“Chaharshanbe Suri,” or “Red Wednesday,” marks the eve of the last Wednesday of the Solar calendar right before Persian New year and vernal equinox. The festival is a warm welcome to Nowruz, Persian New Year, and it is celebrated on Tuesday night by jumping over bonfires in hope of cleaning themselves of all the misfortunes, bad spirits and impurities of the past year and get ready to welcome the coming New Year and wish for enlightenment and happiness.
Chaharshanbe means Wednesday and Suri means both ‘Red’ and ‘Celebration’. On “Red Wednesday” or “Wednesday Celebration” night people go out and make bush fires and jump over them. Fire is the symbol of good health, cultivation, light, and purity to the Iranian. This is symbolic of burning pain, unhappiness, and sickness in search of good health, cultivation, light, and purity. Some believe their ancestors’ spirits visit during the last few days of the year. Chaharshanbe Suri, in many ways is the equivalent of Halloween.
There are several rituals and routines performing in the Chaharshanbe Suri, which make the festival a richer perspective. Some of the most important ones are listed here:
Jumping Over Fire
پریدن از آتش
On the eve before the last Wednesday, Iranians get together and make bone fire through out the streets, alleys, and inside backyards or gardens and jump over the fire and sing:
سرخی تو از من
(Sorkhi-e to az man) Give me your beautiful red color
زردی من از تو
(Zardi-e man az to) And take back my sickly pallor!
Aajeel-e Charshanb-e Suri
آجیل چهارشنبه سوری
People make wishes and in order to make them come true, they prepare the following food and snacks and distribute them on this night at the gatherings or to people passing by.
a. آش چهارشنبه سوری ash-e Chahar Shanbe Suri Noodle Soup
b. آجیل چهارشنبه سوری ajeel-e Chahar Shanbe Suri A Mixture of Seven Dried Nuts and Fruits,(pistachios, roasted chickpeas, almond, hazelnuts, figs, apricots, and raisins)
Qaashoq-Zani (Spoon-hitting)
قاشق زنی
Qaashoq Zani is a Celtic variation of Halloween with a history way older than Halloween. There are some other rituals connected to the festival that have almost disappeared nowadays like Qaashoq Zani. Youths cover their face and body with a veil چادر “chaador” and go to neighbors’ houses and make a noise by hitting a bowl with a spoon called Gashog-Zani while they knock on doors to ask for treats. The household presents them with treats such as nuts betokens a positive omen. Indeed, Halloween is a Celtic variation of this night.
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Answer the following questions in response to this blog post to show off your knowledge about Charshanbe Suri with Talk Like A Persia community.
1. What does Charshanbe Suri mean?
2. When is it celebrated?
3. Name three Charshanbe Suri rituals?
4. What does fire symbolize in Persian culture?
5. What song do we sing when they jump over the fire?
1). Charshanbe Suri means either “Red Wednesday” or “Wednesday Celebration”.
2). it is celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday before Nowruz
3). پریدن از آتش، آجیل چهارشنبه سوری، قاشق زنی
4). Fire symbolizes good health, cultivation, light, and purity
5). سرخی تو از من زردی من از تو
1. What does Charshanbe Suri mean? Red Wednesday or Wednesday celebration.
2. When is it celebrated? The last Wednesday of the solar calendar right before Persian New year and the vernal equinox.
3. Name three Charshanbe Suri rituals?
Jumping Over Fire and singing; سرخی تو از من
Aajeel-e Charshanb-e Suri where people make wishes and in order to make them come true, they prepare food and snacks.
ش چهارشنبه سوری
آجیل چهارشنبه سوری
Qaashoq-Zani (Spoon-hitting) is similar to Halloween where youths cover their face and body with a veil and go to houses asking for treats.
4. What does fire symbolize in Persian culture? This is symbolic of burning pain, unhappiness, and sickness in search of good health, cultivation, light, and purity. Some believe their ancestors’ spirits visit during the last few days of the year.
