Iranican

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Mehregan

What’s the big deal with Mehregan?!

• Video | Iranican Reports • 9 Comments

[flash http://www.iranican.com/videos/Mehregan.flv]
Update: Come meet Iranican at the 2008 Mehregan Celebration in OC!
If you are not in the area, enjoy our coverage from last year, until we publish this year’s report.

Have you heard of it? Why do Iranian-Americans celebrate it?

You know what’s amazing to me is that for as long as I lived in Iran, I had never heard of anything called Mehregan! In fact it was not till I came to California that I realized there is an Iranian holiday called “Mehregan.” Of course now that I know what it is and have read the history, I wonder why is it ONLY celebrated in US or LA for that matter. I tried to find out in our visit to Mehregan on October 13, 2007. If you want to watch our talk show on Mehregan from 2006 click here.
-Iman

9 comments

  1. I just wanted to say good job on covering Mehregan. and I guess in some ways thank you for being out there and educating people.
    Go Iranican!

  2. why these mainstream and low quality tubes are used instead of great Iranian music??? May be you should get informed…. Heif…

    From Iranican Production:

    Parisa Jan, thank you for taking the time to write us. You have a point, and we think your critique could be very constructive. To clarify, we do not choose songs based on the mere fact that they are “main stream”. In fact we spend quite some time figuring out the music that best fits the video segments. Besides, we are always looking to familiarize our audience with great music that may not be distributed or heard as widely as others. An example of that is Mohsen Daeinabi’s “Ann” in the album of <em>The Last Sonnet of RUMI.</em> Lastly I want to ask you and other viewers to submit requests for such songs which you think would be appropriate for an Iranian-American/Iranian audience. If you would like to do this professionally, we invite you to send your resume to jobs@iranican.com

    Best wishes and thank you for your support,

    Borhan

  3. Hello there. I know after revolution there was no more public festivity for Mehregan, but even then in Iran Zaratosians used to celebrate it and the Governmental TV used to show it for few minutes. Also, I know Iranian celebrate it in some European countries, at least as much as I know. But there is no doubt that the Mehregan Festivval in OC is one of the best.

  4. گرامی یاران ایران زمین

    هم اکنون سایت بسیار با محتوای شما را نگاه می کنم.
    من زنی 55 ساله هستم. و خیلی خوب به یاد دارم که در کتاب های فارسی دبستان، ما درس جشن مهرگان داشتیم.
    و یکی از جشن های بچه ها در مدارس بود. که درست پس از شروع مدارس بود.
    متاسفانه پس از حمله دوم افکار عرب به ایران، نسل پس از آشفتگی ج. اسلامی فاسد از داشتن اینگونه جشن ها بیشتر دور شدند. و از دست دادند و امروز که من می شنوم جوانان نازنینی مانند شما که از نشنیدن آن خبر می دهید بسی مایه شرمندگی ما بزرگان است. که چرا باید خانواده ها به این آسانی این چنین از فرهنگ غنی خود دوری کرده اند و به فراموشی سپرده اند.
    خواهش می کنم تا دیر نشده پدران و مادران خود را پرسش باران کنید و آنها را بیدار کنید و از بیداری خود به آنها بیشتر خبر دهید. شما نیاز به داشتن این خردمندی تاریخی دارید.
    جوانان ایرانی را بیشتر با این جشن ها آگاه کنید. چگونه است که روز والنتاین به این زودی و قشنگی جای می افتد اما هنوز از چنین جشن هایی بی خبرند؟
    مادران و پدران ما با جان و خون و پول به اعراب یاغی توانستند زبان فارسی امروزی را نگه دارند وگرنه امروز زبان الکنی همچون مصریان و … داشتیم.
    پاینده ایران / پایدار باشید/ حوا

  5. Before university I had no idea what Mehregan was. My family isn’t “arab parast” or anti-Zartosht. It is an ancient celebration based on the hope that nature would give back. I think that’s far different than Thanksgiving, which is more recent and has a less supersitious history. I think Mehregan may have gained popularity in the US as a way to gather Iranians in America and make them their community feel united, which is important. However, at our university, it turned into a very large production and it was exhausting to put together and clean up. We had to pay lots of catering bills and run around making arrangements – meanwhile having to study for midterms, etc.. I also think it is interesting that you guys have major gatherings like the one in Orange County, where I think you hire performers/singers to come. Here, it is limited to the university productions at maryland and georgetown.
    I really like your site ! I’ve linked you.
    Best to you guys!

  7. Hi there, greeting from Africa,I’m prode of all lovely Iranian who are interesting on our origin calture,… I’m working in Sudan, last week my Indian friends invited me for a South Indian Celebration (Onam)which was very wonderful about harvesting too, hold on 2nd October, same as our Mehregan celebration …. looking forward your update on Mehregan … also FYI the RSS of your iranican.com is not working … All the best

  8. man be yek matne 2 safhehee dar rabete ba rosum va jashn haye irane bastan be vije jashne mehregan niyaz daram
    albate matni be englisi ba tarjomehye farsi
    kasi mitune komakam kone?
    laaghl siti balad bashe va lotf kone vasam send kone