Maidyoshahem

The Zoroastrian community honors the six seasons of the year by celebrating six Gahambars- the word gahambar means "proper season". Each of these six festivals is celebrated for five days, and each honors one of the six material creations: The heaven, water, earth, flora, fauna and man.

Maidyoshahem (may-eed-YO-sha-hem) is the second Gahambar, the Midsummer Rain feast, and it takes place each year from June 29 to July 3. This Gahambar celebrates the creation of water on our earth, and the last day is called Tirgan (pronounced Teer-gone), in honor of Tir, the angel of rain. This will be an important festival in years to come, since Tir is especially invoked to counter drought.

Iranians celebrate Tirgan with dancing, singing, and by swimming and splashing water on each other.

Agenda this week:

1. Recite a Prayer:
The first four days of Maidyoshahem are devoted to services, and reciting prayers. Zoroastrians turn towards a flame while praying, which symbolises the fire of creation and the spiritual flame within each of us. And so I will stand before a candle flame to recite the Ashem Vohu (invocation of Asha) from the Avesta (Zoroastrian Book of Common Prayer).

The Ashem Vohu is a prayer with universal appeal. The word Ashem has many meanings: Law, Order, Beauty, Truth, Righteousness, Purity, Freedom. This one word expresses Divine truth, purity of body and mind, and all the beauty of nature. It's a central idea in Zoroastrianism. 

This prayer is like a mantra, to be chanted slowly. To hear it recited, go to this link.

ashem vohû vahishtem astî
Truth is the best good.

ushtâ astî
It is happiness.

ushtâ ahmâi hyat ashâi vahishtâi ashem.
Happiness is to one whose truth (represents) best truth.

2. Make Persian Potato Salad:
On the fifth day of a Gahambar, all the community comes together for a potluck feast, with traditional Persian dishes: Papeta-ma-ghosh, Iranian soup, fried bread, kharu-ghosh, ambakalio, cucumber salad, and ajil - a mix of seven different dried fruit and nuts.

The feast is payed for by those who can afford it. Food is prepared together by volunteers, and served by volunteers. Each person either donates food or helps to serve. The feast is a community get-together, when grudges are forgiven and forgotten, and friendships are formed or renewed.

Zoroastrians believe that the smell of good food attracts the Spiritual Beings, and so during the Gahambars spiritual and physical beings are able to eat together.

Since we are having a heat spell, I decided to make this delicious Persian potato salad. 

Ingredients:

• 12 small new potatoes
• 1 red onion
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 1/2-cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 1/3-cup flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup fresh basil

Dressing:

• 1 c. plain yogurt
• 1/2-c. mayonnaise
• 1-tsp. powdered mustard
• juice from 1 lime

1- Put the whole potatoes into a medium saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and cool.

Persian potato salad and cucumber salad

2- Chop the peas and boil for 2 minutes, then drain and cool.

3- Meanwhile, chop the onion and the herbs, and grate the carrot. Slice the olives. Combine in a salad bowl and chill.

4- Whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, lime juice, a little salt and black pepper.

5- Peel and chop the potatoes, and combine with the dressing and other vegetables; mix well.

3. Get wet!