'A Dictionary, Persian, Arabic, and English; with a Dissertation on the Languages, Literature, and Manners of Eastern Nations' [‎699v] (1403/1826)

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1296
formation of the calendar by the sultan Jalalu 'd ’din,
who, it is supposed, restored the most ancient mode, as origi
nally established by Jamshed. In the middle ages of
Persia, however, their position was different; j$\ Azur, whicli
now corresponds with November, answering then to March,
Day to April, and so in rotation, the consecutive order being the
same in both. This, however, has produced some disagreement
among the writers, with regard to the attributes of the angels and
the origin of the various festivals; the Farhangi Jahangir!, the
Mujazat, Shah Khuljl, with other Persian and Arabian au
thors, differing from one another in some unconsequential points,
which it is of no importance to reconcile. The above outlines
will be found in general just, and answer sufficiently the purpose
for which they are introduced ; that of explaining popular be
liefs, and giving an idea of various customs and traditions, to
which allusions are so often made in Eastern history, poetry, and
romance.
Mur dad, for example, amongst other attributes, is sup
posed to be the presiding angel of winter; but that must appa
rently have been when his month (now July) corresponded with
November, for the same reason the ridiculous parade of
rukubu’l kawsaj or Kbsah-nishin (the proces
sion of Kosah), mentioned to have been celebrated in the month
jA\ Azur, must apply to it when coinciding with the vernal
equinox. This festival, however whimsical it may appear to us,
was solemnized in Persia by all ranks, from the prince to the
peasant. An old toothless beardless figure, representing Winter
in his departure, was mounted on a mule or ass. He was ge
nerally some poor buffoon (if one-eyed so much the better), who
by ludicrous gesticulations afforded much mirth to the people ;
some sprinkling him with warm w ater and giving him hot victuals,
whilst others were drenching him with cold ; Kbsah all the while
fanning himself, and exclaiming garmd garmd, O heat!
heat! He had a crow in one hand, and a fan or scourge in the
other, and was attended even by the family of the king, or of the
governor of the city, who accompanied him on horseback through
the whole of the fantastic ceremony. In tins manner he paraded
the streets, entering the house of every nobleman, who was
obliged to give him a piece of money if he did not wish to have
his clothes bedawbed with a piece of red clay, which, dissolved
with water, he carried by his side in a little earthen vessel. He
then v/ent into every shop, the owners of which took especial
care to have their money ready, for a moment’s delay gave
Kbsah a right to seize all that was in them.- Whatever was thus
collected before the first prayers, became the property of the
king, if in the metropolis, or of the governor in any other city ;
but from that hour until the second prayers the receipts were re
served by Kbsah himself, who then suddenly disappeared ; for
if this representative of Winter was found in public after that
time, any person might beat him with impunity.
On the same grounds we must place in the month of April
another festival of a more dignified nature, which they celebrated
anciently on the 8th of the month of day, called
Khurram rbz (cheerful day) : when, according to the
Farhang-i Jahdnglrt, and other authors, the king of
Persia, clothed in white robes, descended from his throne, and
seating himself on a while carpet, the sara-pardah (or
veil before the royal throne) was thrown open, and all his subjects
were admitted to his presence. The husbandmen were treated
with particular respect, some of their chiefs dining at the same
ing strain : “lam one of you; my subsistence and that of my
people rests on the labour of your hands; the succession of the
race of man depends upon the plough ; without you we cannot
exist: but your dependence upon me is reciprocal: we ought
therefore to be brothers, and to live in perpetual harmony.”
The other eighteen days (together with the embolisms) which
were not placed under the guardianship of the angels of the
month, were supposed, as before observed, to be superintended
by angels of an inferior rank (the first excepted, which was
dedicated to Ormuzd, who however in this light was not
considered as Omnipotence, but only as his representing angel);
and all of them were imagined to be fortunate or unfortunate for
some particular actions. One day the angels approved of the
society of friends, of travelling, fighting, building, sowing, plant
ing, trading, lending money, wearing new clothes, giving alms,
saying prayers, presenting petitions, marrying, putting children
to school or to professions, with other matters of smaller moment;
whilst the next, perhaps, they were supposed to be marked with
their highest disapprobation ; almost every circumstance of civil
and religious duty being thus arranged by precise and positive
rules, the omission or transgression of which was conceived to be
productive of all the wretchedness to which human nature is
subject. From the above outlines, therefore, which contain an
epitome of the public as well as private life of the ancient Per
sians, much may be traced: from their numerous holidays, we
can perceive that their religion was very gay and very idle ; and
that much absurdity was built upon a bottom of some political
propriety : whilst it is at the same time necessary to keep in view,
that vulgar beliefs are the great key to the genius of a nation,
and that the history of human credulity is a necessary gradation
to the discovery of human knowledge. The Persian month i*
now divided into four parts, or weeks; the first consisting ot
eight days, the second of seven, the third of eight, and the fourth
of seven, to adapt the whole to their month of thirty days.
a mdh, Watery-hearted, i. e. cowardly, timid.
muhu’l kalb, Foolish, stupid.
PjlfcU mdhdr, A camel’s halter, a bridle.
p Mah-afrld, Name of a female slave of Iraj.