March 15 marked the last Wednesday of Iranian calendar, and the start of the New Year. Fiery festivity filled the air of Limkokwing University of Creative Technology as thousands of people circled around bonfires to welcome the dawn of prosperity.

Chanting “Sorkhi-e to az man, Zardi-e man az to (my yellow paleness is yours, your redness is mine), Iranian students and their families celebrated with a symbolic, traditional jump over the bonfires as an act of purification to start the new year afresh.

The Festival of Fire also known as Chaharshanbe Suri in Persian, is an Iranian traditional occasion which is the prelude of the Iranian new year celebration- Norouz.

Organized by the Limkokwing Iranian Community, the event was one of the University’s multicultural celebrations performed every year by various student clubs from different nationalities.

“I couldn’t wait to come to Limkokwing this year because we knew we could enjoy the real Iranian night here. The jumping over fire was very important for us and we were allowed to do it!” exclaimed Sohrab Ghahremani a student of Faculty of Architecture and Built Environment who leapt over three bonfires.

The Strength of Fire

Chaharshanbe Suri is celebrated all over the world and has been hosted a few times in Malaysia as well. This time around, the celebration saw more than 1,000 guests ranging from Limkokwing students to other university students and their families, explained Mohsen Naderi, president of the Limkokwing Iranian Community.

“The concept of the Festival of Fire is still there but if you look 2,000 years back, during the Persian Empire, it was a bit different. There used to be the fire jumping and many other things. But now it’s changed to fireworks, playing with fire and dancing,” he said.

Much of the symbolism of this night links to astrological connotations associated with sign of Pisces. A person has to face his ultimate fears and does so by jumping over the fire. This cleansing act is necessary before the arrival of the Spring. The day was chosen because of its ancient association to Mercury or Kherad.

A Radiant Milieu

“The Chaharshanbe Suri night of 2011 is a very warm and exciting event and is also well organized by the Iranian community. I could see every single person happily enjoying the event. I could see it in their eyes that they have been waiting for this. It means a lot to me that this event has been organized,” said Shokouh Mohammadi, the father of a Limkokwing student.

The stage in the Plaza was decorated with the seven ‘S’s which is a significant traditional table setting of Norouz that includes a sweet pudding made from wheat germ, dried fruits of the oleaster tree, garlic, apples, berries and vinegar. The items symbolize affluence, love, medicine, beauty and health, the colour of sunrise and patience.

Apart from the Iranians, students from Sudan, Yemen, India, Mauritius and many other nationalities were also seen joining in the festivities with their Iranian friends.