Nowrūz
Also called	Also spelled Norouz, Narooz, Nowruz, Nawruz, Newroz, Nauruz, Nawroz, Noruz, Novruz, Nauroz, Navroz, Naw-Rúz, Nowroj, Navroj, Nevruz, Neyruz Наврӯз, Navruz, Navrez, Nooruz, Nauryz, or Nowrouz
Observed by	Afghanistan,Iran, Iraq, Syria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Lebanon, Pakistan, India, Tajikistan, Turkey, Albania, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, as well as among various Iranian people and Turkic peoples everywhere. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South The Kingdom of Bahrain (in مملكة البحرين,, literally Kingdom of the Two Seas) is an Island country in the Persian Gulf Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Tajikistan (təˈdʒɪkɨstæn or /təˈdʒiːkɨstæn/ Тоҷикистон tɔʤikɪsˈtɔn or, Persian تاجیکستان‎ taajikestaan officially the Republic of Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the Kyrgyzstan (ˈkɻ̩gɪztɑn (AmE or /'kɝgəztan/ (BrE Kyrgyz: Кыргызстан; Russian: Киргизия or Киргизстан or Кыргызстан Turkmenistan ( Türkmenistan; also known as Turkmenia) is a Turkic country in Central Asia. The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages. The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family
Type	International
Significance	New year holiday
Date	March 20th, 21st or 22nd. Some communities celebrate on the actual Spring Equinox. Others celebrated on a fixed day every year.
Celebrations	The Haftsin setting, Chahârshanbe Sûrî, Sizdah Bedar, etc. Chahārshanbe-Sūri ( pronounced Chārshanbe-Sūri ( is the ancient Iranian festival dating at least back to 1700 BCE of the early Zoroastrian era Sīzdah-be-dar or Sēzdah-ba-dar ( Persian سیزده بدر) is the Persian Festival of "Joy and Solidarity" celebrated on the 13th day (sizdah

Persepolis (Persian: تخت جمشید meaning the throne of Jamshid) all nations stair case. Persepolis ( Old Persian: Pārsa, Modern Persian: تخت جمشید/پارسه Takht-e Jamshid or Chehel Minar) was the ceremonial Jamshēd, Jamshīd ( or Jam ( in Middle- and New Persian, or Yima in Avestan is a mythological figure of Greater Notice the people from across the Achaemenid Persian Empire bringing gifts. The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of Some scholars have associated the occasion to be either Mehregan or Nowruz^[1]. Mehregān (alternatively Mihragān, مهرگان or Jashn-e-Mehregān is a Zoroastrian and Iranian festival celebrated in honor of Mithra

Nowrūz (listen (help·info) Persian: نوروز, (English: New Day) various local pronunciations and spellings) is the traditional Iranian new year holiday celebrated by Iranian, Turkic and many other peoples in West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, Northwestern China, the Caucasus, the Crimea, and the Balkans. The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages. The New Year is an event that happens when a Culture celebrates the end of one Year and the beginning of the next year Lists of holidays The words holiday or vacation have related meanings in different English-speaking countries and continents but will usually refer to one of The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages. The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Xinjiang ( Uyghur: شىنجاڭ Shinjang;; Postal map spelling: Sinkiang; Turkish: Sincan, Sincan Uygur Özerk The Caucasus ( also referred to as North Caucasus) is a geopolitical region located between Europe Asia & Middle East Crimea (kraɪˈmiːə or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (Крим Автономна Республіка Крим Avtonomna Respublika Krym; Крым

