Volume 9, Issue 42 (2022)
CFL 2022, 9(42): 1-39 |
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Jabbareh Naserou A, Fazli A. Fertility Myth and Rain-Seeking Rituals in Larestan (Lar, Sahraye Bagh, Hormoud, Dehkoyeh, Beriz, Kurdeh). CFL 2022; 9 (42) :1-39
URL: http://cfl.modares.ac.ir/article-11-58492-en.html
URL: http://cfl.modares.ac.ir/article-11-58492-en.html
1- Associate Professor of Persian Language and Literature, Jahrom University, Jahrom, Iran , Azim.jabbareh@jahromu.ac.ir
2- MA in Persian Language and Literature, Jahrom University, Jahrom, Iran
2- MA in Persian Language and Literature, Jahrom University, Jahrom, Iran
Abstract: (1687 Views)
Research background
So far, no attempt has been made to introduce the mythological beliefs of the people of Larestan, and only the language, dialect, history, and culture of Larestan have been studied. In relation to the myth of fertility, articles have been written, some of which could be mentioned, for example: Firoozmandi et al. (2012) in the article A local narrative of the myth of the goddess of fertility in Lorestan. The legend of the girl Dal has been studied from the perspective of the goddess of fertility. Jafari (2003) in his article Horse and rain-making in the mythology of ancient Iran, has studied the economic and social importance of the horse in the life of Iranians and its relationship with mythology. Ahmadi Birgani (2018) in the article Shesh Dalu symbol of the goddess of water and the god of rain, has studied the Bakhtiari people as one of the rich sources of ancient Iranian myths and rituals. Hassannejad et al. (2015) in the article Fertility myth and mythical allusions in the keyhole have studied the keyword novel based on the infrastructure of the fertility myth. Papli Yazdi and Jalali (1999) have studied these rituals in the article Rain-seeking rituals during droughts. Rezaei Dasht Arjaneh et al. (2016) in the article Fertility myths in the legends of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Lorestan and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces by examining the themes of the fertility myth in the legends of this region. The provinces have achieved three patterns of birth, death and rebirth of the vegetable god, the pattern of the hero / demon-killer, and the pattern of the hero / god-dragon-killer.
Goals, questions and research methods
In this article, the authors have tried to examine the reflection of mythological themes and patterns in the beliefs of the people of Larestan region about fertility myths and rain-seeking rituals emphasizing illiterate and ancient people. First, myths, stories, and rain-seeking rituals were recorded in the field, using indigenous and ancient peoples, and then, using library sources, the mythological themes related to beliefs were extracted. This has been done through a descriptive-analytical manner.
The present article seeks to answer the following questions: What is the place of the fertility myth in Larestan and what is the function of this myth? Are there any beliefs in the fertility myth of Larestan that are related to the fertility myths of the nations? What is the position of the people's beliefs of the region in this regard in their lives? What do the people of Larestan do to have rain during the drought? What are the rain-seeking rituals in Larestan?
Main discussion
In the fertility myth of Larestan region, there are five aspects which are:
1. Varzva (bull): The following points can be said about the role of Varzava in the fertility myth of Larestan. a. When sacrificing, Varzava was taken to a spring and the source of water was usually a reservoir or spring, because there is no natural source in Larestan that comes from the heart of the earth and is not the result of rainwater or groundwater. b. People believe in the coming of rain and their lucky relationship with Varzva after the sacrifice, and tie a member of it to Varzva's thigh. The non-sacrifice of Varzva is due to its dignity, honor, and sanctity among the people, and this belief in Larestan is another reason for the connection with the myth of Sirishuk or Hazyush, the last sacrificial cow, which was mentioned earlier.
2. Indra: The following points can be said about Indra's role in the fertility myth of Larestan. a. According to the people of Larestan, Indra is a rainy black cloud that causes fertility. b. In this region, Indra is visible in two Iranian and Indian mythological groups. Indra's anger and the sending of torrential rains in the belief of the people can be considered as his Iranian delegation, which is disrupting order and destroying human beings. Indra's mission in Indian mythology is also evident in the belief of the people that are fighting the demon of drought and the liberation of the waters. c. Another symbol related to water is Ab Anbar, which has a very important role in the lives of the people of Larestan. The water reservoir has a sacred aspect and is one of the cleanest places to store water.
3. Crow: The crow is not considered a fertility god in the beliefs of the people in Larestan and mythology; but it is a symbol of fertility, as if it is rushing to aid the god of fertility.
4. Tishtar: According to the people of Larestan, a goat that is about to become pregnant and has not reached the stage of calving is called Tishtar. In the belief of the people, despite the high value and rank, this God has taken on an earthly and material aspect and has lost his divine aspect. In other words, Tishtar has risen from the rank of deity in Persian mythology to the stage of Freud in the mythology of this region.
