The Day of Nature

One of the cultural features of every ethnicity and nation is to hold national feasts and religious ceremonies. These ceremonies are held collectively in a special manner. As a matter of fact, such customs and ceremonies are important factors for reinforcing unity and consistency among people.

One of the Iranian customs is the feast of 13^th of Farvardin which is called Sizdah Bedar. It is the last day of Nowruz celebrations on which people go to the nature and spend their time in meadows, beside rivers and trees. According to a superstition, 13 is a sinister number; hence everyone should leave home to avoid the bad omen of the day.

The Iranian polymath, Abu Reyhan Biruni, writes in his book "Al-Baqiya", "Ancient Iranians used to call each day of the month by a name and the 13^th day was called, "Tir Ruz". Tir is the name of a dear angel and a great, bright and blessed star."

Therefore, "Tir Ruz", as the 13^th day of every month is a happy and blessed day for Iranians. According to another narration, on this day and the month of Tir – which is the fourth month of the Iranian calendar- the borders of Iran and Turan were determined by an arrow that the Iranian archer Arash shot. Dr. Abdul Hussein Zarrinkub, famous Iranian historian, writes, "The 12 days of the year characterize the 12 months of the whole year and, as they belong to the days of Nowruz, they are the mystery of the days of the beginning of creation. In fact, the 13^th day has an omen and on this day people try to enjoy themselves to portend a healthy and comfortable life in all 12 months of the New Year."

This day is a popular feast among Iranians all over the world. This day is also called "The Day of Nature". Before the turning of the year, Iranians try hard to clean their houses, cities and villages to get ready for the arrival of spring. Then they rest a little while exchanging visits with their relatives and friends. But as the 13^th day comes, they go to the nature with their family members and friends.

Iran enjoys a variety of climates in different seasons. The long coastlines in the north and south of the country, dense forests in Gilan, Mazandaran, and Golestan provinces, steppe plains and high mountains in various parts of the country, dry deserts in the center, east and southeast of the country are unique treasures of the Iranian nature. The 13^th of Farvardin is the day on which people go to the nature to thank God for His ample bounties.

From early hours of morning, families with their relatives and friends take the remaining pastries and nuts of Nowruz and go to the nature while they have already prepared the lunch or carry the ingredients for lunch to prepare it in nature. Special Iranian soup called Aash is common on this day. Moreover, many Iranians eat lettuce with Sekanjebin, a special thick drink made of vinegar, sugar, water and spinach. Children often are engaged in games and the adults, too, busy themselves in games or other kinds of activities. In some regions of the country, people hold public games in the form of teams. All these events bolster familial and social bonds and bring families closer to each other.

The Day of Nature is an opportunity to get more familiar with the divine bounties while they try to preserve the nature and avoid damaging this divine gift. Thus, if they make fire they take heed not to burn any plant or leave the area before putting off the fire completely. As a matter of fact, preservation of the nature is a practice done in different months of the year by environmentalists and lovers of nature who volunteer to keep nature intact and try to act as role model for the younger generation. The Day of Nature is the day for refreshment and getting prepared for work after a long period of holidays.   

RM/ME