TEHRAN - The 15th edition of the national festival of Gol-Ghaltan (literally meaning rolling in flowers) will be held in the city of Amirieh, north-central province of Semnan, from May 8 to 10.

The social festival, which dates back hundreds of years, is usually performed in May when roses are in full-blown, a local tourism official said on Sunday.

Organizing an exhibition of handicrafts and souvenirs of the region, performing local games and music as well as touring the historical sites of the city are among the programs of the festival, Mojtaba Akbarpur noted.

Gol-Ghaltan has roots in an old Iranian myth called ‘The Smiling Flower’, in which pure and holy humans promised the birth of a child.

People in this region believe that rolling babies among the roses brings them joy and refreshment while keeping them untainted and free from diseases. The freshness of the petals preserves the baby’s skin, promoting happiness.

Babies are gently rolled in the petals of fragrant flowers, particularly renowned as Mohammadi roses, during the first spring of their lives.

During spring, as pink roses blossom in the area and preparations for the rosewater distillation festival, known as “Golab-giri,” are underway, female family members, primarily the baby’s mother, grandmothers, and aunts, perform the Gol-Ghaltan ceremony.

Days before the ceremony, women visit rose gardens early in the morning to pick and gather flowers, reciting poems and verses from the Quran. The petals are then carefully separated and placed into a light, white cloth.

On the day of the ceremony, one of the grandmothers takes the baby for a bath. Sometimes, the baby's hands are adorned with henna in certain regions. After drying, the baby is placed among the flowers on the cloth, and petals are gently poured over them, wishing them health and a long life.

Women then grasp the four corners of the sheet and roll the baby among the petals, reciting religious songs and waving the sheet back and forth, believing the soul will be cleansed, and the child will remain healthy and fresh.

Guests place their gifts near the cloth once the baby is set on the floor. As the ceremony concludes, sweets and tea are served.

After the ceremony, mothers dry the petals in the shade to preserve them for the future, often placing the dried petals in their prayer rugs.

This ritual was inscribed on the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2010.

AM