Yalda Night; Food of life: ancient Persian and modern Iranian cooking and ceremonies

  This is one of the most celebrated traditional events in Iran, which marks the longest night of the year that is the night of the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice. This beautiful festival is celebrated in Iran and other historically Iranian-influenced regions, including Azerbaijan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
 The longest and darkest night of the year is a time when friends and family gather together to eat, drink and read poetry (especially Hafez) and the Shahnameh until midnight. Fruits and nuts are eaten and pomegranates and watermelons are particularly significant. The red color in these fruits symbolizes the crimson hues of dawn and glow of life. The poems of Divan-e Hafez, which can be found in the bookcases of most Iranian families, are read or recited on various occasions such as this festival and Nowruz. Each member of the family makes a wish and randomly opens Hafez’s book of poems and recites the poem, which is believed to be an interpretation to the wish.Yalda Night was one of the holy nights in ancient Iran; included in the official calendar of the ancient Iranians from 502 BC during the time of Darius I. the festivities that take place on this night are an ancient tradition.

 In ancient Iran there is a popular legendary that says, once lived a goddess named Mithra. She was the goddess of light and brought warmth to lives. Yalda night celebration is believed to be a dedication to her, who brings light back in to the people’s lives. To live a minute of brightness more each day is a privilege ancient Iranians valued and is celebrated through centuries.
The ancient people also noticed that in some seasons, the days were very long; and as a result, in those days, they could use more sunlight. The belief arose that the light and brightness of the sun were a symbol of goodness and agreement; and that they were in battle with the darkness of the night. Therefore, the longest night of the year marks “the night opening the initial forty-day period of three month winter”, from which the name Chelle “fortieth” drives. Shab-e Chelle is the night opening the “big Chelle” period, that is the night between the last day of autumn and the first day of winter.

Food of life: ancient Persian and modern Iranian cooking and ceremonies/ Najmieh Batmanglij.- New ed.- Washington: Mage, 2011.  
641 .5955 B 333 F 2011