About the Story
Winter comes with many celebrations and festivals around the world. Historically, winter festivals often emerged around the solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. In ancient cultures, people celebrated this "rebirth" of the sun with feasts, rituals, and lights, hoping for good fortune and abundant harvests in the coming year. These gatherings offer social connection, honor seasonal changes, celebrate religious or cultural beliefs, and encourage hope as people anticipate the renewal of spring.
In this story, we are taking a look at three winter festivals around the world through objects in our collection.
Diwali - India's Festival of Lights
Diwali - India's Festival of Lights is an early winter festival. Millions across India mark this joyous occasion with festive gatherings, fireworks, feasts, and prayers. Although Diwali originated in the Indian subcontinent as a blend of ancient harvest festivals, it has evolved into a festival embraced by several diverse communities.
In our collection, we have miniature paintings from the Indian albums of European collector Antoine-Louis-Henri de Polier, that express this festive atmosphere through scenes of fireworks and oil lamps. Women in elegant festive attire, with henna covered hands and feet and precious jewelry, light sparklers while the night sky is filled with fireworks and oil lamps cast a warm glow.
Shab-e-Yalda
Shab-e Yalda, or the Night of Yalda, marks the winter solstice and is celebrated in Iran and other Persian-influenced regions as the longest and darkest night of the year. Families gather to stay awake until dawn, sharing poetry from Hafez, feasting on fruits like pomegranates and watermelons, and enjoying nuts and sweets, which symbolize health and abundance. Shab-e Yalda represents the rebirth of the sun and the victory of light over darkness. It is rooted in Zoroastrian traditions and ancient Iranian cosmology. A unique aspect of the celebration is fal-e Hafez which is a tradition of bibliomancy where people seek guidance and inspiration by randomly opening Hafez’s book of poetry and interpreting the verses as omens or advice.
In our collection, we hold a beautifully illustrated copy of the Diwan of Hafez, a compelling and timeless companion for Yalda.
Hafez’s words, often full of imagery around love, life, and divine beauty, speak about the Night of Yalda in this poem:
I have in mind, if possible,
To do something that can end my sorrow.
The private quarter of the heart is not a place for the opposites.
When the devil goes out, the angel comes in.
The company of dictators is the darkness of the Night of Yalda.
Seek light from the sun and be hopeful for its rise.
At the doors of the unmanly lords of the world,
How long are you going to sit, waiting for the master to come out?
Do not give up begging. For you can find a treasure
From the look of a wayfarer who happens to pass by.
The pious and the wicked showed their commodities.
It remains to be seen who will please the sight and who will be accepted.
Lover nightingale, pray for a long life.
For gardens will eventually turn green and a flower branch will be at your side.
Hafez's negligence in this little house is no wonder.
Whoever goes to a tavern comes back unawares.
بر سر آنم که گر ز دست برآید
دست به کاری زنم که غصه سرآید
منظر دل نیست جای صحبت اضداد
دیو چو بیرون رود فرشته درآید
صحبت حکام ظلمت شب یلداست
نور ز خورشید خواه، بو که برآید
بر در ارباب بی‌مروت دنیا
چند نشینی که خواجه کی بدر آید
ترک گدایی مکن که گنج بیابی
از نظر رهروی که در گذر آید
صالح و طالح متاع خویش نمودند
تا که قبول افتد و چه در نظر آید
بلبل عاشق تو عمر خواه که آخر
باغ شود سبز و شاخ گل به بر آید
غفلت حافظ درین سراچه عجب نیست
هر که به میخانه رفت بی‌خبر آید
The translation in English is from The Poems of Hafez, translated from Persian by Reza Saberi. This collection was published by University Press of America in 1995.
Listen to the recitation of the poem 232 from the Diwan of Hafez here:
The recitation is by Soheil Ghasemi.
Of course, we had to try the tradition for ourselves. Let's see what Hafez is saying to us!
For years my heart was demanding of me the cup of Jamshid.
It was seeking from a stranger what itself had.
The pearl which is outside the shell of the universe,
It was demanding of the lost ones on the seashore.
Last night I took my problem to the Pir of Magians
Who was solving riddles by his powerful insight.
