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The Beginnings and Traditions of Mehregan

 
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 9:15 pm    Post subject: The Beginnings and Traditions of Mehregan Reply with quote


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SARBAZ IRAN SOLDIER PERSIA

THE IRANIAN MILLITARY FORCES WILL UNITE WITH THE PEOPLE OF IRAN WHEN THEY RISE UP AGAINST THE TYRANT OF TEHRAN MULLAH KHAMENEI.
MANI TURKZADEH
2 min 24 sec - May 3, 2006

Watch Video :
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7632006912596223961&q=Khamenei
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Mehregan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehregan

Mehregān (Persian:مهرگان) or Jashn-e-Mehregān is an ancient Iranian autumn festival, observed on the ninth or tenth of October, and dedicated in honor of Mehr, also known as Mithra, the Persian god of Light and Love. It is a celebration of thanksgiving between family and friends, and charity to the poor. The festival symbolically ends with bonfires and fireworks.

Contents [hide]
1 Roots
2 Mehr's influence
3 Ancient Rituals
4 Modern celebrating
5 See also
6 External links



[edit]
Roots
There are many accounts as to the beginning of Mehregān. A few, different versions are listed below: Mehregān is a day of victory when Angels helped Fereydun and Kāveh become victorious over Zahhāk. They imprisoned and chained him to the mountain of Damāvand. Mehregān is the day God gave light to the world, that had previously been dark. On this day Mashya and Mashyana (a concept of Semitic Adam and Eve) were created. On this day the sun was created. Among all Iranian festivities, the two most important feasts were considered to be Norouz and Mehregān. During the time when the Avestan calendar was used, the year began at the cold season. The Christian year also starting in the cold season, follows the same concept as the Avestan calendar.

Some scholars believe that the month of Mehr was the beginning month of the calendar year during the Achaemenian era. The Mehregan feast celebrated the beginning of a new year. Later, Mehregān was especially important for the people of southern Iran who considered it still to be their Norouz.

In some form or another, the feast day of Mehregān has always been honored for many hundreds of years in Iran. Mehr is also the time of harvest.

Mehr in Avestan is Miθra and in Middle Persian Mihr. In modern Persian, it has become Mehr. Although it can be slightly confusing, it should be remembered the word Mehr has been used for a God, an angel, a symbol of the sun, as well as the seventh month of the Iranian calendar.

During the Achaemenian period, the name of the God Mehr was mentioned many times on the stone carvings. The Achaemenian army always came behind a flag, depicting Mehr as the sun shining. Mehregān was celebrated in an extravagant style at Persepolis. Not only was it the time for harvest, but it was also the time when the taxes were collected. Visitors from different parts of the empire brought gifts for the king all contributing to a lively festival.

[edit]
Mehr's influence
Main article: Mithraism

The ancient Iranians thought Mehr (Mithra) was responsible for love and friendship, contracts and covenants, and a representation for light. Later, Mehr was also considered as a symbol of the sun. There again, Mehr was considered to be a God of heroism and warfare. The Iranian soldiers were strong believers and had songs for Mehr. With expansion of Achaemenian Empire, the worship of Mehr was taken to other countries.

By the first century A.D., Mithraism was a familiar religion in Rome and gradually spread throughout Western Europe as far as the northern England. Many people converted to this Iranian-originated belief, since it was religion of ethics, hope, courage and generosity. Archeological excavations throughout Europe and Iran's neighboring countries have uncovered the buried remains of many Mehr temples. The style of these temples was main inspiration for a number of the ancient churches of Europe.

Some of Roman Emperors converted to Mithraism. One emperor, Julian the Apostate, became a devoted follower of Mitra, and decided to go to Persia (Iran) to visit the country from which his God was originated. En route he was murdered. As he lay dying, he threw his blood towards the sun and said this is my gift to you [Mithra]. [citation needed]

There are still many rituals, traditions, beliefs and prayers of Mithra that have survived the popularity of Christianity. Some of these can be found in the Christian religion, such as the holy day, Sunday. This is a day that was named after the sun i.e. Mehr. Some other Christmas traditions are described in the section on the celebration of Yalda.

In ancient Iran, after Zoroaster introduced his new religion, the high standing of Mehr diminished. Zoroaster made great changes to old Iranian beliefs. Among other changes, he banned animal sacrifices and abolished the worship of many Gods. Although Mehr was reduced in stature from a God to an angel, some of the rituals and traditions remained and were incorporated into services for Ahura Mazda.

