TEHRAN – A 10-day folk festival dedicated to pink roses is currently underway in Mohammadieh village of Isfahan province.

Gol-Ghaltan, an ancient ritual in which newborn babies are soaked in rose petals, is one of the highlights of the festival, which runs through May 28, CHTN reported.

The festival is held on a five-ha farm located in Mohammadieh village of Tiran-Karvan county to commemorate the national week of Cultural Heritage, the report said.

In addition, visitors may experience how rose oil is extracted from picked petals by steam-distilling, which is called Golab-Giri by the locals.

Every year in May and June, hundreds of Golab-Giri festivals take place, where roses reign and fragrant dreams come true. For centuries, the delights of fragrant roses have taken center stage in Kashan and surrounding lands, as honored guests and locals pluck petals with gentle care and joy.

Iran has a long history of concentrating on flowers and herbs. Many people think that traditionally distilled rose water is of higher quality than rosewater made in factories, likely due to the faster harvesting and distillation processes.

Traditionally, rosewater is made from a flower with a very sweet scent, best known in the country as Mohammadi roses. In the early morning, the flower harvest is almost complete. Rumor has it that delays in harvesting or transporting it to the distillery are causing the quantity and quality of essential oils to decline.

Each pot is filled with 80 liters of water and nearly 30 kilograms of rose petals, and is connected to metal pipes that allow steam to flow through to create the hydrosol. Distillation waste can be composted or fed to animals.

A therapeutic effect is attributed to rosewater and rose oil. Some claim that rose oil calms the mind and relieves anxiety, stress, and depression. Stories have it that rosewater-based products can help with digestive problems, colds, and skin problems.

A cherished event in Iranian culture, Golab-Giri is also a celebration of Iranian generosity and hospitality in addition to the harvest of roses.

AFM