Yalda Night at Agha Bozorg’s Garden House

That year, as in years before, we had all gone to Agha Bozorg’s garden house to celebrate Yalda Night. Everyone knew how much Iranian traditions meant to Agha Bozorg and Khanom Joon, and everyone respected them. For us children, what could be better than being together, playing, laughing, and enjoying ourselves? I remember that every year Naneh Salimeh and Abu Salman, who lived in the garden, prepared bowls and bowls of pomegranate seeds and watermelon for us. It was one of the best days and nights of the year. And Naneh Salimeh knew enough stories to fill ten copies of One Thousand and One Nights. She was always telling us tales. On the long night of Yalda, she told us two extra stories, because, as she always reminded us, it was the longest night of the year. I thought it must be tremendously long. I always loved Yalda Night, perhaps less for its length than for being together and for the warmth and closeness of its Iranian spirit. Not everyone could come that year. The war was nearly over and conditions in Khuzestan were hard. Yet despite those difficult times, we were happy. For several years we’d had no Yalda celebration, no chance to gather together. As usual, Naneh Salimeh handed out bowls of pomegranate seeds. We sat in front of the porch around the fire Abu Salman had lit, waiting for her stories. When she finished, I asked, “Naneh Salimeh, will this war ever end? Will all this pain and hardship end?” I have never forgotten what she said: “Every night ends, and morning comes, even on Yalda, the longest night of the year.” My compatriot, a part of my own flesh: I urge you to keep this beautiful Iranian tradition, this inheritance from our Ahura-blessed land of Iran, alive. And I remind you that every night ends and morning comes, even on Yalda, the longest night of the year. So let’s gather together and stay together. Let’s write the beautiful story of our Iran’s freedom, and leave freedom and dignity to the generations after us for the Yalda nights to come. May your Yalda be joyful and your heart warm. Long live Iran. Long live the Shah.