Nowruz is the Iranian New Year or Persian New Year. Historically, it has been observed by Persians and other Iranian peoples, but is now celebrated by many ethnicities worldwide. It is a festival based on the Northern Hemisphere spring equinox, which marks the first day of a new year on the Solar Hijri calendar; it usually coincides with a date between 19 March and 25 March on the Gregorian calendar.
Photo by: Mr. Hamid Reza Bazargani
The roots of Nowruz lie in Zoroastrianism, and it has been celebrated by many peoples across West Asia, Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Black Sea Basin, the Balkans, and South Asia for over 3,000 years. The first day of the Iranian calendar falls on the March equinox, the first day of spring, around 21 March. In the 11th century AD the Iranian calendar was reformed by Omar Khayyam in order to fix the beginning of the calendar year, i.e. Nowruz, at the vernal equinox. Accordingly, the definition of Nowruz given by the Iranian astronomer Tusi was the following: "the first day of the official New Year [Nowruz] was always the day on which the sun entered Aries before noon." Nowruz is the first day of Farvardin, the first month of the Iranian solar calendar, which is the official calendar in use in Iran.
A bas-relief at Persepolis (Takhte Jamshid - Shiraz - Iran) illustrates a Zoroastrian Nowruz symbol, where a lion and bull engage in an eternal struggle, their forces balanced at the spring equinox. The lion, representing Mithra or the sun, and the bull, symbolizing the earth, embody the cosmic harmony of the new year.
Nowruz customs
Planting greenery is a beautiful ritual of Nowruz About two weeks before Nowruz Eid, people plant different seeds such as wheat, mung beans, lentils, corn, etc. in containers or on beautiful jars, so that at the moment of delivery, they can put their green corn, green wheat or green lentils on the Haft Sin table. In the Avesta, there is talk about planting greenery and it is mentioned as a symbol of truth and virtue. On the other hand, in ancient Iran, Ahriman had sent a drought on the earth. After Jamshid's victory over Ahriman, people planted barley in outdoor containers for the blessing of spring again. Probably, this part of Nowruz customs goes back to that event. In ancient times, every family, especially the Zoroastrians, planted wheat, barley and millet in 3 frames as a sign of good thoughts, good thoughts and good speech so that Ahura Mazda would grant them growth and prosperity.
People start their preparation for the festivities weeks beforehand. They clean their homes from top to bottom, including carpets, windows and curtains. Everyone in the family helps out. Anything broken is repaired or replaced and the house is decorated with flowers. By doing this spring cleaning, people wash away the bad things from the previous year and prepare for better things to come in the new year.
Home cleaning, or shaking the Home is commonly done before the arrival of Nowruz. People start preparing for Nowruz with a major spring cleaning of their homes and by buying new clothes to wear for the New Year, as well as the purchase of flowers. The hyacinth and the tulip are popular and conspicuous.People buy Nowruz items from the market before Eid. Red fish, Samanu, Nuts, Chocolate, Sweets, New Clothes, New Shoes, Home appliances and Heft-Sin items are among these purchases.
During the Nowruz holidays, people are expected to make short visits to the homes of family, friends and neighbors. Typically, young people will visit their elders first, and the elders return their visit later. Visitors are offered tea and pastries, cookies, fresh and dried fruits and mixed nuts or other snacks. Many Iranians throw large Nowruz parties as a way of dealing with the long distances between groups of friends and family.
One of the most common foods cooked on the occasion of Nowruz is Samanu. Sabzi polo with fish is eaten on Eid night, as are sweets such as Nan-e Nokhodchi. In general, cooking Nowruz food is common in every region where Nowruz is celebrated, and each area has its food and sweets.
The ceremony of preparation of Samanu - Dessert
Samanu A Traditional dessert Served in Iran during Nowruz. Iranian people serve traditional dessert such as Samanu on the initial days of Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
Sabzi Polo with Fish - (Food)
Nan-e Nokhodchi - (Sweet)
A painting depicting Nowruz's haft-sin in relation to the four classical elements and the world's three essential forms of life: humans, animals, and plants. Typically, before the arrival of Nowruz, family members gather around the Haft-sin table and await the exact moment of the March equinox to celebrate the New Year. The number 7 and the letter S are related to the seven Ameshasepantas as mentioned in the Zend-Avesta. They relate to the four elements of Fire, Earth, Air, Water, and the three life forms of Humans, Animals and Plants.
