Korsi Meets Facebook

Yalda is the Persian Winter Solstice Celebration which has been popular since ancient times on December twentieth or twenty-first each year.

All these conversations about the negative side effects of social networking and the new release of the movie about the story behind the creator of Facebook made me think of how as a society we are programmed to socialize these days. How we interact and the popularity and accessibility of the internet, as well as gadgets such as iPhone and iPads, has been a subject on my mind since I came back from Nepal.  I even befriended some of the volunteer doctors from Nepal. My circle of friends, family, and people whom I liked was getting bigger-- getting in touch was easier than ever. The problem that concerns most people is invasion of privacy and the speed in which sometimes unwanted events and pictures would be available to the public. Neither one of those things bothers me, to be honest. I live a life filled with events that shape the course of my life and what we collectively share has definitely been a positive influence for me. I will repeat, you can cut an apple or kill a man with a knife. The most dangerous thing is our mind and our mouth.

Well, I decided to make an attempt to do something engaging Facebook --something that can not replace the power of human intimacy, but something that would allow us to respond with joy and laughter, which could be seen and felt through other senses than just an eye. I wanted us to be together physically and keep each other warm on these cold winter nights. What better night to start with than Yalda?  I looked up the history behind this festive night and here is what I found.
The Eve of the Yalda has great significance in the Persian/Iranian calendar. It is the eve of the birth of Mithra, the Sun God, who symbolizes light, goodness, and strength on earth.

Because Yalda is the longest and darkest night, it has come to symbolize many things in Persian poetry: separation from a loved one, loneliness, and waiting. After this night of celebrating Yalda, a transformation takes place - the waiting is over, light shines, and goodness prevails.

Yalda has a history as long as the Mithraism religion. The Mithraists believed that this night is the night of the birth of Mihtra, the Persian God of light and truth. In the morning of the longest night of the year, Mithra was born.

The obligatory serving of fresh fruit during mid-winter is reminiscent of the ancient customs of invoking the divinities to request protection of the winter crop.
The 13th century Persian poet  Sa'di wrote in his Bustan, "The true morning will not come until the Yalda Night is gone."

Many Iranian-Americans also celebrate Yalda in America. Some go to the extent of dressing up in "mahali" (traditional regional) clothes. Others do far less, only wishing each other a happy Yalda in phone calls or on social networks. Some facilities,  run for Iranian-American children, teach about Shab-e-Yalda and some even have Yalda parties. Iranian-American television stations and American radio stations broadcasting in Persian also commemorate Shab-e-Yalda with special greetings and specials programming.

I decided to re-create the tradition of olden days in Iran by having a special arrangement called Korsi.  Korsi is a low, square table where you can seat between four to six people comfortably. It has really short legs and has cushions to sit all around as well as a beautifully hand-crafted blanket to keep everyone warm. The idea is to have people come together and be entertained. This was our social network, and if I had to name it today it would be called face to face instead of Facebook.

There are some traditions and rituals involved. For example, the table would be covered with all sorts of winter fruits, especially pomegranates and a big bowl of nuts and seeds. An elder of the group would also recite poetry of hafiz or reading from Shahnameh to entertain the other members of the family.  My childhood was filled with the memories of such a place in my grandmother's house. She had a special room set up in the winter just for Korsi. This room was our meeting place every evening and I looked forward it to be there any chance that I could get. The room was filled with stories every evening and dusted off with love and returned back for the next evening.

How much do we learn from the past and how much can I do to re-create the feeling of warmth and generosity that my grandmother taught me? Now, it was up to me.
I did it. With the help of my mom and a few friends, we re-created the setting for Yalda. We decided to invite a few friends and family and do as we would in the olden days. First of all, the weather got really cold this year in Southern California. Also, I happened to have been collecting Persian fabrics and blankets for the past twenty years so I could decorate as I wish and as I remembered it to be. My Korsi was so beautiful. Not only did we have a great time that night, but as soon as I posted the pictures of my Korsi the next morning on Facebook, I got a tremendous response. The pictures went from cities to countries and everyone wanted to come and see it and experience its love first hand. And so we did for the next forty days.  I had more visitors, friends, and strangers coming to my home than I expected. Now was my chance to engage Facebook and bring those people I know and the ones I never met up close. I felt the power of Persian social media --  face to face. I love Facebook because it allows my family and friends around the world to be in touch on a daily basis.

When I first came to the states in the late seventies to contact my family was possible through mail which would take somewhere between two weeks to a month. By then, my news and theirs had changed -- so was my world. Once in a great while there was the phone. International calls were so unbelievably expensive and as students we could only afford to hear our families’ voice for a few minutes and as soon as you could hear the choking sound of tears from mom, the good-by was in order.

I love Facebook because I really appreciate what it has to offer to me, especially my isolated family in the remote mountain region of Iran, the land of Bakhtiari. I love to see who my second and third cousins are and in return they also love it when I put the pictures of my little half and half Iranian /American niece and nephews. Through the posting of their pictures, the relatives will remember the fruits of my beloved dad's tree.  These kids might never ever see each other, but they will know they have a global family somewhere in this world. It helps us stay connected and that feels great.

I also love Facebook for allowing us to be introduced and connected to a different level of consciousness. In our solitude, we don't feel alone. I love listening to the beautiful music that people post. I read all the spiritual notes that my family shares. I believe in what we do and how we do it affects us. Why not try to be the cause for a better world by influencing each other? I wish I could pick up the phone and call all these people; instead I go to the living room of Facebook and get connected.
I loved Facebook when it helped my first love from first grade to find me and let me know he is happily married with two beautiful children. For any cause worthy of people's attention, I for one use the power of this medium. I really care about what I do.  I am sure by now I have earned the attention of some and respect of others.
Facebook continues to fascinate me, but Korsi kept us all warm through the heat of our friendship and the love that can only be experienced face to face.