SAEDNEWS: Afus: The Isfahan Village Where Women Rule for a Day – Explore This Unique Tradition with Saed News
Every year, around 80 days after the Persian New Year, coinciding with the harvest season, a festival is held in Afus, a village in Isfahan Province. Known as the Festival of Women’s Rule or the Harvest Festival, it follows its own customs, rules, and rituals. Afus is a town with a Georgian population, and in previous years, the festival was celebrated here with great grandeur. The village is located 38 kilometers west of Fereydun.
A designated person announces the arrival of the festival by going around the village in the evenings for several days. Villagers prepare for the celebration and invite relatives from neighboring villages and cities to join them. On the day of the festival, no men are allowed in the village. Therefore, the night before, some men leave for the nearby spring (Sar Cheshmeh) with their food and bedding, while the rest of the men and boys must leave the village the following morning. The village gates are then closed, and any man attempting to enter without permission is brought before the ruler, who asks the reason for his presence.
On the morning of the festival, women wear their finest clothes. A group of female musicians performs in a corner of the courtyard. Guests and villagers are served tea and refreshments under the ruler’s orders. Women gather in the village square, and if space is limited, they climb to rooftops overlooking the field. They celebrate joyfully, admiring the temporary ruler’s authority, clapping and cheering loudly.
With the ruler’s permission, musicians play lively tunes, and collective dancing begins. Elder women, skilled in the traditional stick dance, form a circle in the center of the square. Their performance inspires younger women to join in. A colorful scene unfolds as young women dance among the elders, blending urban and rural styles. Later, girls perform a separate dance, wearing diverse costumes—some in Georgian attire, others in city fashion—creating a visually striking performance. The festivities continue until the early afternoon.
Meanwhile, in Sar Cheshmeh, a spring about five kilometers from the village, men hold their own celebration. This mountainous area is filled with flowing water, and men set up family tents cleaned and prepared by their ancestors. Each tent typically has five wooden posts, arranged like an umbrella, creating a picturesque setting reminiscent of the most beautiful coastal landscapes.
Inside the tents, men in traditional wide pants relax near teapots and samovars. Children sit apart from their mothers for the ceremony, and the aroma of food fills the air. Some men climb the nearby heights to fetch snow. A sacred stone-lined pool nearby, believed to have miraculous properties, draws people throughout the day. According to local legend, a golden cup would sometimes appear on the water, visible only to the most devout. Young women about to marry test their fortune by passing a small doll through the pool’s crevices.
Around 3:00 PM, the call to prayer echoes through the mountains. Men and boys gather at the western edge of the spring for the midday and afternoon prayers led by the local imam. After the prayers, participants pack up and return to the village. Women greet the returning men at the village gates and assist with their belongings. By sunset, the festival concludes, with women sharing stories of the day’s events and men recounting their experiences at the spring, marking the end of the one-day rule of women.
Is the Festival of Women’s Rule celebrated in other parts of Iran? If you have information about similar celebrations elsewhere, we would love to hear your experiences in the comments section.
