Largest Iranian Cultural and Food Festival Coming to California
There are an estimated 4 million Iranians in diaspora, not a large population, scattered all over the world. So not many Iran-related events can attract very large crowds. Last month, a high-budget, well executed and advertised tribute to an Iranian legendary actor (Behrouz Vosoughi - the equivalent of Robert De Niro to Americans) in Los Angeles' Gibson Amphitheater could hardly attract 4000 people, in a city that boasts 1 million residents of Iranian descent and is called by some as "Tehran geles."
But since 1994, a group of volunteers, led by Network of Iranian American Professionals of Orange County (NIPOC), have staged a Fall Festival of Iranian culture and food attracting as many as 30000 visitors. The festival which is called "Mehregan" (this year on September 25-26 in Irvine, California) originated some 6000 years ago in ancient Persia, as the Persian Festival of Autumn. It was named after Persian Goddess of Love, Knowledge, and Truth called "Mehr."
According to Persian mythology, the God of Ignorance & Darkness (Ahriman) ruled the world first by creating vicious creatures, monsters, and demons, promoting the 7 sins of anger, envy, greed, hostility, hate, revenge, and injustice (imbalance). When Ahura-Mazda (God of Knowledge and Wisdom) came to take over the world, only a few creatures accepted his teachings so he was defeated by Ahriman. To prepare creatures to accept the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, the God of Gods (Zurvan) created "Mehr" the Goddess of Love, Knowledge, Truth who had to turn the world upside-down against Evil (Ahriman) by spreading kindness, truth, commitment, equality and balance.
Mehregan was to celebrate Mehr’s victory over Ahriman during "Mehr" the 7th month in Persian Calendar named after the Goddess of Love. The Arabic word Mehrejan, which means festival is derived from Persian Mehregan. In ancient times, Mehr's birthday was celebrated around December 21, which became a pagan holiday, so when in 4th century CE (Common Era) Christians adopted December 25th as the birthday of Christ, it was postulated that the date was chosen to coincide with the birthday of Mehr and the pagan holiday. In fact bells, and Sunday as a Holy day are adopted from Mithraism, the ancient Persian religion worshiping Mehr.
This year's Mehregan festival in Orange County, California will offer Pop Music Stage, Traditional Teahouse Stage, Cultural Dances Stage, Youth and Children Stage, Afterparty, Traditional Persian Wedding / Bridal Show, Hall of Shanameh (Persian epic Book of Kings), Food and Products Bazaar. To join the hundred of volunteers email (Volunteer@nipoc.org), to showcase your products and services to 30000 visitors click here, and to buy online tickets and see more details click here.
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