[edit]
Ancient Rituals
During Pre-Islamic and early Islamic Iran, Mehregan was celebrated with the same magnificence and pageantry as Norouz. It was customary for people to send or give their king, and each other gifts. It was common for people to give presents that they personally liked themselves! Rich people usually gave gold and silver coins, heroes and warriors gave horses while others gave gifts according to their ability, even an apple. Those fortunate enough, will help the poor with gifts.

Gifts over ten thousand gold coins given to the royal court were registered. At a later time, if the gift-giver needed money, the court would then return twice the gift amount. Kings gave two audiences a year; one audience at Norouz and other at Mehregān. During the Mehregān celebrations, the king wore a fur robe and gave away all his summer clothes.

Many times, even today when a child is born on Mehregān, the parents will name the child with a name starting with Mehr such as Mehr-dokht or Mehr-dād or Mehr-bānu or Mehr-Nāz.

After the Mongol invasion of Iran, the feast celebration of Mehregān lost its popularity. Zoroastrians of Yazd and Kermān continued to celebrate Mehregān in an extravagant way.

[edit]
Modern celebrating
For this celebration, the participants wear new clothes and set a decorative, colorful table. The sides of the tablecloth are decorated with dry wild marjoram. The holy book Avesta, a mirror and Sormeh Dan (antimony cellar) are placed on the table together with rose water, sweets, flowers, vegetables and fruits, especially pomegranates and apples. A few silver coins and senjed seeds (fruit of the lotus tree) are placed in a dish of pleasant smelling wild marjoram water. Almonds and pistachio are also used.

A burner is also part of the table setting for kondor (frankincense) and espand (rue seeds) to be thrown on the flames.

At lunch time when the ceremony begins, everyone in the family stands in front of the mirror to pray. Sherbet is drunk and then as a good omen, antimony is rubbed around their eyes. Handfuls of wild marjoram, senjed seeds and noghl (sugar plum) are thrown over each others heads while they embrace one another.

In some of the villages in Yazd, Zoroastrians still sacrifice sheep for Mehr. These sacrifices are done on the day of Mehregān and for three days afterwards. The sacrifice should be done during the hours of sunlight. The sheep is placed on three stones in the furnace, representing the good words, good deeds and good thoughts, and barbecued. After this special ritual, the sheep, including the skin and fat is taken to the fire temple'. The fat is thrown on the fire to make the flames burn fiercely and then the participants pray. This celebration continues for the next five days.

[edit]
See also
Culture of Iran
Kāveh
Zahhāk
Iranian festivals
[edit]
External links
Persian Mehregan Festival Costa Mesa CA 2006(NIPOC)
Ancient Iranian Calendars, Customs, Festivals & Rituals (CAIS)
Ancient Iranian Mythology (CAIS)
Articles in Persian about Mehregan in Zendehrood
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Kaveh
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaveh

Statue of Kaveh in IsfahanKaveh the Blacksmith(کاوه آهنگر in Persian) is a mythical figure of ancient Persia who leads a popular uprising of Persians (Iranians) against a ruthless foreign ruler, Zahhāk. His story is narrated in the Epic of Shāhnāma by the 10th century poet Ferdowsi Tousi. Based on Avestan tradition, Zahhāk, or more correctly Azhi Dahāka, is from Babylonia and more or less a demon, not human. Ferdowsi masterfully recasts this mythical character as an evil and tyranical Arab king.

Kaveh is the most famous mythological character in resistance against despotic foreign rule in Iran. After losing 18 of his sons to Zahhāk's serpents, he rebelled against the Tazi (Arab) ruler of the Iran and convened the people to overthrow the tyrant king and end his millennium-long rule. He then assembled Derafsh Kaviani which was his leather apron on a spear, called Iranians for the kingship of the Fereydun. Later on people decorated this flag with jewels and the flag became the symbol of Iranian independence, resistance, resilience and the revolutionary momentum of the masses revolt against evil invaders.

Jashn-e mehregan is the celeberation for the Fereydun's victory over Zahhāk; it is also the time when autumn rains begin to fall.
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Fereydun
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fereydun

Fereydūn (فریدون), also pronounced Farīdūn, in medieval Persian Firēdūn, Middle Persian Frēdōn, and Avestan Θraētaona is the name of an Iranian mythical king and hero who is an emblem of victory, justice and generosity in the Persian literature.

