2023-08-04 -- Zurich's Spring Festival

It's incredible how much the weather has changed in my lifetime. As a child, winter was a serious affair. I often struggled to walk to school due to icy conditions. 

Every morning, we had to clear the stairs, yard, and entrance of  house from snow and ice just to get out. Sometimes, the snowfall was so heavy that we had to hire someone to clear the roof to prevent the house with steel structure from collapsing.

Some might argue that I'm misremembering, claiming that there used to be a mix of warm and cold days. However, that's not my experience. I couldn't have made a mistake due to the unique nature of the Iranian calendar.

For those unfamiliar with my previous writings, I want to emphasize my anti-nationalist stance. I believe that humanity's collective achievements belong to everyone, and no single nation can claim sole ownership of progress. With that said, I believe the Iranian calendar is the most practical for the Northern Hemisphere.

I wish the Iranian calendar were adopted globally. The Iranian New Year aligns perfectly with the spring equinox, based on astronomical observations rather than arbitrary royal decrees like the lengths of July and August.

The Iranian calendar is structured as follows:

Spring:

From Spring Equinox to Summer Solstice, which is always 93 days.

Month 1: Farvardin       31 Days

Month 2: Ordibehesht   31 Days

Month 3: Khordad        31 Days

Summer:

From Summer Solstice to Autumn Equinox, Always 93 days.

Month 4: Tir               31 Days

Month 5: Mordad        31 Days

Month 6: Shahrivar     31 Days

As Earth's orbit brings it closer to the Sun, the days begin to shorten.

Fall:

From Autumn Equinox to Winter Solstice, Always 90 days.

Month 7: Mehr            30 Days

Month 8: Aban            30 Days

Month 9: Azar             30 Days

Winter:

From the Winter Solstice to the Spring Equinox, there are either 89 or 90 days, depending on whether it's a leap year or a common year.

Month 10: Day           30 Days

Month 11: Bahman     30 Days

Month 12: Esfand       29 or 30 Days 

The Iranian calendar has a remarkable accuracy. It automatically adjusts for the Earth's slightly longer rotation period by adding a leap day every four years. The first day of the new year is determined by the exact moment of the spring equinox, regardless of whether it occurs during the day or night. This astronomical precision is truly impressive.

Let's explore a few more interesting aspects...

The Iranian New Year always begins on the Spring Equinox.

When I was a student in Iran, the school year began on the Autumn Equinox and ended on the Summer Solstice. This meant I had a full 93 days of summer vacation! This unique calendar ensures that Iranians have a clear understanding of the seasonal changes.

My father had to wait until the very last day of winter to take me to visit my grandparents, I mean it literally. Our school system was based on seasons as well. I have a very precise memory of driving through heavy snow the evening of the last day of winter.

Ironically, my birthday falls right in the middle of winter. So, I can personally attest to the challenges of shoveling snow on my birthday, having done it every time.

We used to shovel snow to the sides of the yard. As a child, I loved building snow tunnels and playing in the snow.

In 1976, my dad was sent to Saudi Arabia to inspect a medical clinic during the Hajj pilgrimage. Every day after school, I had to shovel snow to access the car parked outside. I would then warm up the car and charge the battery. Despite being only in the fourth grade, I felt a sense of responsibility and didn't mind the cold weather.

Not everyone had warm clothes, but I was fortunate to have a good pair of mittens. However, even with them, my hands would often crack and bleed in the cold. My mom had a homemade remedy to soothe the skin: a mixture of glycerin and lemon juice.

In recent years, snowfall in Tabriz has drastically decreased. We've gone from annual snowfall exceeding 10 feet to less than 4 inches per year in the past 50 years.

I know some people believe that climate change is a hoax perpetrated by liberals to scare religious people

In April 1997, we were in Zurich. Despite it being late April, they were celebrating the beginning of spring. This was a month after the actual start of the season.

Sechselaeuten - Spring Festival (1)

People were still wearing warm jackets on a sunny afternoon.




The cold weather had deterred many birds from returning to the water.


However, on December 28, 2022, the same city of Zurich presented a drastically different scene.



The destruction of our planet is a tragedy of immense proportions. Our willful blindness to this crisis is both disheartening and infuriating.

Let's see some photos from the festival!





























(c) I personally took these photos and own the rights to them. Please feel free to use them as you wish.

(1) https://www.zuerich.com/en/visit/sechselaeuten




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