Nowruzbal

Culture of origin: Gilak · Ancient festival

Holiday sources: Gilak · Iran

Nowruzbal, 'the Nowruz fire', opens the year of the Deylami or Galeshi calendar of the Gilaki-speaking herders of the Gilan highlands. At sunset on the last day of the old year they light fires on the heights and sing and dance around them, believing the fire lessens the snow and cold to come. The fire is lit on the evening of 16 Mordad; Nasrollah Hoomand fixes the new year itself on 17 Mordad, and it was once held between 13 and 17 Mordad. The village of Malekut in Amlash revived it in 1385 SH, and it was registered as national intangible heritage in Khordad 1396 (June 2017).