Zanjan Culture | Top 10 Turkish Traditions and Customs in Iran

Turkish Customs in Zanjan, Yalda Night

Yalda Night in Zanjan

The people of Zanjan observe Yalda Night with a cherished array of customs. These include divination through the poetry of Hafez, recitations from the Shahnameh, the exchange of stories and memories—often told by grandparents—posing riddles and puzzles, paying visits to the elders of the family, and offering prayers of gratitude for blessings and health. The festive spread (sofreh) is lavishly decorated with an assortment of fruits, dried nuts, and sweets, with watermelon being an essential treat. Above all, the night is dedicated to saleh arham—reaffirming kinship bonds.
A distinctive Zanjan tradition involves visiting the homes of newlyweds. The groom’s family prepares ornate gift trays, known as khancheh, filled with sweets, nuts, and fruits, and presents them at the bride’s home. This custom is called shabchereh.
A typical Zanjan shabchereh features a variety of nuts, pastries, and seasonal fruits such as pomegranate, medlar, and watermelon, alongside gifts for the bride, all artfully arranged in decorated khoncheh. This gesture is reciprocated the following year during the first Yalda Night after the wedding, when the bride’s family prepares a shabchereh for the groom.
Another unique local practice is the consumption of a special treat: fresh white snow mixed with grape molasses, enjoyed as a symbolic and refreshing delight on the longest night of the year.

Turkish Traditions in Zanjan, Chaharshanbe Suri Trick-or-treating

Chaharshanbe Suri in Zanjan

The Chaharshanbe Suri Bazaar marks one of the most vibrant and prosperous trading days of the year for Zanjan's shopkeepers. Locals hold a deep-seated belief that making purchases on this day is an auspicious act, and they take care to acquire at least one new item for their households. Historically, the Chaharshanbe Suri festivities in Zanjan were rich with elaborate rituals. These included dropping a match into a cradle, the ceremonial breaking of jugs (Kouzeh-Shekasti), the playful customs of scarf-tossing (Shāl-Andāzi) and spoon-banging (Qāshoq-Zani or trick-or-treating), riverside gatherings, the symbolic "cutting" of water with scissors, and key-based divination (Fāl-e Kelid).
On Chaharshanbe Suri night, young women and newlyweds longing for motherhood would participate in a poignant ritual. They would bring a cradle and drop a matchstick into it from above. A match landing inside was interpreted as a hopeful omen signifying future children, while one falling outside was seen as a disappointment. Another distinctive Zanjan tradition involved taking unmarried young women to the local water reservoir (Āb Anbār) on the last Wednesday of the year. There, a special ceremony blending religious and folk-magical elements was performed to "open their fortune" and help them find a suitable match. As part of this ritual, seven knots were tied into the girls' garments, which then had to be untied by pre-adolescent boys.

Cutting Water on Chaharshanbe Suri

Another pivotal custom of the day was the ceremonial breaking of old water jugs and the subsequent purchase of new ones. As part of this ritual, participants would place a coin inside a jug before casting it down from the rooftop, symbolizing the discarding of misfortunes and the welcoming of renewal.
At dawn on Chaharshanbe Suri, the people of Zanjan would gather in cheerful, singing groups and make their way to the Zanjan River. Upon arrival, they engaged in spirited traditions: leaping over the flowing water, drinking from it, and playfully splashing one another. It was common for young women to collect water in a cup as it cascaded from the heights toward the waterwheels, drinking it with heartfelt intentions for prosperity and well-being. On the journey home, they filled their new jugs with the river's water. This sacred water was later shared with absent family members and sprinkled over the thresholds, walls, and courtyards of their homes to bless the household.
The specific "Cutting Water" ceremony involved women congregating at the Khanlar Baghi garden in the early morning. There, they performed the symbolic act of "cutting" the water’s surface, while tossing in an old shoe sole or seven stones. Each throw was accompanied by a whispered wish for life’s burdens and difficulties to be washed away. To conclude the evening's observances, families in Zanjan traditionally enjoyed a festive meal, often featuring "Shesh-Andaz" stew, noodle rice, or saffron rice.

