Director-General of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism of Yazd talked about Tirgan Festival: this ancient tradition in Yazd, which is celebrated with a special ritual, has legends related to Arash the Archer and drought.
Sayyed Mostafa Fatemi in an online meeting with UNESCO, which was held regarding the Tirgan festival, stated that Yazd has different conditions due to the coexistence of Muslims, Zoroastrians, and Jews.
Referring to the mourning ceremonies of Tasua and Ashura with the presence of Zoroastrians, he added: Persian rituals and celebrations, including Thanksgiving celebrations, harvest related to Mehr and related to Mehregan, Nowruz, Yalda night ceremonies and also rituals such as Tirgan in Everywhere in the province alongside Muharram mourning ceremonies are held with the presence of different ethnic groups.
Tirgan Festival in Yazd goes back to some legendary events in Iran. They say that after seven years of drought during the reign of Firooz, it finally rained and people rejoiced and sprinkled water in on each other to celebrate.
Weaving the Tirgan Festival ritual which consists of seven colors of the rainbow and seven threads, is a sign of the rainbow and life. They make a wish and give it to the wind.
These ceremonies are usually joyful. As Ahura Mazda is the creator of happiness, all the gatherings are related to happiness and thanksgiving. Tirgan Festival is for the rain. Iran always had problems with drought, therefore celebrating a rainy day after seven years of drought turned into an annual thing.
In Yazd, in the Qasemabad neighborhood, people respect the tradition and gather around water, say prayers, have special dishes, and pray for more rain.
They say on this day, Arash, the archer, broadened Iran’s border by shooting an arrow that went on for three days and three nights. To give this arrow the power it needed, Arash gave his life to it, all the strength he had.