The Tuesday night before Nowruz, (the Iranian New Year) Iranians get together with friends or family or neighbors or strangers out in the streets. They light fires anywhere they can and proceed to jump over the fires over and over again. Everywhere you can hear music and the sound of fireworks. This year was the first year I participated in this celebration. I went to a friend's house and we danced and jumped over fire all night long. I had a great time.You may ask why? Why jump over fire and what does this have to do with the Islamic Republic? It doesn't really. It's one of those paradoxes you find in this country. Chehar Shanbe Suri is actually a Zoroastrian celebration. Orthodox Muslims consider them pagan and it is a wonder to me that Chehar Shanbe Suri has survived all of these years. Unlike Christian invasions that forced indigenous religions to completely surrender and give up their traditions or at least to adapt them to Christian beliefs (i.e. Christmas) Muslim conquerors tended to allow traditional celebrations to continue. Iran being a proud nation, insisted on maintaining Zoroastrian customs like Chehar Shanbe Suri however contradictory it may have been to Islamic beliefs.
Since the Revolution, many clerics have been resentful of this old holiday and have attempted to overshadow it by Islamic holidays that fall around the same time. They have, every year, been unsuccessful. People here, no matter their economic background or religious beliefs, have clung on to this celebration as a matter of Iranian nationalism and simply a night to let go and have fun. Few can explain the historical significance of Chehar Shanbe Suri. If you'd like to learn, visit http://www.iranonline.com/festivals/Chahar-shanbaeh-sori-english/index.html
Leading up to the celebrations, the government propagated through the TV the dangers of fireworks. Albeit fireworks do have their hazards, but they wanted people to associate the celebration with children disfigured by defective fireworks, innocent women blinded by rowdy teenagers and general people scarred for life because they didn't think twice before going out that night to participate in an unholy ritual. It worked to certain degree. I heard a few people talk about how they stayed in that night because the streets were too dangerous to go out in. As for me, I braved the night and ended up really enjoying myself. Next time I'm in the States for Chehar Shanbe Suri, we'll throw a party and make a few fires. I have posted some pictures so that you can begin to look forward to it next year
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