Tirgan Festival

Tirgan Festival

city: Iran


Tirgan Festival” is an ancient summer Persian festival, celebrated annually on 13th of the month of “Tir” (early-July). This festival has been celebrated by fun activities including splashing water, dancing, singing the songs and wishing for ample rainfall, special foods are also served. It is still celebrated in various regions of Iran such as Mazandaran, Kerman and Yazd Provinces and also the city of Farahan which is the major center for celebrating Tirgan Festival.

Tirgan Festival in Farahan

There are various legends about the origin of Tirgan Festival. One legend describes an ancient Iranian myths in which a hero of Persian mythology called Arash the Archer settled a dispute between Iran and Turan by shooting an arrow that the landing location determined the boundary between two countries. In a war between two countries of Iran and Turan, Iran proposed for making peace, Turan agreed but in the condition that someone from Iran army should specify the border of two countries by firing an arrow, and where the arrow landed would lie the border between two kingdoms. The land falls within the range of the bow-shot shall be returned to Iran and the rest should fall to Turan. Arash was asked to be the archer for specifying the border of these two countries. A goddess suggested Arash a special bow and arrow and told the arrow could go really far, but the person who shoot will die after that. Arash accepted since he was ready to die for his country, Iran. Arash then fired that arrow wholeheartedly from the top of Mount Damavand to east, the arrow landed a far spot near to the town of “Balkh” and Arash passed away. Tirgan Festival has been held in remembrance of this great hero, Arash the Archer.

Bahareh Yousefian


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