Chaharshanbe Suri

Fire and purification

The central ritual involves lighting large bonfires in public squares, rooftops, and village streets. Participants jump over the flames while chanting a phrase that exchanges their paleness for the fire's redness. This act symbolizes the shedding of illness, weakness, and bad luck, replacing them with vitality and strength. The fire represents purification and the arrival of spring energy.

Evening customs and games

After the fires, people engage in spoon-banging, a custom similar to trick-or-treating. Disguised participants knock on neighbors' doors, banging spoons on bowls to request snacks. Another tradition is fortune-telling using a jug or a book of poems by Hafez. Participants drop personal items into a container, and a child draws a slip of paper to reveal a verse predicting the future for the item's owner.

Food and offerings

Families share ajil, a mix of dried fruits and nuts like pistachios and almonds, believed to grant wishes. Supper varies by region but often includes polow with pasta or sabzi-polow with fish. In some areas, burning rue seeds or frankincense protects against the evil eye. A courtship ritual in northern Iran involves dropping a basket from a roof to gauge family approval.

History and modern context

Rooted in Zoroastrianism, the festival honors spirits during the Frawardigan period. Historically, Tehran residents visited the Pearl Cannon for blessings. Today, the celebration persists despite government discouragement, sometimes becoming a site for political expression. It remains a key cultural event for Iranians worldwide, including large gatherings in Stockholm.

How Chaharshanbe Suri is kept

Communities collect brushwood to build bonfires at sunset. People jump over the flames while chanting phrases of exchange. Later, they disguise themselves to bang spoons on bowls at neighbors' doors for snacks. Families gather for fortune-telling rituals using jugs or poetry books. They eat ajil snacks and regional supper dishes like polow, while burning rue seeds for protection.

When and where

It falls on the last Wednesday before the vernal equinox, usually in March. The date shifts annually based on the solar calendar, occurring in the final week of Esfand.

The festival is strongest in Iran, particularly in cities like Isfahan and Tehran. It is also observed in Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Turkey. Large diaspora celebrations occur in places like Stockholm.

What Chaharshanbe Suri means

The fire purifies the soul, removing past misfortunes and welcoming spring energy. Jumping over the flames signifies leaving behind illness and weakness. The exchange of colors represents a spiritual renewal. The festival honors ancestors and marks the vital transition from winter to spring.

On the table

• Ajil
• Polow
• Sabzi-polow
• Pasta soup

Days Chaharshanbe Suri is marked

Chaharshanbe Suri dates: 2027, 2028

This date follows the moon or a local calendar and can move by a day, so check with a local source nearer the time.

Questions people ask about Chaharshanbe Suri

See also

NowruzThe Iranian new year at the March equinox, kept with fire, greenery and picnicsMawlidAn annual festival marking the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, marked by poetry, processions and feasts.Yaldā NightA solstice night of poetry, fruit and family, kept from Iran through Central AsiaEid al-FitrThe feast that ends Ramadan, opened with morning prayers, sweets and visits home

Good reading and sources

• Chaharshanbe Suri on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.