Tehran Hosting Organic Food Fair ahead of Yalda Night

Every year, a few days before Yalda, Iranians hit the market to buy nuts, fruits and other edible products.  This year, on the occasion of the Persian festival, an exhibition of organic products is being held in Tehran.

Yalda Night or Shab-e Chelleh is the Iranian festival of winter solstice celebrated on the longest and darkest night of the year. It is the night between the last day of the ninth month (Azar) and the first day of the tenth month (Dey) of the Iranian calendar.

Yalda is one of the ancient festivities celebrated by Iranians, Afghans, Tajiks and Uzbeks. During the night, friends and family gather together to eat, drink and read poetry until well after midnight.

On this night, it is customary to sit at a tablecloth which is decorated with nuts, pomegranate, and watermelon. The poems of renowned Persian poet Hafez, which can be found in the bookcases of most Iranian families, are read or recited at this ceremony. Poets also recite their own poems for others.

Yalda night was officially added to Iran’s List of National Heritage in a special ceremony in 2008.

The exhibition of organic food products with 110 stands and three halls will run for one week until December 21.

What follows are photos of the exhibition retrieved from Mehr News Agency: