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History of the Festivals Mehregan
the autumnal festival. It falls on the day of Mithra/Mehr in the
month of Mithra/Mehr in the Iranian calendar. It is about October
2nd Thousands of years ago, a pastoral people called themselves Aryan (meaning 'noble'). Now termed by scholars as "Indo-Iranians", these people were the eastern branch of the "Indo-European" peoples. The Indo-Iranians inhabited the high and lowlands of Central Asia, at present politically divided into Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and the Central Asian republics of Kazakhistan to Turkmenistan, Tadjikistan, and Kirghizistan. They called this vast land "Airyanam Shayana", Abode of Aryans, a name now shortened into "Iran".
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Avestan scriptures of Ancient Iran describe the land as having clear skies, high mountains, wide valleys, rapid streams, navigable rivers, deep lakes, and vast pastures. It had the four seasons -- spring, summer, autumn, and winter -- well marked with their clear skies, sun shine, moon light, starry night, timely snow, and welcome rain. The regularity in seasons made them quite calendar conscious. Theirs was a very hospitable land in those days.That is why the Avestan scriptures impart a buoyant spirit. The people lived, more or less, in peace and prosperity. |
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