Paradise Found: The Ridvan Festival and the Power of Gardens
This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast:
May 2, 2019
On this day, dear cultivators of peace and admirers of paradise gardens, we mark the conclusion of a most extraordinary celebration: the Ridvan Festival.
As the last petals of this spiritual springtime flutter to the ground, let us take a moment to reflect on the profound significance of this garden-centered observance.
Imagine, if you will, a garden so resplendent, so tranquil, that it earns the moniker of "paradise." Such was the garden outside of Baghdad where Baha'u'llah, the prophet and founder of the Baha'i faith, spent twelve transformative days. He christened this verdant haven "Ridvan," a name that rolls off the tongue like honey and carries the weight of paradise itself.
Can you picture it?
The riot of colors from blooming flowers, the soothing whisper of leaves in the breeze, the gentle trickle of water from ornate fountains. In this living tapestry of nature's finest artistry, Baha'u'llah found the perfect setting to plant the seeds of a new faith, one that would grow to span the globe.
But what, you may ask, does this garden of yesteryear have to do with us today?
Oh, my dear horticultural enthusiasts, everything!
For the Ridvan Festival is not merely a commemoration of past events, but a celebration of renewal and peace that blossoms anew each year.
Just as we nurture our gardens, coaxing life from dormant soil and cultivating beauty where once there was barrenness, so too does the Ridvan Festival nurture the human spirit.
It is a time for Baha'is worldwide to renew their commitment to peace and unity, much as we renew our gardens with each passing season.
How fitting that the first law of this garden-born faith was an admonition to humanity to cease all warfare.
Can you not see the parallels?
In our gardens, we strive for harmony - balancing sun and shade, moisture and drainage, the needs of each plant against those of its neighbors.
So, too, does the Baha'i faith, born in that Baghdad garden, strive for harmony among all peoples.
As we tend to our own plots, large or small, let us take a moment to reflect on the power of gardens to transform not just landscapes, but hearts and minds.
Perhaps, as you plant your spring bulbs or prune your roses, you might consider how you can cultivate peace in your own corner of the world.
And who knows? As you create your own little paradise, be it a sprawling estate or a humble window box, you may find yourself touched by the spirit of Ridvan.
For in every garden, no matter how modest, lies the potential for renewal, for peace, for a small slice of paradise on earth.
So, as the Ridvan Festival draws to a close, let us carry its spirit forward in our gardening endeavors.
May our gardens be not just places of beauty, but beacons of peace, reminders of our shared humanity, and yes, perhaps even glimpses of paradise.
