Sadeh – A Festival that Honors the Birth of Fire

A Blog of the Mini-Series: Celebrations of Light, Fire, Water, and Colors Around the Globe

My introduction to Sadeh came from my Iranian friend Mahmoud during a summer mathematics camp. I’ve since become captivated by the holiday’s rich history and cultural significance.

 With its roots tracing back to the era of the Achaemenid Empire (550-330BC), Sadeh is celebrated 50 days and 50 nights before Nowruz (Persian New Year, typically occurring around March 21st). The very name "Sadeh" in Farsi denotes the number one hundred. As one of the oldest-known traditions in ancient Persia, Sadeh stands as a grand festivity that honors fire, a symbol of warmth, vitality, and a weapon wielded against darkness, frost, and Ahriman (the devil). The festival underscores the enduring importance of light, fire, and hope in our lives.

One evening around the campfire, Mahmoud told our fellow campers the enchanting story behind Sadeh. Based on Persian mythological legend, the festival is deeply intertwined with the origins of humanity. According to Iranian belief, Sadeh marks the day when humankind first encountered fire, considered a divine gift. Legend has it that while hunting a dragon, the mythical king of the world, Shah Hushang threw a flint stone at the dragon which collided with another flint stone in mid-air, igniting a cascade of sparks. These sparks gave rise to fire!  We loved the story so much that we enthusiastically engaged in a friendly competition to throw stones into the bonfire, eager to witness if any of them might replicate those splendid sparks. Of course, being ardent math enthusiasts, we couldn't resist delving into the probabilities and complexities, calculating the odds of these stones crossing paths in the air, factoring in the number of throwers, the potential trajectories, and other variables, all in the spirit of intellectual curiosity and camaraderie.

In ancient times, priests would perform rituals and lead the prayers to light the fire at sunset. People would dance around the fire, indulging in wine and feasts along with fireworks, dance, and music.

Over 2,500 years later, many aspects of this time-honored tradition have endured. The preparation for Sadah starts from gathering the firewood a day before the festival. Traditionally much akin to a rite of passage, teenage boys go about to gather wood, resembling a milestone step for the boys on the way to manhood. Nowadays, this task has evolved into a collaborative endeavor. The pile of wood is then taken to the shrine of Mihr, lord of fire and the sun. At the sunset, people gather around the wood, ready to kindle the fire that will keep burning through the night. Families sing, pray, chant hymns, play ceremonial music, and take part in performances, such as Naghali. This art form, one of the oldest forms of Persian traditional theater and designated as a UNESCO Iranian cultural treasure, seamlessly weaves storytelling with acting and song. Gathered in a circle around the radiant fire, people celebrate a time of warmth, joy, and sacred rituals.

Next morning, each family will collect a symbolic portion from the sacred fire and carry it back to their homes. Using the ritually blessed fire, new fires are then made in every household, infused with the blessings of the Sadeh fire.

As the festivities span over several days, sumptuous feasts featuring roasted lamb, flavorful Ash (a traditional Iranian soup), beef, and various other culinary delicacies are joyously shared among friends and families. These gatherings celebrate the mythical discovery of fire, a cornerstone of Persian culture.

Among the renowned sweet treats at these occasions are Sohan, a luscious Persian toffee candy; Ajil, a delightful blend of assorted nuts; and Gaz, the beloved Iranian nougat, all contributing to the joyous festivities.

Sohan Recipe

Ingredients

• 200 g Sugar

• 150 g Butter

• 2 tbsp Honey

• 2 tbsp Wheat germ flour

• 1 tbsp All-Purpose Flour

• 1.5 tbsp Glucose syrup

• 120g Rosewater

• ½ teaspoon Saffron

• ½ teaspoon Cardamom

Instructions

• Prepare a piece of aluminum foil and place it on a flat surface, grease with oil.

• In a pot, add the wheat germ flour and flour, heat it up and keep stirring.

• Reduce the heat, mix in the rosewater and sugar, keep stirring.

• While boiling, add butter and let it come back to boil again.

• Add honey, glucose syrup, cardamom and saffron. Stir for ~30 minutes.

• Pour the contents on the foil and spread it well. You can add powdered nuts for the garnishing of the candy.

• Let it cool and your Sohan is ready!