Centuries-old ritual of rosewater nazri in Muharram remembrance

Locals in the small Iranian village of Cham Alishah in the central province of Isfahan hold a special ritual during Muharram called the nazr of rosewater.

The ritual is held on the seventh day of the lunar month of Muharram, when villagers gather in the houses where rosewater is collected from dried rose flowers, and they participate in the rosewater distillation ceremony, commonly known as ‘Golab-giri’.

As part of this ceremony, the women of the village are enthusiastically present, and they use a variety of methods, including writing on the cauldron with a piece of wood, lighting a candle next to it, or taking wood from the fire under the cauldron and taking it home for the next year’s ceremony.

Meanwhile, nazri (charity food) are also cooked by all families in the village.

As a blessing, people use the rosewater obtained through this ancient ritual during Tasua and Ashura (the ninth and tenth days of the mourning month of Muharram).

Iranians hold special ceremonies during the first ten days of the lunar month of Muharram to commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his 72 loyal companions.

These ceremonies in Iran more than often include food offerings, whether they are held at public venues like mosques or private residences. These communal gatherings are also a kind of forum where friends, acquaintances, and neighbors meet over food that is served after the ceremonies.

MM/FM