Pomegranate Restaurant Storytelling for Shab-e Yalda

The Pomegranate Restaurant and Storyteller Ariel Balevi

invite you to join us in celebrating

Shab-e Yalda the longest night of the year

From Ferdowsi's Shahnameh

The Legend of Siyavash: Part 1 The Mountain of Fire

The Shahnameh, is a vast epic central to the cultures of Iran and Afghanistan. It was completed in 1010 CE by the Persian poet Ferdowsi. The epic tells both the legendary and historical saga of Iran from the creation of the world until the Arab Conquest in the 7th century. Within the epic are self-contained stories which are epics in and of themselves.

One of them, the Legend of Siyavash is perhaps one of the most celebrated and important particularly in Iranian cultural spheres. It has been remarked that the legend has some parallels with the narratives of the martyrdom of Husain which are so important to Shi'a Islam. As well, to this day, in certain remote areas of Iran, the legend of Siyavash is sometimes re-enacted in a ritual known as Siyvushun.

The Legend of Siyavash draws on an ancient tradition in Central Asia of the worship of an Adonis-like god Siyavash whose destruction and return every spring represented the renewal of the seasons. In the epic, Siyavash becomes a young prince who represents innocence in the face of familial and political conflict. His legend is one of integrity in perpetual conflict with deceit.

The first part of the story, which will be told for Shab-e Yalda, recounts how the prince confronts the false accusations brought on by his stepmother, Queen Sudabeh and the conflict that ensues between himself and his father, King Kay Kavus.



Sunday December 20th Story begins 8:30pm sharp
Dinner Reservations available between 6:00pm-8:00pm

Sunday December 27th (repeat) Story begins 8:30pm sharp
Dinner reservations available between 6:00pm-8:00pm

*Due to the popularity of the event, we are not able to take reservations larger than groups of 6

Pomegranate Restarant

420 College Street, Toronto

416-921-7557

Looking forward to seeing you there!