Ancient · Mehr 10

Mehregan

/meh-re-GAN/

مهرگان

How to greet · Pure Persian

مهرگانتان پیروز و شاد

Mehr-gâ-NE-tân pi-ROOZ o SHÂD

"May your Mehregan be triumphant and glad"

شاد (shâd) — glad, joyful — appears in the very oldest Persian texts. Mehregan predates Nowruz in recorded history; this greeting carries the weight of millennia.

Next Occurrence

October 2, 2026

Mehr 10, 1405 (Persian)

120

days away

Mehregan is one of the oldest and most important Persian festivals, celebrating Mithra — the ancient Indo-Iranian deity of friendship, covenant, and the sun's light. It falls in the month of Mehr, at the autumn equinox, and has been called the Persian Thanksgiving — a celebration of harvest, gratitude, and the bonds between people. It was celebrated for 2,500 years before Nowruz overshadowed it.

Traditions

  • ◆Wearing new clothes: New garments are worn as a symbol of renewal.
  • ◆Spreading the Mehregan cloth: A special table is set with symbolic items including flowers, seeds, mirrors, and rosewater.
  • ◆Giving gifts: Friends and family exchange gifts of perfume and flowers.
  • ◆Feasting: A great communal feast celebrates the harvest.

Did You Know?

Mehregan was the equal of Nowruz in ancient Iran — some historians believe it was even more important. The Achaemenid kings held court at Persepolis for both festivals.

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