Contents [hide]
1 Etymology
2 Θraētaona in Zoroastrian literature
3 Fereydun in the Shāhnāma
4 See also
5 External links



[edit]
Etymology
All of the forms of the name shown above derive, by regular sound laws, from Proto-Iranian *Θraitaunah and Proto-Indo-Iranian *Traitaunas.

*Traitaunas is a derivative (with augmentative suffix -una/-auna) of *Tritas, the name of a deity or hero reflected in the Vedic Trita and the Avestan Θrita. Both names are identical to the adjective meaning "the third", a term used of a minor deity associated with two other deities to form a triad. In the Indian Vedas, Trita is associated with gods of thunder and wind. Trita is also called Āptya, a name that is probably cognate with Āθβiya, the name of Θraētaona's father in the Avesta. *Traitaunas may therefore be interpreted as "the great son of the deity Tritas".

[edit]
Θraētaona in Zoroastrian literature
In the Avesta, Θraētaona is the son of Āθβiya, and so is called Āθβiyāni "from the family of Āθβiya". Originally he may have been recorded as the killer of the dragon Aži Dahāka, but in Middle Persian texts Dahāka/Dahāg is instead imprisoned on Mount Damāvand.

[edit]
Fereydun in the Shāhnāma
According to Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, Fereydun was the son of Ābtīn one of descendants of Jamshid. Fereydun together with Kaveh revolted against the tyrannical king “Zahhāk” and could defeat and arrest him in the Alborz Mountains. Afterwards Fereydun became the king and according to the myth, ruled the country for about 500 years. At the end of his life he allocated his kingdom to his three sons; Salm, Tur, and Iraj. Iraj was Fereydun’s youngest and favored son and inherited the best part of the kingdom namely Iran. Salm inherited Asia Minor ("Rūm", more generally meaning the Roman Empire, the Greco-Roman world, or just "the West") and Tur inherited Central Asia ("Tūrān", all the lands north and east of the Oxus, as far as China), respectively. This aroused Iraj’s brothers’ envy and encouraged them to murder him. After Iraj’s murder, Fereydun enthroned Iraj’s grandson, Manūchehr, before his decease. Manūchehr’s attempt to revenge his grand father’s murder initiates the Iranian-Turanian wars.
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Zahhak
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Zahhāk or Zohhāk (in Persian: ضحاک) is a figure of Persian mythology, evident in ancient Iranian folklore as Aži Dahāka, the name by which he also appears in the texts of the Avesta. In Middle Persian he is called Dahāg or Bēvar-Asp, the latter meaning "[he who has] 10,000 horses".

Contents [hide]
1 Etymology and derived words
2 The Ahi / Aži in Indo-Iranian tradition
3 Other dragons in Iranian tradition
4 Aži Dahāka (Dahāg) in Zoroastrian literature
5 Zahhāk in the Shāhnāma
5.1 Zahhāk in Arabia
5.2 Zahhāk the Emperor
5.3 The Revolution against Zahhāk
6 Aži Dahāka in popular culture
7 Place names
8 See also
9 References
10 External link



[edit]
Etymology and derived words
Aži (nominative ažiš) is the Iranian Avestan word for "serpent" or "dragon". It is cognate to the Vedic Sanskrit word ahi, "snake", and without a sinister implication. Azi and Ahi are distantly related to Greek ophis, Latin anguis, both meaning "snake".

The meaning of dahāka is uncertain. Among the meanings suggested are "stinging" (source uncertain), "man" or "manlike" (cf. Khotanese daha), "huge" (cf. Pashto lōy) or "foreign" (cf. the Scythian Dahae and the Vedic dasas). In Persian mythology, Dahāka is treated as a proper name, and is the source of the Ḍaḥḥāk (Zahhāk) of the Shāhnāma.

Aži Dahāka is the source of the modern Persian word azhdahā or ezhdehā اژدها (Middle Persian azdahāg) meaning "dragon", often used of a dragon depicted upon a banner of war.

The Azhdarchid group of pterosaurs are named from an Uzbek word for "dragon" that ultimately comes from Aži Dahāka.

[edit]
The Ahi / Aži in Indo-Iranian tradition
Stories of monstrous serpents who are killed or imprisoned by heroes or divine beings may date back to prehistory, and are found in the myths of many Indo-European peoples, including those of the Indo-Iranians, that is, the common ancestors of both the Iranians and Vedic Indians.

