March 16, 2018
Four people were killed and 1,799 injured as a result of incidents Tuesday night at the annual celebration of Chaharshanbeh Souri, the last Tuesday night before Now Ruz.
According to the Center for Emergency Medical Services, the injuries were mostly the result of firecrackers.
Of those injured, 34 suffered limb-losses. Thirty-five percent of the injured suffered eye damage and 34 percent suffered burns. It did not say how the four who died were killed.
Every year, the authorities launch public awareness campaigns about the dangers of fireworks. During last year’s festival, 10 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured.
The Chaharshanbeh Souri festival is a very ancient tradition full of special customs and rituals.
They chiefly involve jumping over a fire. As the sun sets, people light up fires and gather around to jump over them. As they do this, they sing, “Zardi-ye man az toh, sorkhi-ye toh az man,” meaning, “My yellow is yours, your red is mine.” In this ritual, they ask the fire to take their paleness and problems and in return give them energy and warmth.
After the revolution, the new regime tried to stamp out the celebration as a pre-Islamic religious rite. But in recent years, it has given up and treats the event with a shrug of the shoulders and a roll of the eye.