A lunar year unlike a solar year has no seasons. A month in a lunar year may be in autumn and and another year it would be in spring! As the Arab people used to govern my country for several years, we have some special days in lunar date. The lunar year starts with MOHARAM. I love MOHARAM. For me, it reminds the festival which changes the view of streets and the view of the people. It reminds me uncle’s house where we gather after a year. when we, the cousins, where children, we used to gather in patio with our candles that we all had bought the day before. After lighting the candles we used to wish; the wishes which all came true… I have experienced these great days in every 12 months of the solar year so every year it has had a new taste for me.
All the festival is for remembering a hero named HOSSEIN. A hero who is still in pe
ople’s heart after near 1400 years.He battled and killed by his enemies only because he did not accepted to hide the truth.
Where I live, people of any kind take part in this festival. You can find Muslims, Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians, who avow to do Something for charity these days because they all love HOSSEIN. Unlike “to love” a hero like HOSSEIN -that is really easy and has no difficulties- “understanding” him I think is more valuable and also hard. I wish I could understand him!
About the included miniature painting: “Ashoura Noon” Copyright © 2003 Mahmoud Farshchian. Distributed by Iran Animator.