Haft-Sin TableIn modern times, the explanation was simplified to mean that the Haft-Sin (seven things beginning with the letter sin {S} are:
1- Greenery (Persian: Sabzeh) – Wheat, barley, mung bean or lentil sprouts grown in a dish
2- Samanu (Persian: Samanu) – a sweet Persian delicacy made of germinating wheat or malt mixed with flour
3- Oleaster (Persian: Senjed)
4- Vinegar (Persian: Serkeh)
5- Apple (Persian: Sib)
6- Garlic (Persian: Sir)
7- Sumac (Persian: Somaaq)
The Haft-Sin table also include a mirror, candles, painted eggs, a bowl of water, goldfish, coins, hyacinth, and traditional confectioneries. A "book of wisdom" such as the Quran, Bible, Avesta, the Šāhnāme of Ferdowsi, or the divān of Hafez also be included.
Haft-Sin in Falak-ol-Aflak. Falak-ol-Aflak (The sky of the skies) or Shapur Castle is a castle situated on the top of a large hill with the same name within the city of Khorramabad, the regional capital of Lorestan province, Iran. This gigantic structure was built during the Sassanid era (224–651).
In Iran, the traditional heralds of the festival of Nowruz are Amu Nowruz and Haji Firuz, who appear in the streets to celebrate the New Year. Amu Nowruz brings children gifts, much like his counterpart Santa Claus. He is the husband of Nane Sarma, with whom he shares a traditional love story in which they can meet each other only once a year. Haji Firuz, a character with his face and hands covered in soot, clad in bright red clothes and a felt hat, is the companion of Amu Nowruz. He dances through the streets. He in the traditional songs, he introduces himself as a serf trying to cheer people whom he refers to as his lords.
Amu Nowruz and Haji Firuz
Takam Gardan or Nowruz puppeteers have been the heralds of spring and Nowruz in Azerbaijani regions. The Takam Gardan welcome spring by moving Takam (small decorated wooden dolls) and singing. This type of performance rituals originated from agricultural societies and for this reason they are familiar with nature. The most important part of the Takma Gardani ritual is reading its poems.
Takam Gardani
Khoncha is the traditional display of Nowruz in the Zanjan, Tabriz, Ardebil in the Iran. It consists of a big silver or copper tray, with a tray of green, sprouting wheat in the middle and a dyed egg for each member of the family arranged around it.
Khoncha Ceremony
The art of reciting the Shahnameh is reading the poems of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh with a special voice. Throughout history, reading the Shahnameh has become a continuous tradition that has important social, moral, educational, religious, national, cultural, literary and artistic roles. The Shahnameh introduces people to the past and history of Iranians and is one of the main ceremonies during Nowruz.
Shahnameh Khani
One of the most important developments that Islamic culture has created in the customs of Nowruz celebration is the constant and extensive presence of the Holy Quran in this ceremony. Placing the Holy Qur'an on the New Year's table and also reading the Qur'an at the time of handing over the year, kissing the Qur'an one by one by the people gathered around the Eid table, placing money between the pages of the Qur'an and giving it as a gift because of the blessing and blessing of finding the wealth and possessions of family members are all signs of the respect and sanctity of the people to this ancient tradition. Gathering of people in mosques and pilgrimage places and Islamic prayers in groups during the delivery of the year.
Chehel Yaasin. Prayer ceremony in the name of Chehel Yaasin. Yaasin is the name of a surah of the Quran that people repeat and read forty times and ask God for a year full of blessings and health.
Sizdah Bedar is the Persian festival of nature, also known as Nature’s Day. Iran People celebrate this festival on the 13th day of Farvardin (2nd April). Sizdah means thirteen and Bedar means outdoor. Thus, on this day people spend time picnicking outdoors. It is a tradition amongst the Iranian people to enjoy the fresh spring air before ending the New Year holiday and be energetic for beginning the work and education schedule. The interesting rite of this day is knotting the greenery Sabzeh gereh zadan. People tie grass or green plants to wish for a happy and healthy year.
Iran's tribes and people celebrate Nowruz in different ways and the United Nations officially recognized the "International Day of Nowruz" with the adoption of Resolution 64/253 by the United Nations General Assembly in February 2010.
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This article was contributed by Mr. Akbar Karimi the international reporter for Arirang Culture Connect and the Founder and Managing Director of the Samte Ganjineye Ghoghnoos Cultural Artistic Institute in Iran. His leadership in preserving and promoting Iranian intangible cultural heritage along with his extensive experience in cultural artistic research and his active participation in international forums such as UNESCO and ICCN enriches his contributions to the global cultural dialogue.