Wheat, lentil, pea, hemp… every year on February 13, residents of Sisian prepare aghandz (roasted grains of wheat/sesame) at her house using these grains to celebrate Tiarn’ndaraj (Trndez) feast.

And while in capital city Yerevan the Tiarn’ndaraj is celebrated by newly-married or engaged, in Sisian, (Syunik province) 220 km south of Yerevan, Tiarn’ndaraj is first of all a feast for children, because this day they are served in every house.

Children meet with their friends, each having a separate knapsack, and (Like during Halloween in the US) children start gathering sweets from people’s houses in Sisian. When a recurrent door is being opened, children cry: “Kh’dr, kh’dr, kh’dra, kh’dri or’ esor a, ov ta, zorana, ov chta, korana…” (Today is the day of Tiarn’ndaraj, those who give, may become stronger, and those who do not give, may become blind.)

Tiarn’ndaraj is also known as Kh’dr in Sisian, where children gather their favorite aghandz, popcorn, dessert, fruit, etc.

“Usually we are not refused, they receive us well, we even visit our mayor,” says 10-year-old Vruyr Margaryan, head of a group of 15, taking the candies due to him.