Sizdah Be-dar - On The Records

On The Records

Sizdah Berdar is reported to have been celebrated by the Iranians lived on the Iranian Plateau as far back as 536 BC. It is puzzling however to see no record about Sizdah Bedar after Iran became a part of the Muslim World in the seventh century. Amazingly none of the thousands of famous Europeans who traveled and visited Iran during Safavid era (1501–1736) and up to the last years of Qajars (1794–1925) referred to the celebration of Sizdah Bedar on their Itinerary Reports (in Persian: Safar Naameh-haa). The Iranian politician and writer Abdollah Mostofi (1876–1950), and traveler Edward Pollack who visited Iran in 1865 were possibly among the first authors who wrote about Sizdah Bedar and reported it in their books. It should be also noted that there are many poems on the praising of the Spring Season (in Persian: Bahaarieh), and the Iranian New year (in Persian: Now Rooz, aka Nowruz) composed by various classical Iranian poets, but the verses on Sizdah Bedar written by the same groups of composers are rarely ever found. According to many researchers, problems may be attributed to the imposition of the specific codes of conduct regarding various aspects of daily life after Iran became a part of Muslim World in the seventh century. More research is needed to fill those voids.