5. What song do we sing when they jump over the fire?سرخی تو از من or “give me your beautiful red color.”
1. Charshanbe Suri has two meanings: “Red Wednesday” and “Wednesday Celebration.”
2. Charshanbe Suri is celebrated on the night (eve) of the last Wednesday of the solar calendar that is
before the Persian new year.
3. Three Charshanbe Suri rituals are Jumping over Fire, Aajeel-e Charshanbe-e Suri, and Qaashoq-Zani (Spoon-Hitting).
4. In Persian culture fire symbolizes light, cultivation, good health, and purity; it also symbolizes unhappiness, burning pain, and sickness while in search of good health, light, purity, and cultivation.
5. The song that is sang when they jump over the fire is سرجی تو از من زردی من از تو (Give me your beautiful red color and take back my sickly pallor!).
1. Charshanbe Suri means “Red Wednesday and “Wednesday Celebration”.
2. Charshanbe Suri is celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday before Nowruz.
3. Three Charshanbe Suri rituals are jumping over fire and singing a song, Aajeel-e Charshanb-e Suri is where they prepare nuts and noodle soups and make a wish, and Qaashoq-Zani where children cover themselves with a veil and go to knock on doors for treats.
4. In Persian, the fire symbolizes good health, light, cultivation, and purity.
5. The song that they sing when they jump over the fire is سرخی تو از من زردی من از تو (Give me your beautiful red color) (And take back my sickly pallor!).
1. Chaharshanbe Suri means “Red Wednesday.”
2. It is celebrated on the last Wednesday before Nowruz.
3. Jumping over fire, Aajeel-e Charshanbe Suri, and Qashoq zani.
4. Fire symbolizes health, light, cultivation, and purity.
5. The songs that are sung is “Sorkhie To Az Man” and “Zardie Man Az To”
1. Charharshanbe Suri translates to “Red Wednesday”.
2. The celebration takes place on the last Wednesday prior to Persian New Year.
3. Three rituals include jumping over fire, eating aajeel-e charshanb-e sure (including a noodle soup and assorted nuts), and Qaashoq Zani (spoon hitting).
4. Fire is symbolic for good health, purity, light, and cultivation.
5. While jumping over the fire, it is common to sing the following song: “sorkhi-e to az man” and “zardi-e man az to”.
1). Charshanbe Suri means Red Wednesday
2). Celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday before Nowruz
3). پریدن از آتش، آجیل چهارشنبه سوری، قاشق زنی
4). Fire symbolizes good health,light, cultivation, and purity.
5). سرخی تو از من زردی من از تو
1. Red Wednesday
2. the last wednesday before Nowruz
3. jumping over fire, Aajeel-e Charshanb-e Suri, Qaashoq-Zani (Spoon-hitting).
4. health, fulfilment, warmth, energy and purity.
5. سرخی تو از من ,Give me your beautiful red color
زردی من از تو , And take back my sickly pallor
1. What does Charshanbe Suri mean?
It means Red Wednesday
2. When is it celebrated?
The last Wednesday of the Persian new year (Nowruz)
3. Name three Charshanbe Suri rituals?
jumping over fire, Ajil-e Charshanb-e Suri, and Kashok-Zani
4. What does fire symbolize in Persian culture?
health, purity, cultivation. It was an important symbol in the former Iranian religion of Zoroastrianism
5. What song do we sing when they jump over the fire?
“Give me your beautiful read” and “Take back my sickly pallor”
1. Red Wednesday
2. The last Wednesday of the Persian new year before Nowruz
3. Jumping over fire, spoon hitting (Qaashoq Zani), eating nuts and noodle soup
4. health, purity, cultivation, light
5. “Sorkhie To Az Man” and “Zardie Man Az To”
1. What does Charshanbe Suri mean?
Chaharshanbe Suri means “Red Wednesday”.
2. When is it celebrated?
It is celebrated on the last Wednesday of the Persian New Year before Nowruz.
3. Name three Charshanbe Suri rituals?
پریدن از آتش, آجیل چهارشنبه سوری, قاشق زنی.
4. What does fire symbolize in Persian culture?
In Persian culture, fire means health, light, purity, and cultivation.