I saw him joyous and smiling with a cup of wine in his hand.
He was looking at that mirror in a hundred manners.
I asked him: "When did the Sage give you this world viewing cup?"
He said: "The day when He was building this azure dome."
There was a lover who had God with him in all circumstances.
Since he could not see God, he called for Him from a distance.
All this legerdemain, which reason was performing here,
Was like the Samaritan's before [Moses'] walking stick and shining hand.
Someone said: "The crime of that friend who honored the gallows' head
Was that he was revealing the secrets."
If the grace of the Holy Spirit helps again,
Others, too, can do what the Messiah was doing.
I asked: "What are the chains of the idols' tresses for?"
She said: "Hafez was complaining about his frenzied heart."
سال‌ها دل طلبِ جامِ جم از ما می‌کرد
وآنچه خود داشت ز بیگانه تمنّا می‌کرد
گوهری کز صدفِ کون و مکان بیرون است
طلب از گمشدگانِ لبِ دریا می‌کرد
مشکلِ خویش بَرِ پیرِ مُغان بُردم دوش
کاو به تأییدِ نظر حلِّ معمّا می‌کرد
دیدمش خُرَّم و خندان قدحِ باده به دست
واندر آن آینه صد گونه تماشا می‌کرد
گفتم این جامِ جهان‌بین به تو کِی داد حکیم؟
گفت آن روز که این گنبدِ مینا می‌کرد
بی‌دلی در همه‌احوال خدا با او بود
او نمی‌دیدش و از دور خدا را می‌کرد
این‌همه شعبدهٔ خویش که می‌کرد اینجا
سامری پیشِ عصا و یدِ بیضا می‌کرد
گفت آن یار کز او گشت سرِ دار بلند
جُرمش این بود که اسرار هویدا می‌کرد
فیضِ روحُ‌القُدُس ار باز مدد فرماید
دیگران هم بکنند آنچه مسیحا می‌کرد
گفتمش سلسلهٔ زلفِ بُتان از پیِ چیست
گفت حافظ گله‌ای از دلِ شیدا می‌کرد
What is Hafez saying to us?
After reading the poem, I can't help but feel a sense of longing and spiritual connection. The tone in the poem feels both hopeful yet melancholic, as if suggesting that while the goal may feel distant, the journey toward could be filled with meaning and fulfillment. Much like the days leading up to the reopening of the museum, it feels far off, but every step we take along the way is filled with new learnings and exciting work each day!
We truly enjoyed indulging in this tradition with our colleagues at the depot of the museum. It’s a hopeful reminder that the journey itself can be just as enriching as the destination. Why not try this out for yourself? Maybe reach out to a Persian friend and find out together which Hafez poem has a message for you.
Christmas
Christmas is one of the most widely observed holidays around the world marking the birth of Jesus Christ. The holiday is celebrated by more than 2 billion people worldwide. While it is primarily a Christian festival, Christmas has also become a cultural event for many non-Christians in countries around the globe, with celebrations varying in customs and traditions depending on the region. It is a time for reflection, joy, and togetherness, often centered around church services, family gatherings, and festive meals. Homes and public spaces are adorned with decorations, lights, and Christmas trees, while carols fill the air.
The Museum for Islamic Art’s collection includes these photographs from the Syrian Heritage Archive Project, showing Christmas celebrations in Syria. These images show people coming together to celebrate in churches and gathering in the courtyard after the service.
Happy Holidays!
To end our winter celebrations story, we present a festive Spanish carpet, with European design influence. Whether through the warmth of family gatherings during Christmas, the wisdom of Hafez's poetry on Shab-e Yalda, or other global traditions we couldn't include, winter festivals around the world bring people together, offer hope and joy during the darkest days of the year.
About the Author: Farwah Rizvi is the Storytelling Assistant at the Museum for Islamic Art. With thanks to Dr. Margaret Shortle, Pooneh Eftekhari-Yekta, Alaeedin Hadad and the Islamic Art Portal team.
Read related stories here:
Our favorite objects
Our team has handpicked their favorite objects and are sharing their personal connection with them. Join us on this special journey as we unveil new insights from our collection.
