Festivals and Exhibits
According to the Dehkhoda Persian Dictionary, “Gilan” is a derivation of the word “gil” out of which the suffix “an” makes a plural noun. In Pahlavi the word means “land of flowers”, and in Avesta it is used to refer to an area called Varna
Some cultural attractions of Gilan are
Rituals and occasions in a person’s life, when they happen annually or are in a close relation with the productive activities of a people. Rituals like marriage, festivals like Muharram and Nowruz, games and local sports like Rabe Chare, Lafand Bazi (funambulism), a local type of wrestling called Gil-e-mardi, horse racing etc
Some of the local foods in Gilan are: baghala ghatogh, mirza-ghasemi, Fesenjan-mahi, Mahi shour, morghe torsh, shish-andaz etc
Traditional music follows different styles in variety, vocals and melodic features
Traditional clothes in Gilan, like all other attractions, are so beautiful and different
Nowruz Festival
Suggested date: the first days of the New Year
In the first 12 days of the New Year people perform many plays and traditional games. These games and plays all have a clear relation to the great change in nature where the old times go and the new times come up. These games and plays manifest the departure of depreciation and the arrival of power, energy and recreation in the nature. Cultural events like traditional wrestling, ritual plays, and traditional music performances take place during the time. The myth of the struggle between death and life, ability and disability, dynamism and stagnancy manifest the departure of the old year and the arrival of the New Year along with new life, and revival of creation
The cultural events in the week of cultural heritage
Suggested date: the week of cultural heritage
A nation can be proud when it has kept its identity and history. Cultural heritage of Iran is its history which is rooted in the Islamic identity and culture of this country. And Iranian has all this and yet no heritage is more precious than the man itself.
If the students are supposed to protect the cultural heritage of our country, they should know our scientists and philosophers. An effort has been made to do this through school books, but is not enough. The mass media and educational packages should also help in introducing cultural heritage to everybody.
With this purpose so, the department of cultural affairs and communications in alliance with cultural heritage communities have a plan to hold festivals in the different counties of Gilan, aiming to familiarize students with their cultural heritage. The festivals will be held in corporation with the “provincial bureau of education” and the “Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults” on 28 of Ordibehesht
NOWRUZBAL FESTIVAL
Nouruzbal or the New “Year Fire” happens in the first day of the new Deilami Year where people celebrate the occasion by setting a big fire.
The calendar used by the people in Gilan and some western parts of Mazandaran is the oldest version of the calendars in Iran as t was called the YazdGardi colander
Elahi Khor-de Taveh (Oh God bless us the sunshine)
This is a praying ritual in Eshkevar. In this festival people pray for the rain to stop and the sun to rise. The main characters are a few young men that are helped by some ladies. The ladies prepare a special kind of bread called Kolon, and in traditional containers get them to the young men who are about ten people. There is normally a person who sings a specific song and as well leads the whole bunch and as they pass by houses door from door, the residents of the houses join them and this would be a manifestation of the good and a sign that the people of the village can pass through the rough patch of the troubles caused by rain.
The pomegranate festival
People in Gilan have always had great festivals and ceremonies at the harvest time. One of these festivals and ceremonies is the Pomegranate Festival which is held in a historical village of Gilan called “Anbuh”. In all the villages of Gilan that grow pomegranates similar ceremonies take place. The village of Anbuh is located in Roudbar. This ancient tradition happens during the magical season when leaves fall, and it is a very good opportunity to improve tourism in the area.
So it is important to expand tourism in this area and have plans to do so. It would be great to consider short tours where there is no need for accommodation. It is also possible to establish guest houses in the same patterns as the local houses and create a better condition for tourists to settle in the area during the festival
The Harvest festival
This festival is held at the harvest time and manifests people`s gratitude for the bounty of God. And now with the new outlook advocated by Gilan Cultural Heritage Organization to revive traditions and customs, this festival, as a great manifestation of gratitude, friendship and cooperation in Gilan, would be a very good opportunity to attract tourists and represent tourist attractions of Gilan
The Peanut Festival
Due to the growing need for introducing tourist attractions of Gilan, and also to keep a balance in the number of visits from different parts of the province, Gilan Cultural Heritage Organization will be glad to play a role in holding this festival in Astaneh Ashrafiyeh.
The Borage flower festival
Since this flower is grown in a very traditional manner in Gilan, researchers are invited to this festival to share their search results with farmers and let them know about the other kinds to be grown and also to introduce new kinds that are more adjusted to the climate and conditions of the area. Last year this festival was held in the village of “Ziyaz” in the “Rahim Abad” district.