Nowruz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the Iranian year. The Iranian calendar or Solar Hejri (تقویم هجری شمسی؛ سالنمای هجری خورشیدی Taqwim Hejri Shamsi Salanmay Hejri Khurshidi) is an astronomical It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox (start of spring in northern hemisphere), which usually occurs on March 21 or the previous/following day depending on where it is observed. An equinox is the event of the Sun passing over the Earth's equator in its annual cycle Events 630 - Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the True Cross to Jerusalem. As well as being a Zoroastrian holiday, it is also a holy day for adherents of Sufism and the Bahá'í Faith. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind ^[2] In Iran it is also referred to as an Eid festival, although it is not an Islamic feast. Alawites^[3] and Nizari Ismaili Muslims^[4] also celebrate Nowruz. For the Alaouite dynasty of Morocco see Alaouite Dynasty, for the former state now in Yemen see Alawi (sheikhdom The Alawites For the Egyptian city see Ismaïlia. The Ismāʿīlī ( Urdu: إسماعیلی Ismāʿīlī, Arabic: الإسماعيليون

The term Nowruz first appeared in Persian records in the second century AD, but it was also an important day during the time of the Achaemenids (c. 648-330 BC), where kings from different nations under the Persian empire used to bring gifts to the emperor (Shahanshah) of Persia on Nowruz. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of Circa (often abbreviated c, ca, ca or cca and sometimes Italicized to show it is Latin) means "about" Shah is an Iranian term for a Monarch (leader that has been adopted in many other languages ^[5]

Nowruz and the spring equinox

Illumination of the Earth by the Sun on the day of equinox, (ignoring twilight).

Main article: Equinox

The first day on the Iranian calendar falls on the spring equinox, the first day of spring. An equinox is the event of the Sun passing over the Earth's equator in its annual cycle An equinox is the event of the Sun passing over the Earth's equator in its annual cycle At the time of the equinox, the sun is observed to be directly over the equator, and the north and south poles of the Earth lie along the solar terminator; sunlight is evenly divided between the north and south hemispheres. The equator (sometimes referred to colloquially as "the Line") is the intersection of the Earth 's surface with the plane perpendicular to the The terminator is a fictive line that delimits the illuminated day side and dark Night side of a planetary body (also known as the "grey line" or

History and tradition

Tradition and mythology

Due to its antiquity, there exists various foundation myths for Nowruz in Iranian mythology. In the Zoroastrian tradition, the seven most important Zoroastrian festivals are the six Gahambars and Nowruz which occurs at the spring equinox. Zoroastrianism has numerous festivals and holy days all of which are bound to the Zoroastrian calendar. An equinox is the event of the Sun passing over the Earth's equator in its annual cycle According to the late Professor. Mary Boyce^[6]: It seems a reasonable surmise that Nowruz, the holiest of them all, with deep doctrinal significance, was founded by Zoroaster himself. Nora Elisabeth Mary Boyce ( &ndash) was a British scholar of Iranian languages, and a recognized authority on Zoroastrianism. Zoroaster ( Latinized from Greek variants) or Zarathushtra (from Avestan Zaraθuštra) also referred to as Zartosht (زرتشت Between sunset of the day of the 6th Gahanbar and sunrise of Nowruz was celebrated Hamaspathmaedaya (later known, in its extended form, as Frawardinegan). Gahanbar are the Festivals of the ancient Avesta calendar celebrated by the Parsees at six seasons of the year which correspond with the six periods This and the Gahanbar are the only festivals named in the surviving text of the Avesta. Gahanbar are the Festivals of the ancient Avesta calendar celebrated by the Parsees at six seasons of the year which correspond with the six periods The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language.

