Iran ba

How has the Islamic revolution (and other invasions of Iran) affected the celebration of the Mehregan autumn festival in Iran?

By MeraS
  • 1700 BCE

    Earliest Aryans

    Earliest Aryans
    The Celebration of Nowruz and Mehregan have been dated back to and estimated to have been originated from the earliest Aryans who came to Iran. (Mirrazavi, 2015)
  • 551 BCE

    Zoroastrianism in Iran

    Zoroastrianism in Iran
    With the introduction of Zoroastrianism, Mehregan is believed to have become a feast to honour and celebrate the Zoroastrian yazata Mithra. Many also believed it to be a celebration of the creation of the first male and female, Mashia and Mashyaneh. (Tarapour, 2009)
  • 515 BCE

    Celebrations in Persepolis

    Celebrations in Persepolis
    At Perspolis, the Mehregan Festival was celebrated in an "extravagant style". This was due to the fact that the festival not only indicated harvest season but it was also when taxes were collected; this meant many visitors from different locations of the nation brought gifts for the king and contributed to a lively feast. During the time before the Islamic revolution, Mehregan was celebrated just as magnificently as Nowruz. (Mirrazavi, 2015)
  • 1219

    Mongol Invasion of Iran

    Mongol Invasion of Iran
    After the Mongol conquest of Khwarezmia, the celebration of Mehregan began to lose its popularity; however, Zoroastrians of Yazd and Kerman continued to celebrate Mehregan in grand ways. (IranOnline.com)

  • Islamic Revolution

    Islamic Revolution
    The Shah, monarch of Iran, is overthrown by supreme leader Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini under the Islamic Republic government. The Islamic Republic proceeded to attempt to fully ban all previously celebrated festivals including Nowruz and Mehregan. Despite people's resistance to the removal of Nowruz, they had success in banning the celebration of Mehregan in its entirety. (Parsipour, 2010)
  • Period: to

    Present day

    Today, Mehregan is almost completely forgotten among the Iranian population and few people celebrate it inside (or even outside) of Iran. The traditional festival was erased out of the Iranian culture and has now only become known as the end of harvest season among a select few people who might remember the celebration. Mehregn lost its original purpose for Iranians as a time for gratitude for life's gifts and celebration of the seasons after the hardships caused by outside invaders.