The heavy shadow of luxury on tradition/exorbitant expenses for a night of eye-to-eye – Mehr news agency Iran and world’s news

Mehr News Agency, Provinces Group: Yalda is known in Semnan province in different ways, from its seat and warmth to the stories of the great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers, which seem to be obsolete and we rarely see it except in some places, especially the villages of the province.

Instead of these beautiful old customs that peace Mercy, meeting the elders and listening to the instructions for the year ahead, happy and befinding an opportunity to stay away from turbidity, fire Kanan I see And staying away from grudges and celebrating happiness in Chele brings the winter alive in everyone’s memory, sometimes customs are held whose origin no one knows properly and it has become a problem in the current situation.

The beginning of Chela and its differences with the past

Yalda philosophy This is the longest night of the year and the beginning of Chele, which is celebrated in detail in the desert province of Semnan as well as in other places on the edge of the desert. Gathering and spending time with loved ones is where a person learns to appreciate the moments.

Today, however, there has been a long distance from this philosophy, and Yalda has become a scourge for the lives of families who have recently sent their sons to the house of fortune, and with the official that no matter how much you dig behind it, you cannot find its beginning.

A narrative of many differences

Before we discuss the exorbitant cost of buying a Yaldai bride, we will talk with an expert on social issues and oral history about the origin of the Yaldai offering. As Ismail Nazari told Mehr reporter, there is an official in Khorasan, the date of which is not known, but we did not have such an official in Semnan province, except for the areas adjacent to Khorasan in Shahrood and Miami cities, and if it is spread in other cities of the province, it can be He said, “My official version is derived or imported into Qomsi culture.” I see Is.

Nazari stated that similar to this custom existed in Semnan, Damghan and Shahroud in the past, but it was completely different and with a different philosophy. In it, they put dates, walnuts, almonds, sugar cubes and pomegranates, and a cloth and a gift for the bride’s parents, which were mainly cloth, and that too on Yalda night with instruments and Delhi They would come to the bride’s house, dance, and after an hour, they would go to the reception, and the groom would stay there so that the two families could get to know each other better.

He emphasizes: There was no such thing at Yaldai for the bride to have a coat, boots, and sweets of all kinds, nuts, bananas, fruits, pineapples, etc., this custom was only to be a kind of good health for the bride and her family. As far as we know, it was mostly symbolic. In fact, when there was no light, they put lanterns or lace lights on their heads and walked a distance to the bride’s house, and in a way, in the cold winter, they brought the light of happiness to the bride’s house.

Yaldai Atelier!

The formality that exists in some families these days is completely different from what historians and experts say and what is written in some books such as the Shahrood History book written by the late Fateh. These days, even some centers for holding ceremonies and weddings and even ateliers design the bride’s Yulda table by catching fish from the muddy water! And not only are they trying to make this custom more institutionalized, but they are also blowing on its fire day by day to make more money.

Go to one of these Atila I see We say that according to Mrs A. One of its employees will start the Yaldai package from the beginning of December. The studio is small, and in each corner is a wide curtain, a device like a piano cut in half is in one corner, and next to it is a revolving table, on which is decorated Mme. A He says: Behind this table, we will take photos on Yalda night and we will prepare it from November. Almost a complete set of photos, i.e. 10 photos of two chassis, two small photos with frames will also be given as a gift. It will cost two million and 700 thousand tomans if they want higher packages. Like the clip that costs up to eight and a half million tomans.

We also understand the meaning of the clip, the camera is placed in the hand of the cameraman, the newly married bride and groom come and stand on either side, the groom takes Hafizi by the hand, the lady smiles, they put sweets in their mouths, and a total of eight and a half million tomans of money. They also pay! The photographer insists that the photo will be placed on the bride’s Yaldai khwanche! In fact, this photo has become one of the bride’s must-haves!

Exorbitant expenses

From the same studio, we also get the address of the person who designs the Yaldai table, but unfortunately he is not willing to be interviewed. Another place is also found. This time, we enter without introducing ourselves as journalists, under the name of research and checking prices. Three types of tables are decorated like a corner wedding table. Mrs. Sahib Meson With a laptop, he shows pictures of Yalda tables, one more colorful and glossy than the other. He says that there are so many customers that you should have made a reservation from mid-December!

He said that Theme Hi We also have Yalda tablecloths, each of which has the same price, he adds: for example Theme There is ancient Iran with the decorations of Achaemenian capitals. Theme There is also a modern wedding table. Theme There is a tradition with the decoration of khanche and flower arrangement. Theme Nestern has flower arrangements and fruit arrangements, and their prices vary from 1 million 800 thousand tomans to 7.5 million tomans. For example, one package has less flowers, the other one has more flowers, the one has pineapple, the other one has none, and finally… the most surprising part of this story is that along with the bouquet, a fortune teller is also decorated in the form of old scrolls, which adds to the costs!

Lady Meson But in the end, Dar says: You should also bring the gifts a few days before to decorate the table. We ask him what to buy and he says: Coat, boots, pants, shawl for the bride mohair warm, for a gift of a watch or gold, cologne, sugar cubes, nuts, dried fruit, flowers, hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, basil, wool, chocolate and ten other items. Package price I see is reduced For the parents of the bride, one sweater or blouse or shirt each; On the other hand, we also decorate the bride’s house and prepare the gifts to be given by the bride’s family in packages that also have costs.

The cost of clothing

According to the lady’s words, we go to the price of the clothes. Mohsen Mirhosseini, a clothing shop owner, in a conversation with Mehr, said: Today, the most common women’s coat costs 800,000 Tomans, the most common boots start at 350,000 Tomans, and they usually buy scarves, gloves, sweaters, etc. for the bride’s Yalda. It is approximately four and a half million tomans. Men’s and women’s sweaters also start from 450 thousand tomans, but the most common value for a gift is 600 thousand tomans.

To all these costs, the barber shop must be added! And finally, it is not known what happened to the official ceremony that suddenly changed its nature. It costs 15 million tomans for the groom’s family for one night, and if it is held in the simplest form, that is, without all these luxuries, and only buying fruits, sweets, flowers, three One piece of dress for the bride and two pieces of cloth for the bride’s parents are on the agenda, it will cost five million tomans for one night. In other words, a Yalda night will cost between 5 and 15 million tomans for a family that has just married their child.

Now we have to ask if this custom is imported to Diyar culture QomsWill it help the happiness of newly formed families of the bride and groom? Is it not possible to celebrate Yalda in a simpler way, and if you are going to participate in such a ceremony, take a coat, a small bouquet of flowers and a kilogram of sweets with you?