The Shahnameh, dates Nowruz as far back to the of Jamshid, who in Zoroastrian texts saved mankind from a killer winter that was destined to kill every living creature^[7]. Shāhnāmé, or Shāhnāma ((alternative spellings are Shahnama Shahnameh Shahname Shah-Nama, etc Jamshēd, Jamshīd ( or Jam ( in Middle- and New Persian, or Yima in Avestan is a mythological figure of Greater Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings The mythical Persian King Jamshid (Yima or Yama of the Indo-Iranian lore) perhaps symbolizes the transition of the Indo-Iranians from animal hunting to animal husbandry and a more settled life in human history. Jamshēd, Jamshīd ( or Jam ( in Middle- and New Persian, or Yima in Avestan is a mythological figure of Greater Animal husbandry, also called Animal science, stockbreeding or simple husbandry, is the agricultural practice of breeding In the Shahnameh and Iranian mythology, he is credited with the foundation of Nowruz. Shāhnāmé, or Shāhnāma ((alternative spellings are Shahnama Shahnameh Shahname Shah-Nama, etc In the Shahnama, Jamshid constructed a throne studded with gems. Shāhnāmé, or Shāhnāma ((alternative spellings are Shahnama Shahnameh Shahname Shah-Nama, etc Jamshēd, Jamshīd ( or Jam ( in Middle- and New Persian, or Yima in Avestan is a mythological figure of Greater He had demons raise him above the earth into the heavens; there he sat on his throne like the sun shining in the sky. The world's creatures gathered in wonder about him and scattered jewels aound him, and called this day the New Day or No/Now-Ruz. This was the first day of the month of Farvardin (the first month of the Persian calendar)^[8]. The association with Jamshid can be seen that in Persian, the festival is also called Nowruz-i-Jamshidi (The Jamshidi Nowruz). Jamshēd, Jamshīd ( or Jam ( in Middle- and New Persian, or Yima in Avestan is a mythological figure of Greater

The Iranian scholar Abu Rayhan Biruni of the 10th century A. D. , in his Persian work "Kitab al-Tafhim li Awa'il Sina'at al-Tanjim" provides a description of the calendar of various nations. Besides the Persian calendar, various festivals of Arabs, Jews, Sabians, Greeks and other nations are mentioned in this book. In the section on the Persian calendar(تقویم پارسیان), he mentions Nowruz, Sadeh, Tiregan, Mehregan, the six Gahanbar, Parvardegaan, Bahmanja, Isfandarmazh and several other festivals. Sadé or Sada ( Jashn-e Sada/Sadé (in جشن سده also transliterated as Sadeh, is an ancient Iranian tradition celebrated 50 days before Tiregan or Jashn-e Tiregan is an ancient Iranian rain festival observed on 1 July. Mehregān (alternatively Mihragān, مهرگان or Jashn-e-Mehregān is a Zoroastrian and Iranian festival celebrated in honor of Mithra Gahanbar are the Festivals of the ancient Avesta calendar celebrated by the Parsees at six seasons of the year which correspond with the six periods According to him: It is the belief of the Persians that Nowruz marks the first day when the universe started its motion. ^[9].

History

In his work titled the Nowruznama, Omar Khayyam, a well known Persian poet and Mathematician provides a vivid description of the celebration in the courts of the Kings of Persia^[10]:

Nowruz was the holiday of Arsacid/Parthian dynastic Empires who ruled Iran (248 BC-224 AD). Parthia ( Middle Persian: اشکانیان Ashkâniân) was an Iranian civilization situated in the northeastern part of modern Iran There are specific references to the celebration of Nowruz during the reign of Vologases I (51-78 AD), but these include no details. Vologases I of Parthia (in Persian Balash or Valakhsh ruled the Parthian Empire from about 51 to 78 However, We have reasons to believe that the celebration is much older than that date and was surely celebrated by the people and royalty during the Achaemenid times (555-330 BC). It was, therefore, a highly auspicious occasion for the ancient peoples. It has been suggested that the famous Persepolis complex, or at least the palace of Apadana and the Hundred Columns Hall, were built for the specific purpose of celebrating Nowruz. Persepolis ( Old Persian: Pārsa, Modern Persian: تخت جمشید/پارسه Takht-e Jamshid or Chehel Minar) was the ceremonial However, no mention of Nowruz exists in Achaemenid inscriptions (see picture) ^[11]. It also happened to coincide with the Babylonian and Jewish new years .

