TEHRAN – A rosewater festival is currently underway at Tehran’s Eshragh Cultural Center, captivating visitors with a myriad of cultural and artistic programs.

The festival, now in its 20th year, aims to promote Iran's traditional culture, introduce visitors to the lifestyle of Iranian ethnic groups, and foster social joy.

The event features a diverse range of activities, including traditional rosewater extraction ceremonies, exhibitions showcasing the specialties of different provinces and the handicrafts of ethnic groups, various cultural and artistic programs, and live performances of Iranian ethnic music.

According to organizers, its main goal is to familiarize citizens with the cultural heritage, artistic productions, and handicrafts from various regions of Iran. The festival will be running through May 24.

Known as Golab-Giri in Persian, the rosewater festival, believed to be the birthplace of rosewater production globally, stands as a unique sociocultural event, revered enough to warrant consideration for UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

This ancient ceremony takes place annually across various regions of Iran, notably in Kashan and its surrounding villages, highlighting the pivotal role of roses in cuisine, cosmetics, medicine, and local traditions.

Typically held during springtime, the festival spans from mid-May to late June.

Rosewater, known as Golab in Persian, is traditionally derived from damask roses, locally referred to as Gol-e Mohammadi or Gol-e Sorkh in Iranian culture.

As spring dawns in Iran, roses bloom profusely throughout the nation. Iran boasts the title of the world's leading producer of damask roses, responsible for approximately 70% of the global supply.

Primarily cultivated in the provinces of Fars, Kerman, and Isfahan, as well as certain areas of West Azarbaijan province, including Khoy and Urmia, Kashan and Qamsar remain the primary centers for rosewater production in Iran.

Though the ancient method of rosewater production has evolved over time, it has preserved its essence. Harvesters begin their work before dawn, adhering to an age-old farmers' belief that flowers picked before sunrise emit a more potent fragrance.

The petals are carefully placed into large copper pots and simmered. Each pot contains 80 liters of water and approximately 30 kilograms of rose petals, connected to metal pipes to allow steam to pass through for distillation. The resulting hydrosol is collected in special bottles.

Local tradition holds that the longer the distillation process, the higher the quality of the homemade rosewater. It's widely believed that traditionally distilled rosewater surpasses factory-made varieties in quality, likely due to the slower harvesting and distillation techniques.

AM