharshanbe Suri is different from Sizdah Bedar, which occurs on the thirteenth day after Nowruz and is usually marked outdoors. It is also unrelated to Yalda Night, the winter solstice celebration.