Amiriyeh welcomes families for 17th Golghaltan Ceremony
As the fragrant season of the Damask rose — known in Iran as the Mohammadi rose — sets in, the city of Amiriyeh in Semnan Province has officially kicked off the 17th edition of the national Golghaltan Ceremony on May 5, with a renewed focus on tradition.
The Golghaltan Ceremony, a long-standing cultural and religious tradition, was officially registered in 2010 as Semnan Province’s first intangible heritage and the second nationwide, following the ancient festival of Nowruz.
Each year, coinciding with the blooming of Damask roses, Amiriyeh — dubbed the “Golghaltan Capital of Iran”— welcomes families from across the country who bring their newborns to take part in the ceremony. The ritual involves gently rolling infants, typically under one year old, in rose petals, a practice believed to bless them with purity, vitality, and protection,
Speaking to IRNA, Mostafa Fouadian, mayor of Amiriyeh and secretary of the festival, said the ceremony is deeply rooted in local tradition. “Every year, newborns are placed among rose petals so that their bodies and souls are imbued with fragrance, purity, and blessing,” he said.
Fouadian added that this year’s event emphasizes a return to more traditional practices, with ceremonies being held in local homes rather than centralized venues.
So far, five traditional houses have been prepared to host the ritual, with more expected to join in the coming days.
Registration for participating infants is being conducted online through the official secretariat. Organizers have also issued guidelines to ensure the ceremony is held respectfully and in line with spiritual values.
Amiriyeh currently has around seven hectares of Damask rose cultivation, both in municipal and private gardens. Harvesting began in conjunction with the birth anniversary of Imam Reza (PBUH), and approximately two tons of roses are expected to be collected for use in rosewater distillation and the Golghaltan Ceremony.
In addition to the main ritual, visitors can experience traditional activities such as rosewater distillation, Karbas (coarse wool) weaving, and baking of local bread at the city’s historic castle.
Local beliefs hold that rolling infants in rose petals helps maintain their health and freshness, protecting them from illnesses, particularly allergies. Elderly women in the region also say the practice promotes healthy skin and contributes to a cheerful and robust disposition in children.
Residents of Amiriyeh say the tradition has been passed down through generations and remains a cherished element of the region’s intangible cultural heritage.
Amiriyeh, with a population of over 3,000, is the center of Amirabad District, located 20 kilometers west of Damghan and 90 kilometers east of Semnan.