Dr. Moin`s annual literary prize
The third conference was held in two days. In the first they the technical conference was held and the second day was allocated to the public audience and was held at the graveyard where Dr. Moin is buried. This scheme had been decided in the special workgroup held under direct command of the Governor General of Gilan
After God, the Supreme Being, we do owe a great deal to two groups of people; Mothers, and poets who taught us how to use our words. Dr. Moin is a great man of literature who taught us how to protect our Persian language. He also taught us how with deep scrutiny he could discover the magic deeps of this language and catch the precious and shining pearls of words. Now that this conference has been held for three times starting from Astaneh Ashrafiyeh, it is known as an international conference
The Lilium ledebourii festival
Damash is where this national natural heritage grows. Damash itself is a very unique area in Iran. According to an article passed by the supreme council of the organization of environmental protection, this flower is one of the natural heritages of Iran. The flower comes from the family of Lilies and is also called white lily. The village of Damash has been announced a target tourism village so it can absorb investment to be used at all year long
The ancient festival of the Thirteenth of Tir (27th of Aban)
The northern part of Iran has its own calendar due to its very special climate and geography. The people in Gilan have a great respect for this calendar for it is in correspondence with their life and all the ancient rituals find their meaning in this calendar. As an instance take NORUZBAL. Nouruzbal takes place the 13th of Tir in the Deilami calendar (the date in Solar Hijri calendar would be 27th of Aban). This happens to revive the memories of ancient days and national symbols and myths like the arrow of Arash
The festival of Local songs and Dialects
Suggested time: Mehr
Local songs of different areas in Iran never die out or even get old and boring, because they all come from the truth and simplicity of the rural life. Gilan is a land with racial and dialect diversity. Although it is smaller than the other provinces in Iran when size is concerned, Gilan has the most diverse racial and cultural pattern. For centuries different races and people have lived in Rasht and other parts of Gilan, and this has developed a culture of peace and togetherness. But at the same time you can see that all the different races in Gilan have preserved their unique qualities and customs. Gilaks, Galeshes, Taleshes, Tats, Turks, and Kurds, as long as religious minorities like Armenians, Jews, Zoroastrians and… all make up the community of Gilan
The festival of clothes and local costumes in Gilan
Suggested time: to be held on the Day of Hijab
This is a very good opportunity to draw attention to the traditional clothing of Gilan as a cultural symbol and, it is also possible to make note of the influence of traditional clothes on Hijab
The exhibit for the performance of GCHTO
Suggested time: 2 to 6 of Shahrivar
One of the events this week would be a visit taken by the General Manager of the GCHTO upon the representative of the Supreme Leader in Gilan. Photos demonstrating the performances should be sent to the department of public relations on compact discs. The performance of the GCHTO will be shown on screen Jpg photos
Tourism and Children cultural events
Suggested time: 16 of Mehr
On the global day of children there will be painting stations for elementary and kindergarten learners in Rasht. The event will take place in the Gilan House of Tourism from 9AM till mid-day. The event will be held in corporation with Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults
Memorial for Mirza Kuchak-Khan
He was one of the brave hearts and freedom fighters in the history of Gilan who fought against the exploitation of England and the Soviet Union. It is important to take advantage of such circumstances in order to pas true information unto the present generation. Gorab Zarmikh was one of the important areas in Mirza’s time
Introducing Cultural, Historical and natural attractions in Gilan
The department of cultural affairs and communication plans to introduce the attractions in Gilan. We aim to so through correct and exact information and via modern techniques
The Blossoming of pool tulips
Beautiful pink tulips in the heart-shaped flowers of green blossom in the month of Khordad and attract a large number of tourists. The festival was held by GCHTO and The organization of Environmental Protection on the first day of Mordad 1390 Solar Hijri
The festival of local games
The festival is held in one day and it aims to familiarize the youth with traditional and local games in Gilan. A number of local games from all over Gilan are being exhibited in this festival
Each game is in accordance with the dominant culture of its district. Due to the technological advance in computer and video games a majority of local games are lost and forgotten. So by holding such exhibitions can be important in reviving these games and passing them to the posterity
The international exhibition of tourism in Gilan
Gilan will host the international exhibition of tourism with 5 countries. Since the exhibition held last year was very successful, and according to the agreement of the general manager of the organization, it was decided to establish the permanent office of the international exhibitions in the research database of the GCHTO
The exhibition for the week of cultural heritage
In order to let the public know more and more about the activities of the Department of Cultural Heritage there will be photo and poster exhibitions will be held in Gilan and other provinces in Iran
The exhibition for the week of Handicrafts
One of the major policies of the organization is to support artisans in terms of finances and at the same time give people the opportunity to know these artisans. The exhibition will be held 17 to 21 of Khordad and is an annual one
Provincial exhibitions
According to the active role of the GCHTO in hosting exhibitions, festivals, and provincial conferences held last year, it is predicted that the organization will take part in about 30 festivals and exhibitions
Foreign exhibitions
Since GCHTO took part in two foreign exhibitions in Turkey and Qatar last year it is predicted that we will have presence in 3 exhibitions next year
