Every Day is Ahoura

Some dude was beheaded about 2500 years ago in the middle of the desert. Before he died, him and his tribe suffered from thirst for days.

Today, people still mourn his passing for 10 days in a row by making sure there is enough "nazri" food going around for all...10 days of free lunch and dinner passed out on the streets...fighting over how much "sholeh zard" one can get at each stop.

Oh yeah, and before they eat, they usually march a few blocks hitting themselves in the head or beating themselves, rather gently, on their backs. It makes them more hungry, I suppose.

And the joke of the season: they asked someone when is Ahoura? He said "Roozeh Jahanieh Ghaimeh."