What is Golab-Giri? How to Participate in Rose Water Festival in Iran? Today in chiyako Travel we will discover through this splendid tradition of people of Kashan.
Golab Giri (Rose-Water Iranian Festival) is one the most important festivals in Iran, held in the city of Kashan during spring season from mid-May to mid-June in Iran. Golab Giri is the Persian name of the process of extracting rose-water (or Golab in Persian) which is also the name of the rose water festival in iran
Golab Giri takes place in damask rose fields and traditional workshops and the visit is free for the public. Many Iranians and foreign visitors come to this city to visit the Rose water festival in Iran.
History of Golab-Giri and Rose Water Festival in Iran
Kashan city is located in a dry and arid plain surrounded by deserts in the middle of the country, yet with the ability of maintaining beautiful damask gardens which is one of the advantages of being a four season country is exactly like a miracle. in this desert city, the fragrant pink Mohammadi rose blooms in great quantity each spring especially during Golab Giri or rose water festival in Iran.
Being made from the Damask rose (also called Mohammadi rose in Iran), rose water is an aromatic, tonic liquid. The cultivation of Mohammadi roses and Golab Giri in Iran dates back to around 7,000 years ago; however the rose water festival in Iran has been feasted as an ancestral job since 1,000 years ago. The early rose waters were made by rose distillation during the Golab Giri, but over the years, this procedure also continued with distillation of Damask roses (Mohammadi roses) in rose water festival in Iran.
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During the rose water festival in in Iran, All the family members in their colorful, traditional clothes, early in the morning before sunrise, walk to work, while singing along with each other. and they have to finish the task of Golab Giri before noon. Based on an old farmers’ myth, flowers picked before sunrise will spread richer and stronger odor. This is also true about other festivals in Iran, which celebrates the harvest in the country land.
The rose water festival in Iran is practiced in different ways but what tourists see in Qamsar and Niasar is the same traditional method of rose water making and Golab Giri used in the old ages, however, by new equipment.
Rose water soothes skin irritation, redness, scars, and even burns. Rose water helps with sore throat or a bad headache; It also prevents from infections and used as the remedy for the sicknesses of this kind. Moreover, It is widely used in deserts, foods and beverages. It is common to go to a café in Kashan and order tea or coffee with rose water flavor.
The rose water is also widely used to make different kinds of perfumes and aromas for different uses.for centuries Golab has been used in Iran as a remedy and beauty product. Iran is the biggest producer of rose water and damask essence in the world and hosts the largest number of exports in this field. Kaaba, the holiest place of Muslims in the world is washed with rose water once a year, and the rose water comes from Iran, usually Qamsar in Kashan.
During the rose water festival in Iran and the process of Golab Giri, when picking flowers is done, harvested roses are placed in copper pots. Later these pots are put on fire places and this is the time when water is also added, then sent to an oven made of brick and cement or typically stones and mud. A strong fire should be kindled. The amount of water and how many times the pots are put on fire indicates different types of rose water.
while water boils, rosewater steam is released with essential oils, which condenses and flows through aluminum pipes into a special container. The entire distillation process takes about 4 hours, and as a result they get 40 liters of rosewater out of 30 kg of flowers.The best part of Golab Giri or the rose water festival in Iran, is When the rose water is ready.
Golab-Ghaltan as a Part of Golab-Giri Day in Rose Water Festival
Golab-Ghaltan is an archaic tradition and part of the rose water festival in Iran and Golab-Giri held in numerous cities and villages, in which one-year-old babies are bathed by their grandmothers and put on a white piece of fabric filled with damask roses. They make sure no thorn or leaf stays in the roses and after drying the baby, they somehow bathe the baby who has seen one spring in life in the roses, it is believed that it will keep the baby away from diseases, enhances their happy nature and immunes them.
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We hope you have enjoyed Chiyako Travel Golab-Giri article about the rose water festival in Iran and hope to get to meet you travelers sometime soon when we accompany your travel and journey all the way through Iran beauties.
