Observed by Iran Date April 1 or 2 | Celebrations Picnicking outdoors Frequency annual | |
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Sizdah Bedar (Persian: سیزدهبدر – Sizdebedar) is an Iranian festival held annually on the thirteenth day of Farvardin (the first month of the Iranian calendar), during which people spend time picnicking outdoors. It is an official holiday in Iran, known as the Nature Day (روز طبیعت – Ruz e Tabiat).
Contents
- Observances
- Lie of the Thirteen
- Throwing away the greenery
- Knotting the greenery
- Chahardah Be dar
- References
Sizdah Bedar comes following Nowruz, although it is not historically part of the latter celebration.
Observances
Sizdah Be-dar is celebrated on the thirteenth day of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. It is celebrated by leaving houses to join nature, and spending the day outdoors.
In Iranian Azerbaijan, it is called Sinzə Günü which means the "thirteenth day."
Lie of the Thirteen
Lie of the Thirteen (دروغ سیزده – Doruq e Sizda') is the Iranian version of the prank-playing April Fools' Day which is observed on the first or second day of April in Iran, on the day of Sizdah Be-dar.
Throwing away the greenery
A ritual performed at the end of the picnic is to throw away the greenery (سبزه – Sabze) collected for Haft-Seen, the customary setting of Nowruz in Iran. Touching someone else's greenery on this day or bringing it back home is considered a bad omen.
Knotting the greenery
It is also customary for young single people, especially young girls, to tie the leaves of the greenery before discarding it, expressing a wish to find a partner.
Chahardah Be-dar
Chahardah Be-dar (Persian: Čahārda' be Dar – چهارده به در) is the fourteenth day of Nowruz, which is celebrated only in Lorestan Province. Lurs stay home on the thirteenth day of Nowruz, referred to as the Strange Thirteen (سیزده غریب – Sizdah e Qarib) by them. Instead, they picnic outdoors a day after Sizdah Be-dar.