Pilgrimage to Lalish During Çarşema Sor: Traditional Routes and Contemporary Practices

This encyclopedia entry provides a scholarly overview of the pilgrimage to Lalish that takes place each year on Çarşema Sor, the Yazidi New Year. It draws on ethnographic reports, community testimonies, and recent media coverage to map historic pathways, describe ritual actions, and assess modern adaptations.

Çarşema Sor (Kurmanji: Çarşema Sor, also rendered Red Wednesday) is the first Wednesday of April that marks the Yazidi New Year, when the sun first touches the earth and the sky turns red. On this day Yazidis travel to the sanctuary of Lalish to perform rites that affirm creation and communal renewal.

Pronunciation & orthography

Kurmanji spelling: Çarşema Sor. Arabic‑script rendering: چارشما سور. Cyrillic rendering (used by Yazidis in the Caucasus): Чаршема Сор. IPA: /t͡ʃaɾˈʃe.ma ˈsoɾ/. Common English misspellings include “Carsma Sor” and “Carsma Serê Nîsanê”.

Main exposition

Historical background of the pilgrimage

The sanctuary of Lalish has been the focal point of Yazidi worship for millennia. Çarşema Sor commemorates the completion of creation, and the pilgrimage reenacts the ancient movement of shepherd‑herders who brought sacrificial offerings to the holy spring (Zemzem) at the valley’s core (source 3). Historically, the journey was undertaken on foot, often over multi‑day treks that followed marked mountain paths linking villages of the Sinjar plateau, Sheikhan district, and the surrounding foothills.

Traditional footpaths and ritual preparation

Before the New Year, families prepare sawuk bread, boiled and coloured eggs, and bundles of fruit to present at the shrine (source 3). Pilgrims traditionally set out after sunset on Tuesday, respecting the Yazidi reckoning of a day beginning at dusk. The ascent involves climbing the hills that surround Lalish, where colourful ribbons are fastened to trees and rocks as symbols of gratitude and protection (source 3).

Contemporary transportation and diaspora participation

In the 21st century, many Yazidis travel by bus or private car from the towns of Duhok, Mosul, and even from the diaspora in Europe. Nevertheless, the symbolic act of climbing the surrounding hills is retained; pilgrims often pause at the same elevations before entering the valley to echo the historic foot‑journey (source 2). In recent years, organized groups from the diaspora have arranged charter flights to Erbil, followed by road transfers to Lalish, integrating modern logistics with the ancient rite.

Ritual activities at Lalish during Çarşema Sor

Upon arrival, pilgrims perform several rites: they light candles at the entrance of the Zemzem spring cave, offer sacrificial fruit, and receive blessings from the Baba Sheikh (source 2). The sacred spring, which flows in darkness, is believed to cleanse participants. Graves of ancestors are visited, and offerings of fruit are left to honor the dead (source 3). The celebration culminates with communal meals, traditional dancing, and the recitation of qewl that praise the divine Peacock (Tawus) and the Creator.

In the oral tradition

Yazidi oral poetry (qewl) records the pilgrimage as a reenactment of the cosmic journey of the first humans toward the light of Lalish. A well‑known verse states:

“When the red dawn kisses the hills, we ascend to the spring of the hidden fire, bearing bread and song, to greet the Creator’s eye.”

This qewl emphasizes the intertwining of natural cycles, communal solidarity, and the sacred geography of Lalish (paraphrased from the qewl corpus).

Scholarly disagreement

Kreyenbroek argues that the pilgrimage’s primary function is cosmological renewal, linking the red sky of Çarşema Sor to the primordial fire of creation (Kreyenbroek 2002). Açıkyıldız reads the same movement as a socio‑political affirmation of Yazidi identity, especially in the post‑ISIS era where pilgrimage also serves as a statement of resilience (Açıkyıldız 2021).

Common misconceptions

Regional variation

While the core rites at Lalish remain constant, regional expressions differ:

• Sinjar plateau: Pilgrims often walk the traditional “Sinjar trail,” stopping at intermediate shrines dedicated to local saints.
• Sheikhan district: Families bring additional livestock as sacrificial gifts, reflecting the agrarian economy.
• Syria and Turkey: Communities organize joint caravans that converge on the Iraqi border before crossing into Lalish, emphasizing trans‑national solidarity.
• Caucasus diaspora: Pilgrims travel via Erbil airports and observe a “digital fasting” day, sharing live streams of the rituals with relatives at home.

Timeline

Data table