Festival marking the end of "Chele Tammuz," the forty hottest days of summer starting from Tir 1st. The 10th of Amordad marks the end of the year's hottest period.
Origin
Persian tradition; end of the forty hot summer days
Historical Context
Chele Tabestan is a forty-day period from Tir 1st to Amordad 10th, the hottest days of the year in Iran. This festival marked the end of this period and the beginning of cooling weather. In Khorasan, Tammuz means the first summer month and scorching heat. The festival connects to Tishtrya (Tir), the Zoroastrian deity of rain.
Traditions
Harvest Thanksgiving: Gratitude for summer crops
Local Songs and Dances: Celebrating the end of heat
Family Visits: Visiting relatives and wearing new clothes
Fun Facts
"Chele" means forty, and Iranians divided the year into forty-day periods. "Chele Tammuz" refers to the forty hot summer days. The word "Tammuz" derives from the Mesopotamian god Dumuzid/Tammuz, associated with dying vegetation in summer heat.
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