Extensive records on the celebration of Nowruz appear following the accession of Ardashir I of Persia, the founder of the Sassanid dynasty (224-651 AD). Ardashir I, founder of the Sassanid dynasty, was ruler of Istakhr (206-241 subsequently Persia The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire Under the Sassanid emperors, Nowruz was celebrated as the most important day of the year. Most royal traditions of Nowruz such as royal audiences with the public, cash gifts, and the pardoning of prisoners, were established during the Sassanian era and persisted unchanged until modern times.

Nowruz, along with Sadeh (celebrated in mid-winter), survived in society following the introduction of Islam in 650 AD. Sadé or Sada ( Jashn-e Sada/Sadé (in جشن سده also transliterated as Sadeh, is an ancient Iranian tradition celebrated 50 days before Other celebrations such Gahanbar and Mehragan were eventually side-lined or were only followed by the Zoroastrians, who carried them. Gahanbar are the Festivals of the ancient Avesta calendar celebrated by the Parsees at six seasons of the year which correspond with the six periods Mehregān (alternatively Mihragān, مهرگان or Jashn-e-Mehregān is a Zoroastrian and Iranian festival celebrated in honor of Mithra Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Nowruz, however, was most honored even by the early founders of Islam. There are records of the Four Great Caliphs presiding over Nowruz celebrations, and it was adopted as the main royal holiday during the Abbasid period.

Following the demise of the Caliphate and the subsequent re-emergence of Persian dynasties such as the Samanids and Buyids, Nowruz was elevated to an even more important event. The Samanids (819–999 ( Sāmāniyān) were a Persian dynasty in Central Asia and Greater Khorasan, named after its founder Saman The Buyids (آل بویه Āl-e Buye, Caspian: Bowyiyün also known as Buwaihids or Buyyids, were a Shī‘ah Iranian The Buyids revived the ancient traditions of Sassanian times and restored many smaller celebrations that had been eliminated by the Caliphate. A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history Even the Turkish and Mongol invaders did not attempt to abolish Nowruz in favor of any other celebration. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Thus, Nowruz remained as the main celebration in the Persian lands by both the officials and the people.

Local variations

Today, the festival of Nowruz is celebrated in many countries that were territories of, or influenced by, the Persian Empire: Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, parts of the Middle East, as well as in the former Soviet republics of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan,Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Tajikistan (təˈdʒɪkɨstæn or /təˈdʒiːkɨstæn/ Тоҷикистон tɔʤikɪsˈtɔn or, Persian تاجیکستان‎ taajikestaan officially the Republic of Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South Turkmenistan ( Türkmenistan; also known as Turkmenia) is a Turkic country in Central Asia. Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the Kyrgyzstan (ˈkɻ̩gɪztɑn (AmE or /'kɝgəztan/ (BrE Kyrgyz: Кыргызстан; Russian: Киргизия or Киргизстан or Кыргызстан It is also celebrated by the Zoroastrian Parsis in India and Pakistan as well by certain Iranic inhabitants in Pakistan's Chitral region. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Chitral or Chatrāl (چترال is basically translated into "field" in the native language Khowar. It is also celebrated by the Iranian immigrants from Shiraz in Zanzibar. Shiraz ( شیراز Shīrāz) is the fifth most populated city in Iran and the capital of Fars Province. Zanzibar ( is part of the East African republic of Tanzania. It consists of the Zanzibar Archipelago in the ^[12] In Turkey, it is called Nevruz in Turkish, Sultan Nevruz in Albanian. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Albanian (sq ''Gjuha shqipe'' ˈɟuha ˈʃcipɛ is an Indo-European language spoken by nearly 6 million peoplewhile others claim that it derives from Daco - In some remote communities located in parts of western Iran, the holiday is referred to as Nuroj, which literally means New Day in the Kurdish language. The Kurdish language (Kurdish Kurdî or کوردی is a term used for the language spoken by Kurds.

