| Mehregan مهرگان | |
|---|---|
 Mehregan table at a celebration in the Netherlands, 2011 | |
| Also called | Jašn-e Mehr جشن مهر |
| Observed by | Iran Azerbaijan Afghanistan Kurdistan Tajikistan Uzbekistan United States (byIranian Americans Canada (byIranian Canadians) |
| Type | Monthly Celebrations in Ancient Persia |
| Significance | Victory ofFereydoun, King of the Seven Kingdoms, overZahhak |
| Celebrations | Wearing purple clothing, gathering together, exchanging greeting cards, setting up the Mehregan table, commemorating the triumph of good over evil, dancing accompanied by special music. |
| Date | October 1–2, October 8 |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Related to | Mithra |
| Ceremony of Mehregan | |
|---|---|
| Country | Iran and Tajikistan |
| Reference | 02144 |
| Region | Asia and the Pacific |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2024 (19th session) |
| List | Representative |
Mehregan (Persian:مهرگان) orJashn-e Mehr (جشن مهرlit.Mithra Festival) is anIranian festival[1][2] celebrated to honor the ZarathustrianyazataMithra (Persian:Mehr), which is responsible for friendship, affection and love.
Persian "Mehregân" (Celebration of Mehr) is derived from theMiddle Persian expressionMihragān, itself derived fromOld PersianMithrakāna.[3]
Mehregan is an Iranian festival honoring the ZoroastrianyazataMithra.[2][4] Under theAchaemenid Empire (330–550 BC), theArmenian subjects of the Persian king gave him 20,000 horses every year during the celebration of Mehregan. Under theSasanian Empire (224–651), Mehregan was the second most important festival, falling behindNowruz.[5] Due to these two festivals being heavily connected with the role of Iranian kingship, the Sasanian rulers were usually crowned on either Mehregan or Nowruz.[6]
InBiruni's eleventh-centuryBook of Instructions in the Elements of the Art of Astrology (233), the astronomer observed that "some people have given the preference to Mihragān [over Nowruz, i.e. New Year's day/Spring Equinox] by as much as they prefer autumn to spring."[7]
As Biruni also does for the other festival days he mentions, he reiterates a local anecdotal association for his description of Mehregan with a fragment of a tale from Iranian folklore: On this day,Fereydun vanquished the evilZahhak and confined him toMount Damavand. This fragment of the legend is part of a greater cycle that ties Mehrgan with Nowruz; Dahak vanquishedJamshid (who the legends have as the one establishing Nowruz or New Year's Day), and Fereydun vanquishes Zahhak, so restoring the balance. The association of Mehrgan with the polarity of spring/autumn, sowing/harvest and the birth/rebirth cycle did not escape Biruni either, for as he noted, "they consider Mihragān as a sign of resurrection and the end of the world, because at Mihragān that which grows reaches perfection."[7]
Mehrgān was celebrated in an extravagant style atPersepolis. Not only was it the time for harvest, but it was also the time when the taxes were collected. Visitors from different parts of thePersian Empire brought gifts for the king all contributing to a lively festival.
Mehrgān is celebrated with the same magnificence and pageantry asNowruz. In ancient times, it was customary for people to send or give their king, and each other, gifts. Rich people usually gave gold and silver coins, heroes and warriors gave horses while others gave gifts according to their financial power and ability, even as simple as an apple. Those fortunate enough would help the poor with gifts.
Gifts to the royal court of over ten thousand gold coins were registered. If the gift-giver needed money at a later time, the court would then return twice the gift amount. Kings gave two audiences a year: one audience atNowruz and other at Mehregān. During the Mehregān celebrations, the king wore a fur robe and gave away all his summer clothes.
On October 2, 2022, which coincided with Mehregan, there were series of ceremonies conducted across Iran. These ceremonies were involved in the provinces ofTehran,Yazd,Kordestan,West Azerbaijan,Zanjan,Sistan and Baluchestan,Isfahan,Bushehr,North Khorasan, andGolestan.[8]
As noted above, Mehrgān is a name-day feast. These name-day feasts are festivals celebrated on the day of the year when the day-name and month-name dedicated to a particular angel or virtue intersect. Ancient Persia had 30-days months, which means that each day in a month had a different name, with 12 of the days also being names of the 12 months. The day whose name corresponded to the name of the month was celebrated.