epandārmazgān (Persian: سپندارمذگان‎) or Spendarmad (Persian: سپندارمذ‎) or Sepandarmaz is an Iranian and Zoroastrian festival that was celebrated on the 5th day of the month of Esfand (Espand or Spant).[1]

It is the celebration day of love towards mothers and wives, and also a celebration of earth in ancient Persian culture. This day is dedicated to Spenta Armaiti, Spandārmad in Middle Persian, the Middle Iranian language/ethnolect of Southwestern Iran that during Sassanid times (224-654 CE) became a prestige dialect and so came to be spoken in other regions as well.
Etymology

The word Spandarmazgan in modern Persian is taken from Middle Persian Spandarmad or Spandarmat which in turn is based on the Avesta language Spənta Ārmaiti, the feminine angelic spirit of the Earth.
Historical sources and celebration

Elaborate descriptions of this festival are given by classical sources such as Gardizi, Abu Rayhan Biruni and Abu al-Hasan al-Mas’udi. According to the Persian scholar Biruni, it was a day where women rested and men had to bring them gifts. In the section about Persian calendar, Biruni writes in his The chronology of ancient nations (Athâr-ul-Bâqqiyya) that[2]:
“     On the 5th day or Isfahdmah-Roz (day of Isfand), there is a feast on account of the identity of the names of the month and the day. Isfandarmah is charged with the care of the earth and with that the good, chaste, and beneficient wife who loves her husband. In the past times, this was a special feast of the women, when the men used to make them liberal presents. This custom is still flourishing in Ispahan, Ray, and in other districts of Fahla. In Persian it is called Mardgiran)     ”

. Furthermore, Biruni notes that[2] on this day, common people eat sun-raisins, and pomegrante seeds. According to Gardizi, this celebration was special for women and they called this day also “mard-giran” (possessing of men).

It is celebrated the 29th of Bahman in Iranian calendar. Modern folklore dates the celebration to ancient times and Zoroastrian tradition.[citation needed] Sepandarmazgan is the celebration day of Love, Friendship and Earth in ancient Persian culture.

According to Iranian tradition, the day of Sepandarmazgan was held in the Great Persian Empire in the 20th century BC. That is the national title of the Earth and the Earth is the symbol of love & modesty. Persians have a rich culture with many great feasts based on natural occasions that have been mixed up with happiness and Joy.

In the feast of Sepandarmazgan, the Earth was worshiped and women venerated. On this day, women and girls sat on the throne and men and boys had to obey them and bring them presents and gifts. In this way, men were reminded to acclaim and respect women. Sepandarmaz is another name for mainyu (earth) meaning Holy, Humble and Passionate. Sepandarmaz is also Earth Guardian Angel. It is the symbol of humbleness. It means modest toward the entire creation. These are the qualities attributed to Earth that spreads beneath our feet, thus the symbol of modesty and love. As human beings, there are creatures that we find unpleasant and repulsive, but Earth is not like us. She embraces all creatures the same and loves them the same; like a mother who loves all children alike, even when they are ugly. In ancient Persian culture, mother is symbolized by Sepandarmaz or earth.

In ancient Iran each day of the month had a name, and all months had 30 days. For example, the first day was called Ahuramazda, the second day Bahman, which is the first attribute of God, the third day was called Ordibehesht meaning truth and purity which again are attributes of God. The fourth day is called Shahrivar, meaning ideal kingship that belongs to God who rules the whole universe. The cryptic meaning of this word is that in the same way that God rules over the heavenly bodies, we should rule our bodies with good thoughts, words and deeds. This brings us to the fifth day Sepandarmaz. Another rule here was that whenever the name of a day coincided with that of the month, a feast was held. So the feast of Sepandarmazgan is held on the sepandarmaz day of the month of Esfand (former Spand or Espand). Similarly, the 16th day of any month is called Mehr and the feast of Mehrgan is held on the 16th day of the month of Mehr which was one of the most important feasts of the past. The day of Aban in the month of Aban is the day of another feast called Abangan, and was used as an occasion to appreciate and worship water and the day of Azar in the month of Azar, called Azargan was the feast of appreciation of fire and so forth.
Modern revival

The original date for this ceremony was Esfand 5th, which corresponds to 24 February in the Gregorian calendar. The popular revised date of Bahman 29th (18 February), is due to the reorganization of the Iranian calender, once by Omar Khayyam in the 11th century, and once again in the first half of the 20th century. Thousands of Iranians observe the celebration day every year.[3]
Notes

1- M. Boyce, “Textual sources for the study of Zoroastrianism “, University of Chicago Press, 1990.
2-a b The Chronology Of Ancient Nations, trans.Edward Sachau. London: Elibron Classics, 2005
3- Sepandarmazgan, day of love in Persian culture

From Wikipedia