Second Esfand Wednesday (Köle chershenbe) · Köle Chershenbe

Culture of origin: Azerbaijani · Ancient festival

Holiday sources: Azerbaijani

The second of the four Esfand Wednesdays kept in Iranian Azerbaijan is the "short" (köle) Wednesday, in both East and West Azerbaijan. According to Hassan Sepehrfar of West Azerbaijan's Cultural Heritage office, the second week of Esfand belongs to the wind (yel), the local meh yeli that melts the snow. In East Azerbaijan people lit fires on their rooftops on each of the four Wednesdays, the last being Chaharshanbe Suri.