The most obvious point of comparison is that Vedic Sanskrit ahi is a cognate of Avestan aži. However, In Vedic tradition, the only dragon of importance is Vṛtra, but "there is no Iranian tradition of a dragon such as Indian Vrtra, who guards the cosmic waters and is defeated by the gods themselves." (Boyce, 1975:91-92) Moreover, while Iranian tradition has numerous dragons, all of which are malevolent, Vedic tradition has only one other dragon besides Vṛtra - ahi budhnya, the benevolent 'dragon of the deep'. In the Vedas, gods battle dragons, but in Iranian tradition, this is a function of mortal heroes.

Thus, although it seems clear that dragon-slaying heroes (and gods in the case of the Vedas) "were a part of Indo-Iranian tradition and folklore, it is also apparent that India and Iran developed distinct myths early." (Skjaervř, 2002:192)

[edit]
Other dragons in Iranian tradition
Besides Aži Dahāka, several other dragons and dragon-like creatures are mentioned in Zoroastrian scripture:

Aži Sruvara - the 'horned dragon', also called Aži Zairita - the 'yellow dragon', that is killed by the hero Kərəsāspa, Middle Persian Kirsāsp. (Yasna 9.1, 9.30; Yasht 19.19)
Aži Raoiδita - the 'red dragon' conceived by Angra Mainyu's to bring about the 'daeva-induced winter' that is the reaction to Ahura Mazda's creation of the Airyanem Vaejah. (Vendidad 1.2)
Aži Višāpa - the 'dragon of poisonous slaver' that consumes offerings to Aban if they are made between sunset and sunrise (Nirangistan 4Cool.
Gandarəβa - the 'yellow-heeled' monster of the sea 'Vourukasha' that can swallow twelve provinces at once. On emerging to destroy the entire creation of Asha, it too is slain by the hero Kərəsāspa. (Yasht 5.38, 15.28, 19.41)
[edit]
Aži Dahāka (Dahāg) in Zoroastrian literature
Aži Dahāka is the most significant and long-lasting of the ažis of the Avesta, the earliest religious texts of Zoroastrianism. He is described as a monster with three mouths, six eyes, and three heads (presumably meaning three heads with one mouth and two eyes each), cunning, strong and demonic. But in other respects Aži Dahāka has human qualities, and is never a mere animal.

Aži Dahāka appears in several of the Avestan myths and is mentioned parenthetically in many more places in Zoroastrian literature.

In a post-Avestan Zoroastrian text, the Dēnkard, Aži Dahāka is identified as an Arab, as the source of the writings of Judaism (in this context identified as a religion opposed to Zoroastrianism), and possessed of all possible sins and evil counsels, the opposite of the good king Jam. The name Dahāg (Dahāka) is punningly interpreted as meaning "having ten (dah) sins". His mother is Wadag (or Ōdag), herself described as a great sinner, who committed incest with her son.

In the Avesta, Aži Dahāka is said to have lived in the inaccessible fortress of Kuuirinta in the land of Baβri, where he worshipped the yazatas Arədvī Sūrā (Anāhitā), divinity of the rivers, and Vayu, divinity of the storm-wind. Based on the similarity between Baβri and Old Persian Bābiru (Babylon), later Zoroastrians localized Aži Dahāka in Mesopotamia, though the identification is open to doubt. Aži Dahāka asked these two yazatas for power to depopulate the world. Being representatives of the Good, they of course refused.

In one Avestan text, Aži Dahāka has a brother named Spitiyura. Together they attack the hero Yima (Jamshid) and cut him in half with a saw, but are then beaten back by the yazata Ātar, the divine spirit of Fire.

According to the post-Avestan texts, following the death of Jam ī Xšēd (Jamshid), Dahāg gained kingly rule. Another late Zoroastrian text, the Mēnog ī xrad, says that this was ultimately good, because if Dahāg had not become king, the rule would have been taken by the immortal demon Xešm, and so evil would have ruled upon earth until the end of the world.

Dahāg is said to have ruled for a thousand years, starting from 100 years after Jam lost his royal glory (see Jamshid). He is described as a sorcerer who ruled with the aid of demons (divs).