Turkish Customs in Zanjan, Sizdah Bedar

Sizdah Bedar in Zanjan

In times past, the people of Zanjan would pack provisions for the day and journey to the orchards and hamlets surrounding the city to observe Sizdah Bedar. Central to the day’s lore was the "Ghalibani," a fearsome, towering figure who would materialize on the path ahead of travelers. A creature born of local legend, the Ghalibani was clad in a black goatskin cloak, sported a swaying tail, and wore a dark hat adorned with a single, stitched eye. This entity personified the ill fortune associated with the thirteenth day of the New Year. Parading through the crowds with a drummer and a Sini Gardan (Tray Spinner), he danced to rhythmic beats and chants as onlookers offered him small gratuities.
The Ghalibani’s performance, driven by the pulse of the drum, commenced with lively imitations of a monkey, bear, wolf, and other creatures, much to the delight and amusement of the gathered crowd. By custom, the Ghalibani was compelled to depart the city before sunset. Should he linger, the people would drive him out by hurling stones and clods of earth—his refusal to leave was viewed as a dire portent, foretelling a year ahead shadowed by misfortune.
Elders, meanwhile, engaged in cherished rituals: symbolically "cutting" water, tying knots in young greens, and casting the sprouts into the river, all while reciting prayers for plentiful rain and abundance, celebrating the day in communal joy. Another meaningful custom involved tossing seven stones into the flowing river, each stone representing a type of pain or hardship being released into the water. Other beloved Zanjan traditions for Sizdah Bedar included wrestling matches, enjoying a special snack of four-seed herbs, and sharing a meal of sour soup.

Turkish Traditions in Zanjan, The Hala Festival

The Hala Festival in Zanjan

With the arrival of autumn and the completion of the harvest, the Hala Festival is celebrated across the fields and threshing grounds of Zanjan. The tradition commences as each farming household sets aside a small, untouched plot of their wheat field—roughly twenty square meters—known as the Hala. On the day of the festival, families extend invitations to neighbors and relatives, many of whom are fellow farmers. A communal meal is prepared, featuring the sacrifice of a sheep or cow, and guests are hosted over lunch. After dining, the guests set out together toward the uncut wheat field, carrying with them Nazik (or Nazri) bread, which is enriched with sheep’s milk fat. As they walk, they exchange well-wishes, such as “Congratulations” and “May your harvest be plentiful.” Upon reaching the Hala, each participant takes up a sickle and encircles the remaining wheat.
Led by a village elder who opens with prayers and invocations, the harvesting begins. As he makes the first cuts, others join in, each gathering a share of the grain. In unison, they rhythmically chant the word “Hala,” and after several repetitions, the entire plot is reaped. Each person then takes home the wheat they harvested and pours it into their household granary as a blessed token meant to ensure future abundance. To conclude, the elders distribute portions of Nazik bread and fresh fruits among the guests. After offering gifts wrapped in cloth and reciting the phrase, “Blessings upon the harvest,” the attendees depart from the Hala site, bringing the festival to a close. Regarded as the oldest surviving celebration in Zanjan Province, this ceremony is thought to have roots in the ancient Zoroastrian harvest festival.

Turkish Customs in Zanjan, Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha in Zanjan

While Eid al-Adha in Zanjan shares many common rituals with the rest of Iran, it is distinguished by one particularly unique custom. When a young woman is engaged, the groom’s family adorns the sacrificial sheep in a special rite: they apply henna to its head and carefully line its eyes with kohl, before presenting the animal to the bride’s family. Following the sacrifice, the blood is poured at the base of olive trees in a symbolic gesture—a sacred offering believed to bless the household with fertility and prosperity.

Turkish Customs and Traditions in Zanjan Iran | Muharram in Zanjan

Turkish Traditions in Zanjan, Muharram

Muharram Observances in Zanjan

The Muharram observances in Zanjan rank among the most fervent and deeply traditional expressions of mourning in Iran. The rituals encompass chest-beating (sineh-zani), the solemn procession of banners (alam gardani) through city quarters, the ceremonial smearing of mud on the head and face (gel-māli), public mourning processions, elegiac chanting (nauheh-khāni), the preparation of votive meals (nazri), and the performance of passion plays (ta’ziyeh-khāni). In a poignant local tradition, women of Zanjan tie their headscarves to the mourning banners as a symbolic gesture, offering prayers for the fulfillment of their deepest wishes and supplications.
The mourning procession hosted by the Hosseiniyeh A'zam holds particular renown, especially on Youm al-Abbas. Each year, it draws vast crowds from Zanjan and beyond, including participants from other Iranian cities and neighboring nations. This sanctuary is regarded as the second-largest site of ritual sacrifice in the Islamic world, after Mina. Historical accounts note that in a single year, along the path of this procession alone, approximately 13,000 head of livestock were presented as sacrificial offerings to the Hosseiniyeh.

Turkish Customs and Traditions in Zanjan Iran | Upright Fish in Zanjan

Turkish Customs in Zanjan, Upright Fish

Upright Fish in Zanjan Culture

For generations, a unique belief has endured among the people of Zanjan: at the precise moment the new year arrives, fish are said to become perfectly vertical, rigid, and still in the water. Another version of the legend holds that they turn to float on their backs, with their bellies facing the sky.