The first 12 days of the year are very important, because they symbolize order in the world and in the lives of people. The 13th day marks the beginning of the return to ordinary daily life.   It is customary on this day, for families to pack for a picnic and go to a park or the countryside. It is believed that joy and laughter clean the mind from all evil thoughts, and a picnic is usually a festive, happy event.   Asking for rain on   Sizdah-bedar is also believed to be a special day to ask for rain. In ancient Iran, every day had its own name, and belonged to a different “yazat” (Zoroastrian deity).   The 13th day of month of Farvardin denoted to the deity of rain, Tir, which is depicted as a horse. Sizdah-bedar is also a day for competitive games, involving horses were often chosen as a victory of a horse represented, the deity of rain.   In Zoroastrian cosmology there was a mythical river out of which all rivers flow. Clouds also took up rain from the same mythical river.   Every year Tishtrya goes to the river in shape of a white stallion to fight the Demon of Dearth, appearing in shape of a black stallion. After his victory, Trishtrya rushes into the sea and water flows and is dispersed.   Some of the water is mixed with seeds of plants which sprout as the rain falls. Ancient Iranian rituals quite often enacted their mythologies; waters were respected and many rites existed with respect to waters. It is very likely that several of these were combined to preserve some aspect of the ancient celebrations venerating waters.   Up until the 19th Century, there was horseracing occurring on this day, which very likely represented the fight between the two stallions. A ritual performed at the end of the picnic day is to throw away the “sabzeh” (green sprouts) of Haft Seen, a traditional table setting of Noruz, the Iranian New Year.    Sizdeh-bedar and myths about sabzeh!   The sabzeh, green sprouted seeds, as one of the items of the Haft Seen table is supposed to have collected all the sickness, pain and ill fate hiding on the path of the family throughout the coming year! Touching someone else’s sabzeh on this thirteenth day or bringing it home is, therefore, is considered bad omen, and may inviting other peoples' pain and hardship to oneself.   Another tradition on the 13 is the knotting of blades of grass by unmarried girls in the hope of finding a companion. The knotting of the grass represents love and the bondage of a man and a woman.   Games such as takhteh-nard (backgammon) and chess are popular. Also, taking a ball along for playing soccer, volleyball or dodge ball is a good idea.   Spending a great day with people you care about the most outdoors, leaving bad luck behind and then coming back home mentally and emotionally refreshed and content is just the perfect thing to do after all the Noruz activities.   (Source: Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies and others)