The Avesta identifies the person who finally disposed of Aži Dahāka as Θraētaona son of Aθβiya, in Middle Persian called Frēdōn. The Avesta has little to say about the nature of Θraētaona's defeat of Aži Dahāka, other than that it enabled him to liberate Arənavāci and Savaŋhavāci, the two most beautiful women in the world. Later sources, especially the Dēnkard, provide more detail. Frēdōn is said to have been endowed with the divine radiance of kings (xvarrah, modern Persian farr) from birth, and was able to defeat Dahāg at the age of nine, striking him on shoulder, heart and skull with a mace and giving him three wounds with a sword. However, when he did so, vermin (snakes, insects and the like) emerged from the wounds, and the god Ormazd told him not to kill Dahāg, lest the world become infested with these creatures. Instead, Frēdōn chained Dahāg up and imprisoned him on the mythical Mt. Damāvand (later identified with Damāvand, one of the high mountains of the Alborz chain).

The Middle Persian sources also prophesy that at the end of the world, Dahāg will at last burst his bonds and ravage the world, consuming one in three humans and livestock. Kirsāsp, the ancient hero who had killed the Az ī Srūwar, returns to life to kill Dahāg.

[edit]
Zahhāk in the Shāhnāma
In Ferdowsi's epic poem, the Shāhnāma, written c. 1000 AD, the legend of Dahāg is retold with the main character given the name of Zahhāk or Zohhāk. The name is written with the Arabic characters ض and ح, which rarely appear in Persian words of non-Arabic origin, and may have been chosen to emphasize the allegedly Arabic ethnicity of the character.

[edit]
Zahhāk in Arabia
According to Ferdowsi, Zahhāk (Arabic transliteration: Ḍaḥḥāk or Ḍuḥḥāk) was born as the son of an Arab ruler named Merdās. Because of his Arab origins, he is sometimes called Zahhāk-e Tāzi, "the Arabian Zahhāk". He was handsome and clever, but had no stability of character and was easily influenced by evil counsellors. Ahriman therefore chose him as the tool for his plans for world domination.

When Zahhāk was a young man, Ahriman first appeared to him as a glib, flattering companion, and by degrees convinced him that he ought to kill his own father and take over his territories. He taught him to dig a deep pit covered over with leaves in a place where Merdās was accustomed to walk; Merdās fell in and was killed. Zahhāk thus became both parricide and king at the same time.

Ahriman now took another guise, and presented himself to Zahhāk as a marvellous cook. After he had presented Zahhāk with many days of sumptuous feasts, Zahhāk was willing to give Ahriman whatever he wanted. Ahriman merely asked to kiss Zahhāk on his two shoulders. Zahhāk permitted this; but when Ahriman had touched his lips to Zahhāk's shoulders, he immediately vanished. At once, two black snakes grew out of Zahhāk's shoulders. They could not be surgically removed, for as soon as one snake-head had been cut off, another took its place.

Ahriman now appeared to Zahhāk in the form of a skilled physician. He counselled Zahhāk that the only remedy was to let the snakes remain on his shoulders, and sate their hunger by supplying them with human brains for food every day. If this were done, eventually the snakes might wither away.

This story is Ferdowsi's way of reconciling the descriptions of Dahāg as a three-headed dragon monster and those stories which treat him as a human king. According to Ferdowsi, Zahhāk is originally human, but through the magic of Ahriman he becomes a monster; he does, in fact, have three heads, the two snake heads and one human head; and the snakes remind us of his original character as a dragon.

The characterization of Zahhāk as an Arab in part reflects the earlier association of Dahāg with the Semitic peoples of Iraq, but probably also reflects the continued resentment of many Iranians at the 7th century Arab conquest of Persia.

[edit]
Zahhāk the Emperor
About this time, Jamshid, who was then the ruler of the world, through his arrogance lost his divine right to rule. Zahhāk presented himself as a savior to those discontented Iranians who wanted a new ruler. Collecting a great army, he marched against Jamshid, who fled when he saw that he could not resist Zahhāk. Zahhāk hunted Jamshid for many years, and at last caught him and subjected him to a miserable death -- he had Jamshid sawn in half. Zahhāk now became the ruler of the entire world.

Zahhāk's two snake heads still craved human brains for food, so every day Zahhāk's spies would seize two men, and execute them so their brains could feed the snakes. But Zahhāk had among his slaves two of Jamshid's daughters, Arnavāz and Shahrnavāz (the Avestan Arənavāci and Savaŋhavāci). They managed things so that the brains of a sheep could be substituted for one of the human beings, but they could not save all of the people whom Zahhāk's servants captured.

