Tehran – People in a village near Larijan, the city of Amor in northern Mazandaran, marked a 600-year-old ceremony called “Varf Chal,” which literally means “snow storage,” with the aim of overcoming drought.
You cannot stay in the village during the event. They leave the place to go to Valf Char, carry the frozen snow that has remained from winter, and after melting in the summer, they put it in a deep pit of 10 meters, as they believe that the snow can supply freshwater to animals and thirst passersby. The woman runs a village affairs that day.
They then sit around a long tablecloth that stretches along the edge of the pit, celebrating and eating the traditional food they bring.
The “Varf Chal” ceremony was added to the Intangible Heritage List 10 years ago.
The Mazandaran people have many traditional customs, many of which have been forgotten.
Different tribes and ethnic groups living in different parts of Iran seem to be the colours that make great paintings. Iran is home to around 20 ethnic groups living in different parts of the country.
KD