I am busy with Khane Tekani at my house.
Shake your inner and outer house in March. Spring is just around the corner, so most people around the world are going to do spring cleaning in alignment with cycles in nature, and one of the best places you can start is your home.
Where does Khane Tekani come from?
Following ancient Iranian rituals, we are going to do the same spring cleaning after long and cold days of hibernation. The month of March sounds like December for Iranians as well as people in countries following Persian cultures (Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kurdistan of Iraq). At this time of year, people are super busy with the renewal of their life. Why? New Year (Nowruz) is coming soon. Persian (Iranian) New Year is exactly the moment of the spring equinox, which I will talk about in another post.
What does Khane Tekani exactly mean?
Khane Tekani (literally means shaking house) means decluttering our physical environment, like houses and workplaces, from debris made during the past 12 months. As the principle of Feng shui says, it generates fresh energy, creates mental and physical space, and releases negative emotions. These times, all Persian carpets are washed, all walls are painted, and we make space for something new. These times, people donate extra stuff that was not used the whole year to people who need it, or they simply hang it on the Kindness wall (Divare- Mehrabani), where people can take it at night.
Khane Tekani is rooted in our ancient religion, that Zoroastrians’ idea of purifying with cleanliness is a measure of keeping Evil away from the kingdom of Good.
Who is responsible for the Khane Tekani?
Normally, this is a teamwork job in families; men are responsible for cleaning windows, walls, and heavy work, and women are responsible for cupboards and small corners that you usually do not clean every week and lighter work.
It is almost the time when people are thinking about what they have to remove from their souls and mental lives. People consider their resolutions for the coming New Year while cleaning their houses.
It is one of the nicest costumes, bringing joy to family and life. In most Iranian movies, a scene presenting women or men sweeping Persian carpets in foam indicates that it is March and that the New Year is coming soon.
So, are you ready to shake down your house?