5. What song do we sing when they jump over the fire?
.سرخی تو از من
.زردی من از تو
1). Charshanbe Suri means either “Red Wednesday” or “Wednesday Celebration”.
2). it is celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday before Nowruz
3). پریدن از آتش، آجیل چهارشنبه سوری، قاشق زنی
4). Fire symbolizes good health, cultivation, light, and purity
5). سرخی تو از من زردی من از تو
. What does Charshanbe Suri mean?
It means “red Wednesday”
2. When is it celebrated?
It is celebrated the last Wednesday before Nowruz (new year)
3. Name three Charshanbe Suri rituals?
Jumping over fire, eating ash-e Chahar Shanbe Suri Noodle Soup, and spoon hitting.
4. What does fire symbolize in Persian culture?
it symbolizes, health, purity, cultivation, and light.
5. What song do we sing when they jump over the fire?
“Sorkhie To Az Man” and “Zardie Man Az To” are sung when jumping over the fire.
1.) Charshanbe Suri translates to “Red Wednesday”.
2.) Charshanbe Suri is celebrated on the last Wednesday before the Persian new year.
3.) Three rituals include: eating aajeel-e charshanb-e, dancing, and jumping over fire.
4.) Fire symbolizes purity, light, cultivation, and good health.
5.) While jumping over fire, the songs sung are: sorkhi-e to az man and zardi-e man az to.
1) It means “Red Wednesday”
2) Chaharshanbe Suri is celebrated on the last Wednesday before Norwus
3) The three rituals are jumping over a fire, preparing aajeel-e chaharshanb-e suri, and spoon hitting / qaashaq-zani
4) Fire is supposed to symbolize light, health, purity, and cultivation.
5) They sing songs as they jump over the fire. Some songs they sing are Sorkhie To Az Man, and Zardie Man Az To
1. What does Charshanbe Suri mean?
Red Wednesday
2. When is it celebrated?
It is celebrated eve of last wednesdat before Nowruz
3. Name three Charshanbe Suri rituals?
Jump over fire, Aajeel-e Charshanb-e Suri, Qaashoq-Zani
4. What does fire symbolize in Persian culture?
Good health, cultivation, light and purity
5. What song do we sing when they jump over the fire?
Give me your beautiful red color and take back my sickly pallor
1. Charshanbe Suri means Red Wednesday
2. The night before the last wednesday of the year
3. آجیل چهار شنبه سوری, پریدن از آتیش ,قاشق زنی
4. Health, Light, Purity, goodness, creation (Zoroastrian)
5. سرخی تو از من زردی من از تو
1. Red Wednesday
2. The last Wednesday before Nowruz
3. Jumping over fire, Aajeel-e Charshanb-e Suri, Qaashoq-Zani (Spoon-hitting)
4. Health, Purity, Light, and Cultivation
5. Sorkhie To Az Man
Sima Kazerooni
B. Answer the following questions in response to the blog post on the website.
1. What does Charshanbe Suri mean?
Chaharshanbe means Wednesday and Suri means both Red and Celebration.
2. When is it celebrated?
On the evening before the last Wednesday.
3. Name three Charshanbe Suri rituals?
People make a bon fire in the streets, alleys and their back yards and jump over it and say…سرخی تو از من…زردی من از تو. People jump over these fires and make wishes in the hope that they will come true. They eat a traditional soup called ash-e Reshteh, which is Chahar Shanbe Suri Noodle Soup. They also eat ajeel-e Chahar Shanbe Suri, which is a mixture of Seven Dried Nuts and Fruits. They also do the Qaashoq Zani, which is translated as spoon banging.
4. What does fire symbolize in Persian culture?
The fire is the symbol for good health, hope or light for the coming year and purity for the Iranians. It is also symbolic for burning sickness, pain and unhappiness away.
5. What song do we sing when they jump over the fire?
سرخی تو از من – Give me your beautiful red color
زردی من از تو – And take back my sickly pallor
1. Red Wednesday
2. The evening of the last Wednesday before Nowruz
3. Jumping over the fire, Qaashoq Zani, and eating ash-e Reshteh
4. Purity, Health, Light, and Cultivation
5. Sorkhie To Az Man