Zahhāk's tyranny over the world lasted for centuries. But one day Zahhāk had a terrible dream – he thought that three warriors were attacking him, and that the youngest knocked him down with his mace, tied him up, and dragged him off toward a tall mountain. When Zahhāk woke he was in a panic. Following the counsel of Arnavāz, he summoned wise men and dream-readers to explain his dream. They were reluctant to say anything, but one finally said that it was a vision of the end of Zahhāk's reign, that rebels would arise and dispossess Zahhāk of his throne. He even named the man who would take Zahhāk's place: Fereydun.

Zahhāk now became obsessed with finding this "Fereydun" and destroying him, though he did not know where he lived or who his family was. His spies went everywhere looking for Fereydun, and finally heard that he was but a boy, being nourished on the milk of the marvelous cow Barmāyeh. The spies traced Barmāyeh to the highland meadows where it grazed, but Fereydun had already fled before them. They killed the cow, but had to return to Zahhāk with their mission unfulfilled.

[edit]
The Revolution against Zahhāk
Zahhāk now tried to consolidate his rule by coercing an assembly of the leading men of the kingdom into signing a document testifying to Zahhāk's righteousness, so that no one could have any excuse for rebellion. One man spoke out against this charade, a blacksmith named Kāva. Before the whole assembly, Kāva told how Zahhāk's minions had murdered seventeen of his eighteen sons so that Zahhāk might feed his snakes' lust for human brains – the last son had been imprisoned, but still lived.

In front of the assembly Zahhāk had to pretend to be merciful, and so released Kāva's son. But when he tried to get Kāva to sign the document attesting to Zahhāk's justice, Kāva tore up the document, left the court, and raised his blacksmith's apron as a standard of rebellion – the Kāviyāni Banner, derafsh-e Kāviyānī (درفش کاویانی). He proclaimed himself in support of Fereydun as ruler.

Soon many people followed Kāva to the Alborz mountains, where Fereydun was now living. He was now a young man and agreed to lead the people against Zahhāk. He had a mace made for him with a head like that of an ox, and with his brothers and followers, went forth to fight against Zahhāk. Zahhāk had already left his capital, and it fell to Fereydun with small resistance. Fereydun freed all of Zahhāk's prisoners, including Arnavāz and Shahrnavāz.

Kondrow, Zahhāk's treasurer, pretended to submit to Fereydun, but when he had a chance he escaped to Zahhāk and told him what had happened. Zahhāk at first dismissed the matter, but when he heard that Fereydun had seated Jamshid's daughters on thrones beside him like his queens, he was incensed and immediately hastened back to his city to attack Fereydun.

When he got there, Zahhāk found his capital held strongly against him, and his army was in peril from the defense of the city. Seeing that he could not reduce the city, he sneaked into his own palace as a spy, and attempted to assassinate Arnavāz and Shahrnavāz. Fereydun struck Zahhāk down with his ox-headed mace, but did not kill him; on the advice of an angel, he bound Zahhāk and imprisoned him in a cave underneath Mount Damāvand, binding him with chains tied to great nails fixed into the walls of the cavern, where he will remain until the end of the world. Thus, after a thousand years' tyranny, ended the reign of Zahhāk.

