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JASHN-E TIRGAN (The Rain Festival) The festival of Tiragan is observed on July 1st, and it is primarily a rain festival and it is one of the three most widely celebrated feasts amongst Iranian peoples. Tir in modern Persian,Tishtar in Middle Persian or Pahlavi; and Avestan Tishtrya, is the Yazad presiding over the Star Sirius, brightest star in the sky, and of rain, and thus Tir Yazad especially invoked to enhance harvest and counter drought.
Besides an Afrainagân or Jashn dedicated to Tir, there appear to have been many customs associated with Tiragan.

Tiragan is also associated with the legend of the arrow (tir), (a referral to ‘Arash of the swift arrow, and in modern Persian, known as Arash-e Kamangir) was the best archer in the Iranian army. When Manouchehr and Afrasiyab determined to make peace and to fix the boundary between Iran and Turan, it was stipulated that Arash should ascend Mount Damavand, and from thence discharge an arrow towards the east; and that the place in which the arrow fell should form the boundary between the two kingdoms. Arash thereupon ascended the mountain, and discharged towards the east an arrow, the flight of which continued from the dawn of day until noon, when it fell on the banks of the Jeyhun (the Oxus).



The following Tirgan story is also from the Persian culture, it is related that when the wicked Afrasiyab, the Tur, ruled over the country of Iran, it did not rain, at that time, for 8 years.

Afrasiyab, the Tur, asked the wise and the astrologers why it was not raining. Zu Tahmasp answered: “You turned faithless, because Faridoun had allotted to you Turkestan (only) and entrusted it to you whereas he had allotted Iran to us and given it to us. You turned away from that covenant and set it aside.
It is for this reason that, owing to this sin of yours, it does not rain.” Afrasiyab asked how this could be ascertained. Zu Tahmurasp said: “I shall throw an arrow from here, and where my arrow falls, there will be the boundaries (of your territory).”

Afrasiyab accepted it and entered into a compact thus: “I shall consent to have as the boundaries (of my territory) that place where your arrow settles and I shall go out of Iran.
” When this compact was entered into, it was on the day Tir of the month Tir that Zu Tahmasp uttered the name of God and threw the arrow from the country of Iran and that arrow fell in the country of Turan by the command of Lord Ohrmazd.

When that arrow settled in the country of Turan, Afrasiyab took this witness that the rains did not come on account of his faithlessness. Then Afrasiyab arose from that place and went out of Iran with his army and settled in the country of Turan. The intelligence of this spread on the day Govad and heavy rains poured down on the day Govad.

Then they assented to institute a festival in the country of Iran on the day Tir of the month Tir and up to now the Dasturs of Iran write a Nirang (formula) and tie it on the hands of the faithful and remove it from their hands on the day Govad, throw it into the sea on that day for the reason that the glad tidings of the return of Afrasiyab to Turan had reached on the day Govad. It is for this reason that this nirang is untied from the hands and thrown into the sea so that all calamities may sink into the sea.

Folk music concert by Tasian group in Iran
Date: 30 May – 1 June 2010
Time: 8:30 PM
Rasht-Iran

A timeless Persian tale of forbidden love and war from Shah-Nameh, an epic tale of Romance, War, Triumph and the transcendental power of love narrated in English and Persian. Choreographed by award-winning director Anna Djanbazian of the Los Angeles-based, Djanbazian Dance Company.

Sunday May 16th, 2010
Skirball Center for the Performing Arts
New York University
566 La Guardia Place

Performance length: 2 acts with one 15 minute intermission,
7 PM- 9 PM
Ticket

Zal, son of a Feridun chief named Sam, was born with snow white hair. This curious condition aroused fear that he might be a daeva’s son, and Sam was forced to abandon the boy on a mountaintop. A simurgh, a bird with magic powers, snatched up the crying baby and raised him with its own nestlings.



Upon dreaming that his son still lived, Sam prayed to be reunited. The simurgh instructed Zal that he must return to his father, but gave him a feather that would ensure Zal’s safety if he were ever in danger. Sam welcomed his son and eventually put him in charge of Zabulistan where he performed his duties well.

Zal regretted his ignorance of world, however, and decided to visit other places including Kabul. The chief of Kabul was a descendant of Zohak, an enemy of Zal’s father Sam and the king of Persia. Zal knew that he should avoid contact with the chief, yet he yearned to meet the chief’s daughter Rudabeh who was described as “fair as the moon with ringlets of dark hair that reached her feet and whose presence made men think of heaven.” Rudabeh in turn had heard of Zal’s exceptional white hair and strange upbringing.



Her attendants sensed her interest in Zal and ventured to gather roses in a stream bed by his camp. When Zal shot a bird rising from the waters, he received a message that Rudabeh could be his if he were worthy. The maidens returned to Rudabeh with gems, robes, and rings from Zal. She invited Zal to her palace retreat. After calling to him from a balcony, she let down her tresses which Zal climbed. The two realized their great love for each other, but feared their families’ enmity.

The days that followed were grim because the king of Persia vowed to destroy all descendants of Zohak. When Zal confessed his love for Rudabeh to his father, Sam consulted astrologers, and learned that the offspring of the two lovers would become a great conqueror. He sent Zal with a letter fo the king of Persia beseeching permission for the marriage. When the king received the same sign from the astrologers, he consented, and Rudabeh and Zal were married on the palace balcony. The king of Persia also made peace with the ruler of Kabulistan.



When Rudabeh was ready to bare her child, she became gravely ill. Zal placed the simurgh feather on the fire. The simurgh appeared and instructed that Rudabeh be drugged with wine. Her side was opened, her child drawn out, and the incision rubbed with an herb and another feather from the simurgh’s wing. The child named Rustam revealed himself immediately to be a hero and the fulfillment of the simurgh’s prophecy.

Performers in the Character:
Enton Hoxha: as Zal
Maria Tikhomirova: Rudabeh
Shahla Sarokhani: Narrator (Naqqal)
Kenwa Li Newell: Narrator (Naqqal)
Mehrdad Naghibian: Musician (Drum & Daf)
Kourosh Moradi: Musician (Daf)

Company Dancers:
Alex Crawford, Alina Ananian, Athenia Barouni, Talin Davidian, Tina Mirzakhanian, Talita Ghazanian, Tania Mangasarian, Rubina Vartanian, Melanie Hartenian, Anoush Akopyan, Biayna Ayvazian, Christine Dashdemirians, Catherine Eskandar, Maryam Ghukasian.