Last  Wednesday of the Iranian year (Nowruz) know as Chahar Shanbeh Souri, is celebrated in the evening of the last Tuesday of each year, Iranians celebrate a fire festival with its roots in the ancient customs and history of the country.

Jumping over a bonfire is the ritual of “Chahr-Shanbeh Souri” during the Persian celebration of  Nowruz, or the Persian New Year.  It signifies a time to say goodbye to the darkness of winter and welcome to the lightness of spring.

Bonfires are lit to “keep the sun alive” until early morning. The celebration usually starts in the evening, with people making bonfires in the streets and jumping over them singing “zardi-ye man az toh, sorkhi-ye toh az man”. The literal translation is, my yellow is yours, your red is mine. This is a purification rite. Loosely translated, this means you want the fire to take your pallor, sickness, and problems and in turn give you redness, warmth, and energy.