5. Anahita: In the fertility myth of Larestan, Anahita is the fifth pillar of fertility. Due to the special climate of Larestan and the reliance of people's livelihood on agriculture, water has been of great vital importance and has placed Anahita in a position beyond Varzva, Indra, Crow and Tishter.
Rain-seeking rituals in Larestan
In this area, three rituals were performed, which are: A) Keble Doa, B) Lellah Lellah Baru Beda, and C) Khasa Neshu
Conclusion
Research findings show that Varzova, Indra, Crows, Tishter, and Anahita are the five pillars of fertility myth in Larestan.
People have beliefs about Varzava, also known as Ziwash, which are related to fertility, including: When Varzva was sacrificed, it was taken to the source of water; Varzova or a big cow caused fertility, and the weight loss was one of the dry factors. Sally knew Varzva would not be sacrificed, because it was the cause of sustenance, goodness, and blessings, they were saddened by Varzva's death, and they buried Varzva.
Indra's selfishness is reflected in Iranian and Indian mythologies, disrupting order and destroying human beings, and fighting the demon of drought and liberating water in the Larestan region, respectively. Indra is believed by the people of Larestan in the form of rain clouds and horses. They ask Indra for rain and they are afraid of her, because in times of rage, he sends down torrential rains, lightning is his weapon. Horse chirping is considered a sign of rain, and Indra in this regard is considered a barrier to drought.
The crow is not considered a god of fertility, but people believe that it is a sign of fertility, observing of which causes the good news and the coming of rain.
Tishtar has taken on a material aspect among people and is sacrificed every year to strengthen the goddess of water. Sacrificing Tishtar next to the source of water to increase the power of the water goddess indicates the high status of Anahita, and the source of water is at the top of the pyramid of fertility myth in the region. On the other hand, the dry climate, drought, dependence on water, the need for rain to continue living, and earning a living have led to the formation of rain-seeking rituals. Rain-seeking rituals in Larestan region happen through: a) Keble Doa, b) God bless the rain, c) Cluster indication. The ritual of Keble Doa had a general aspect, in which people went to the desert barefoot and prayed for the rain to come. In Allah Bade Barun, they recited a local poem aloud; a group of children and young people went to the door of the house, got wheat or barley and made offerings for the coming of helium rain. In the ritual of clustering, people connected the wheat clusters in a circle with a string and hanged it in the house, believing that the wind blows and the clusters fall to the ground, which is the reminiscent of rain falling from the sky.
So far, no attempt has been made to introduce the mythological beliefs of the people of Larestan, and only the language, dialect, history, and culture of Larestan have been studied. In relation to the myth of fertility, articles have been written, some of which could be mentioned, for example: Firoozmandi et al. (2012) in the article A local narrative of the myth of the goddess of fertility in Lorestan. The legend of the girl Dal has been studied from the perspective of the goddess of fertility. Jafari (2003) in his article Horse and rain-making in the mythology of ancient Iran, has studied the economic and social importance of the horse in the life of Iranians and its relationship with mythology. Ahmadi Birgani (2018) in the article Shesh Dalu symbol of the goddess of water and the god of rain, has studied the Bakhtiari people as one of the rich sources of ancient Iranian myths and rituals. Hassannejad et al. (2015) in the article Fertility myth and mythical allusions in the keyhole have studied the keyword novel based on the infrastructure of the fertility myth. Papli Yazdi and Jalali (1999) have studied these rituals in the article Rain-seeking rituals during droughts. Rezaei Dasht Arjaneh et al. (2016) in the article Fertility myths in the legends of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Lorestan and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces by examining the themes of the fertility myth in the legends of this region. The provinces have achieved three patterns of birth, death and rebirth of the vegetable god, the pattern of the hero / demon-killer, and the pattern of the hero / god-dragon-killer.
Goals, questions and research methods
In this article, the authors have tried to examine the reflection of mythological themes and patterns in the beliefs of the people of Larestan region about fertility myths and rain-seeking rituals emphasizing illiterate and ancient people. First, myths, stories, and rain-seeking rituals were recorded in the field, using indigenous and ancient peoples, and then, using library sources, the mythological themes related to beliefs were extracted. This has been done through a descriptive-analytical manner.
The present article seeks to answer the following questions: What is the place of the fertility myth in Larestan and what is the function of this myth? Are there any beliefs in the fertility myth of Larestan that are related to the fertility myths of the nations? What is the position of the people's beliefs of the region in this regard in their lives? What do the people of Larestan do to have rain during the drought? What are the rain-seeking rituals in Larestan?