Shahnameh by Ferdowsi
Characters
Abtin | Arash | Afrasiab | Esfandiyar | Fereydun | Goodarz | Gordafarid | Hushang | Jamshid | Kaveh | Kai Khosrow | Keyumars | Manuchehr | Rakhsh | Roham | Rostam | Rostam Farrokhzad | Rudaba | Saam | Shaghad | Simurgh | Siavash | Sohrab | Tahmineh | Tahmuras | Zal | Zahhak
Places
Iran | Mazandaran | Turan
Preceded by:
Jamshid Legendary Kings of the Shāhnāma
800-1800 (after Keyumars) Succeeded by:
Fereydun
[edit]
Aži Dahāka in popular culture
In the Prince of Persia video-game series from Ubisoft, the Dahaka appears as the monstrous guardian of chronal continuity, hunting down and killing anomalies in the timeline of history.
In Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber for the Nintendo 64, the Azhi Dahaka is the green, scaley final form of the "earth" elemental dragons in the game.
In the role playing game Vampire the Masquerade, certain members of the Tzimisce clan strive to become like Azhi Dahaka.
In the TV series Xena, Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, the evil deity Dahak is based on Azhi Dahaka.
He also appears on Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader (game by Interplay,2003) as a guardian of his lair in the Fortress at Alamut.
In the PlayStation 2 video game Final Fantasy X-2, three fiends called Azi Dahaka guard the direct routes to Vegnagun.
In his Empire from Ashes-trilogy, David Weber wrote of an immense sentient starship by the name of Dahak, whose crest was a three-headed dragon.
In Suikoden V, there is a massive ship named Dahak--given its 3 dragon figureheads, it's likely a reference to the aforementioned starship and to Azhi Dahaka. There is also a Queen's Knight named Zahhak.
In the third book of the roleplaying series "Blood Sword", the player will face three simulacrums of ancient gods. Azidahaka was described as a serpentine creature with three human heads.
One of the most well known monsters in the Godzilla series, King Ghidorah, seems to be based on Ahzi Dahaka. Both are three headed dragons, and King Ghidorah is sometimes referred to as "The King of Terror."
In the Korean RPG game The War of Genesis III, a section of the protagonists ride flying dragons with large repeating guns mounted on their undersides. These flying creatures are referred to as Azhi Dahaka. The image is somewhat similar to a pterodactyl in the game, and it is referred to as being "extremely difficult to control."
The Azhi Dahaka are also a fictional race of immortals featured in "The Everlasting", a series of Role Playing Game books published originally by Visionary Entertainment. In this context, the name refers to a supernatural creature that has stolen and consumed the soul of at least one dragon.
Azhi Dahaka is a class of Dragon in the game Disgaea: Hour of Darkness.
In the Playstation game Dragon Valor Azi Dahaka is the final dragon boss, and the ruler of all dragons.
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Place names
"Zahak Citadel" is the name of an ancient ruin in East Azarbaijan, Iran which according to various experts, was inhabited from the second millenia BC until the Timurid era. First excavated in the 1800s by British archeologists, Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization has been studying the structure in 6 phases.[1]

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See also
Sassanid dynasty
Iranian literature
Vritra
Zilant
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References
Encyclopaedia Iranica, article Aždahā, pp. 191-205

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External link

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Mehregan
The Beginnings and Traditions of Mehregan


http://www.iranonline.com/festivals/mehregan-english/index.html
There are many accounts as to the beginning of Mehregan. A few, different versions are listed below:

Mehregan is a day of victory when Angels helped Fereydoon and Kaveh become victorious over Zahak. They imprisoned him in the Damavand Mountain where he died from his wounds.
Mehregan is the day God gave light to the world, that had previously been dark.
On this day Mashya and Mashyaneh (a concept of Semitic Adam and Eve) were created.
On this day the sun was created.
Among all Iranian festivities, the two most important feasts were considered to be Norouz and Mehregan.
During the time when the Avestan calendar was used, the year began at the cold season. The Christian year also starting in the cold season, follows the same concept as the Avestan calendar.

Some scholars believe that the month of Mehr was the beginning month of the calendar year during the Achaemenian era. The Mehregan feast celebrated the beginning of a new year. Later, Mehregan was especially important for the people of southern Iran who considered it still to be their Norouz.

In some form or another, the feast day of Mehregan has always been honored for many hundreds of years in Iran. Mehr is also the time of harvest.

Mehr in Avestan is "Miora" and in ancient Farsi and in Sanskrit is "Mitra" and in Pahlavi "Mitr". In modern Farsi, it has become Mehr. Although it can be slightly confusing, it should be remembered the word "Mehr" has been used for a God, an angel, a symbol of the sun, as well as the seventh month of the Iranian calendar.

When the Indo-Europeans lived together, Mehr was considered one of the great Gods of that time.

During the Achaemenian period, the name of the God Mehr was mentioned many times on the stone carvings. The Achaemenian army always came behind a flag, depicting Mehr as the sun shining. Mehregan was celebrated in an extravagant style at Persepolis. Not only was it the time for harvest, but it was also the time when the taxes were collected. Visitors from different parts of the empire brought gifts for the king all contributing to a lively festival.

The ancient Iranians thought Mehr was responsible for love and friendship, contracts and covenants, and a representation for light. Later, Mehr was also considered as a symbol of the sun. There again, Mehr was considered to be a God of heroism and warfare. The Iranian soldiers were strong believers and had songs for Mehr. With expansion of Achaemenian Empire, the worship of Mehr was taken to other countries.

