Film and theater director and actor Javad Ensafi, 64, has written a book about the ancient Iranian fire festival of 'Chaharshanbeh-Suri,' celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday before the start of the Persian New Year, Nowruz.
Nowruz marks the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere on March 21, and is celebrated by Iran and other Persian-speaking nations
Ensafi said his book titled 'Chaharshanbeh-Suri' has received the publishing permit. "I hope it will be published and released soon," he told Honaronline.
He said the work is the outcome of his four-year research on the ritual."I have also staged a play on the basis of my research."
People celebrate the festival by lighting bonfires in the streets and jumping over them "to cleanse themselves of the misfortunes and impurities of the outgoing year" and welcome the start of New Year.
"Chaharshanbeh-Suri is a celebration of solidarity and environment cleaning. It is an ancient tradition by which people clean their cities 10 days prior to the New Year in a symbolic way by lighting small bonfires," Ensafi said.
The festival is an occasion for people to gather and extend a helping hand to one another. In the olden days, the younger generations would go to the farms of the elderly, uproot all the wild thorns and bushes and bring them to public places for the bonfire.
"Currently I am researching on two other topics of 'water' and 'rug' that are among major Iranian themes. I intend to adapt the results of the studies for another play."