Main discussion
In the fertility myth of Larestan region, there are five aspects which are:
1. Varzva (bull): The following points can be said about the role of Varzava in the fertility myth of Larestan. a. When sacrificing, Varzava was taken to a spring and the source of water was usually a reservoir or spring, because there is no natural source in Larestan that comes from the heart of the earth and is not the result of rainwater or groundwater. b. People believe in the coming of rain and their lucky relationship with Varzva after the sacrifice, and tie a member of it to Varzva's thigh. The non-sacrifice of Varzva is due to its dignity, honor, and sanctity among the people, and this belief in Larestan is another reason for the connection with the myth of Sirishuk or Hazyush, the last sacrificial cow, which was mentioned earlier.
2. Indra: The following points can be said about Indra's role in the fertility myth of Larestan. a. According to the people of Larestan, Indra is a rainy black cloud that causes fertility. b. In this region, Indra is visible in two Iranian and Indian mythological groups. Indra's anger and the sending of torrential rains in the belief of the people can be considered as his Iranian delegation, which is disrupting order and destroying human beings. Indra's mission in Indian mythology is also evident in the belief of the people that are fighting the demon of drought and the liberation of the waters. c. Another symbol related to water is Ab Anbar, which has a very important role in the lives of the people of Larestan. The water reservoir has a sacred aspect and is one of the cleanest places to store water.
3. Crow: The crow is not considered a fertility god in the beliefs of the people in Larestan and mythology; but it is a symbol of fertility, as if it is rushing to aid the god of fertility.
4. Tishtar: According to the people of Larestan, a goat that is about to become pregnant and has not reached the stage of calving is called Tishtar. In the belief of the people, despite the high value and rank, this God has taken on an earthly and material aspect and has lost his divine aspect. In other words, Tishtar has risen from the rank of deity in Persian mythology to the stage of Freud in the mythology of this region.
5. Anahita: In the fertility myth of Larestan, Anahita is the fifth pillar of fertility. Due to the special climate of Larestan and the reliance of people's livelihood on agriculture, water has been of great vital importance and has placed Anahita in a position beyond Varzva, Indra, Crow and Tishter.
Rain-seeking rituals in Larestan
In this area, three rituals were performed, which are: A) Keble Doa, B) Lellah Lellah Baru Beda, and C) Khasa Neshu
Conclusion
Research findings show that Varzova, Indra, Crows, Tishter, and Anahita are the five pillars of fertility myth in Larestan.
People have beliefs about Varzava, also known as Ziwash, which are related to fertility, including: When Varzva was sacrificed, it was taken to the source of water; Varzova or a big cow caused fertility, and the weight loss was one of the dry factors. Sally knew Varzva would not be sacrificed, because it was the cause of sustenance, goodness, and blessings, they were saddened by Varzva's death, and they buried Varzva.
Indra's selfishness is reflected in Iranian and Indian mythologies, disrupting order and destroying human beings, and fighting the demon of drought and liberating water in the Larestan region, respectively. Indra is believed by the people of Larestan in the form of rain clouds and horses. They ask Indra for rain and they are afraid of her, because in times of rage, he sends down torrential rains, lightning is his weapon. Horse chirping is considered a sign of rain, and Indra in this regard is considered a barrier to drought.
The crow is not considered a god of fertility, but people believe that it is a sign of fertility, observing of which causes the good news and the coming of rain.
Tishtar has taken on a material aspect among people and is sacrificed every year to strengthen the goddess of water. Sacrificing Tishtar next to the source of water to increase the power of the water goddess indicates the high status of Anahita, and the source of water is at the top of the pyramid of fertility myth in the region. On the other hand, the dry climate, drought, dependence on water, the need for rain to continue living, and earning a living have led to the formation of rain-seeking rituals. Rain-seeking rituals in Larestan region happen through: a) Keble Doa, b) God bless the rain, c) Cluster indication. The ritual of Keble Doa had a general aspect, in which people went to the desert barefoot and prayed for the rain to come. In Allah Bade Barun, they recited a local poem aloud; a group of children and young people went to the door of the house, got wheat or barley and made offerings for the coming of helium rain. In the ritual of clustering, people connected the wheat clusters in a circle with a string and hanged it in the house, believing that the wind blows and the clusters fall to the ground, which is the reminiscent of rain falling from the sky.
Article Type: Original Research |
Subject:
Mythology
Received: 2021/10/22 | Accepted: 2021/12/20 | Published: 2021/11/16
Received: 2021/10/22 | Accepted: 2021/12/20 | Published: 2021/11/16
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