By the first century A.D., Mitraism was a familiar religion in Rome and gradually spread throughout Western Europe as far as the shores of the Black Sea and the North Sea. Many people converted to this Iranian belief, since it was religion of ethics, hope, courage and generosity. Archeological excavations throughout Europe and Iran's neighboring countries have uncovered the buried remains of many Mehr temples. Quite a number of the very old churches of Europe were built in the style of these temples.

Quite a number of Roman Emperors converted to Mitraism. One emperor, Julianus, became a devoted follower of Mitra, and decided to go to Iran to visit the country of his God. On route he was murdered. As he lay dying, he threw his blood towards the sun and said "this is my gift to you".

There are still many rituals, traditions, beliefs and prayers of Mitra that have survived the popularity of Christianity. Some of these can be found in the Christian religion, such as the holy day, Sunday. This is a day that was named after the sun i.e. Mehr. Some other Christmas traditions are described in the section on the celebration of Yalda.

In ancient Iran, after Zaroaster introduced his new religion, the high standing of Mehr diminished. Zaroaster made great changes to old Iranian beliefs. Among other changes, he banned animal sacrifices and abolished the worship of many Gods. Although Mehr was reduced in stature from a God to an angel, some of the rituals and traditions remained and were incorporated into services for Ahura Mazda.

* * *
Long ago, Mehregan was celebrated with the same magnificence and pageantry as Norouz. It was customary for people to send or give their king, and each other gifts. It was common for people to give presents that they personally liked themselves! Rich people usually gave gold and silver coins, heroes and warriors gave horses while others gave gifts according to their ability, even an apple. Those fortunate enough, will help the poor with gifts.

Gifts over ten thousand gold coins given to the royal court were registered. At a later time, if the gift-giver needed money, the court would then return twice the gift amount. Kings gave two audiences a year; one audience at Norouz and other at Mehregan. During the Mehregan celebrations, the king wore a fur robe and gave away all his summer clothes.

Many times, even today when a child is born on Mehregan, the parents will name the child with a name starting with "Mehr" such as MehrDokht or MehrDad or MehrBanu.

After the Mongul invasion, the feast celebration of Mehregan lost its popularity. Zoroastrians of Yazd and Kerman continued to celebrate Mehregan in an extravagant way.



Celebrating Mehregan

For this celebration, the participants wear new clothes and set a decorative, colorful table. The sides of the tablecloth are decorated with dry wild marjoram. The holy book Avesta, a mirror and Sormeh Dan (antimony cellar) are placed on the table together with rose water, sweets, flowers, vegetables and fruits, especially pomegranates and apples. A few silver coins and senjed seeds (fruit of the lotus tree) are placed in a dish of pleasant smelling wild marjoram water. Almonds and pistachio are also used.

A burner is also part of the table setting for kondor (frankincense) and espand (rue seeds) to be thrown on the flames.

At lunch time when the ceremony begins, everyone in the family stands in front of the mirror to pray. Sherbet is drunk and then as a good omen, antimony is rubbed around their eyes. Handfuls of wild marjoram, senjed seeds and noghl (sugar plum) are thrown over each others heads while they embrace one another.

In some of the villages in Yazd, Zoroastrians still sacrifice sheep for Mehr. These sacrifices are done on the day of Mehregan and for three days afterwards. The sacrifice should be done during the hours of sunlight. The sheep is placed on three stones in the furnace, representing the good words, good deeds and good thoughts, and barbecued. After this special ritual, the sheep, including the skin and fat is taken to the fire temple'. The fat is thrown on the fire to make the flames burn fiercely and then the participants pray. This celebration continues for the next five days.
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 3:58 pm    Post subject: Happy Mehrgaan! Reply with quote


Happy Mehrgaan!

http://www.savepasargad.com/aa.from%20091806/AV/Mehrgan-e-06.htm

On the occasion of this ancient Mithraic festival of light, love, promise and affections ( Oct. Cool, let's join those who care for the endangered cultural treasures of Iran in Pasarad and Bolaaghi plains.

Let's send letters, faxes and e-mails to all international organizations and ask them to do their best to prevent the flooding of Sivand dam – an action that would drown all material and cultural treasures of human history and civilization.

Don't forget that Sivand dam is to wipe out the very land in which the idea of human rights was born, and the city that embraced the first capital of ancient Persia.

Please save the city and mausoleum of Cyrus the Great by acting NOW!

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?Pasargad

http://www.savepasargad.com
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