Iranian Cultural Centre marks ‘Shab-e-Yalda’ festival

PESHAWAR: The Cultural Centre of the Islamic Republic of Iran arranged a function here on Thursday to mark the Persian festival of ‘Shab-e-Yalda’ or Yalda Night.

Some of those present on occasion were the Director-General of the centre, Dr Hussain Chaqomi, Deputy Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hassan Moazzami, Peshawar Press Club President Arshad Aziz Malik, Khyber Union of Journalists President Kashifuddin Syed, the Chairman of the Persian Department at Peshawar University, Yousuf Hussain Khushi, academicians, Urdu, Pashto, and Hindko writers, students, and people from other walks of life.

The event commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran. Dr Hussain Chaqomi welcomed the guests who were there with their families. He thanked them for attending the function and keeping a good tradition alive.

The diplomat said that the “Shab-e-Yalda” event symbolized love, peace, and harmony in the region. “The cultural events such as “Shab-e-Yalda” signify the rich cultural heritage of Iran and Persia in general,” he said and stressed that we should never detach from our cultural traditions even in this era of technological advancements.

Dr Hussain Chaqomi said the longest night of the year was a time for bringing people closer when friends and families gather to take food, drink and read poetry. “Such celebrations are aimed at highlighting Iranian culture and strengthening cultural ties with the local community,” he elaborated.

A scholar of the Persian language, Prof Syed Ghayur Hussain, talked in detail about “Shab-e-Yalda” by going into the history and other aspects of the festival. He said Yalda was the longest night of the year.

He said the festival corresponded to the night of December 20/21 in the Gregorian calendar and the night between the last day of the ninth month (Azar) and the first day of the tenth month (Dey) of the Iranian solar calendar.

Prof Syed Ghayur Hussain said the “Shab-e-Yalda” was a 2,500 to 3,000-year-old tradition, that emphasized family bonds. “On this night, elders narrate stories and share experiences with the younger generation”, he said adding the festival was celebrated not only in Iran but also in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, and Turkey.

He said the festival preserved the Islamic value of maintaining close family ties, with relatives visiting one another to read and enjoy the poetry of Hafiz together.“The event is important to preserve beautiful traditions and promote Persian language and literature,” said the academician who has authored several books on Persian apart from teaching the language at Khana-e-Farhang and several other seats of learning in Peshawar for a long time.