Nowruz in modern Iran

In Iran, preparations for Nowruz begin in Esfand (or Espand), the last month of winter in the Persian solar calendar. The Iranian calendar or Solar Hejri (تقویم هجری شمسی؛ سالنمای هجری خورشیدی Taqwim Hejri Shamsi Salanmay Hejri Khurshidi) is an astronomical Below is information about Nowruz as celebrated in Iran.

Khane Tekani

Main article: Khane Tekani

Persians (Tajiks) and other groups (Kurds, Armenians, Aserbaidjanians, Balochs and various turkish nations) start preparing for the Nowruz with a major spring-cleaning of their houses, the purchase of new clothes to wear for the new year and the purchase of flowers (in particular the hyacinth and the tulip are popular and conspicuous). Khane tekani (lit Shaking the house is an Iranian tradition of spring cleaning and part of the Norouz festival Tulipa, commonly called tulip, is a Genus of about 150 species of bulbous Flowering plants in the family Liliaceae.

In association with the "rebirth of nature", extensive spring-cleaning is a national tradition observed by almost every household in Persia. This is also extended to personal attire, and it is customary to buy at least one set of new clothes. On the New Year's day, families dress in their new clothes and start the twelve-day celebrations by visiting the elders of their family, then the rest of their family and finally their friends. On the thirteenth day families leave their homes and picnic outdoors.

During the Nowruz holidays people are expected to visit one another (mostly limited to families, friends and neighbours) in the form of short house visits, which are usually reciprocated. Typically, on the first day of Nowruz, family members gather around the table, with the Haft Seen on the table or set next to it, and await the exact moment of the arrival of the spring. At that time gifts are exchanged. Later in the day, the first house visits are paid to the most senior family members. Typically, the youth will visit the elders first, and the elders return their visit later. The visits naturally have to be relatively short, otherwise one will not be able to visit everybody on their list. A typical visit is around 30 minutes, where you often run into other visiting relatives and friends who happen to be paying a visit to the same house at that time. Because of the house visits, you make sure you have a sufficient supply of pastry, cookies, fresh and dried fruits and special nuts on hand, as you typically serve your visitors with these items with tea or sherbet. Many Iranians will throw large Nowruz parties in a central location as a way of dealing with the long distances between groups of friends and family.

Some Nowruz celebrants believe that whatever a person does on Nowruz will affect the rest of the year. So, if a person is warm and kind to their relatives, friends and neighbours on Nowruz, then the new year will be a good one. On the other hand, if there are fights and disagreements, the year will be a bad one.

One tradition that may not be very widespread (that is, it may belong to only a few families) is to place something sweet, such as honey or candy, in a safe place outside overnight. On the first morning of the new year, the first person up brings the sweet stuff into the house as another means of attaining a good new year.

Chahārshanbe Sūrī

Main article: Chaharshanbe Suri

Chehel Sotoun's Wall painting, that dates back to the Safavid era, depicts a Chaharshanbe Suri celebration. Chahārshanbe-Sūri ( pronounced Chārshanbe-Sūri ( is the ancient Iranian festival dating at least back to 1700 BCE of the early Zoroastrian era Chehel Sotoun (also Chehel Sotoon, Persian: چهل ستون is a pavilion in the middle of a park at the far end of a long pool in Isfahan, The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz Chahārshanbe-Sūri ( pronounced Chārshanbe-Sūri ( is the ancient Iranian festival dating at least back to 1700 BCE of the early Zoroastrian era

The night before the last Wednesday of the year is celebrated by the Iranian people as Chahârshanbe Sûrî Persian: چهارشنبه سوری, (Azerbaijani: Od çərşənbəsi meaning wednesday of fire, Kurdish: Çarşeme surê, چوارشه‌مه‌ سوورێ meaning red wednesday), the Iranian festival of fire. The Kurdish language (Kurdish Kurdî or کوردی is a term used for the language spoken by Kurds. This festival is the celebration of the light (the good) winning over the darkness (the bad); the symbolism behind the rituals are all rooted back to Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings

The tradition includes people going into the streets and alleys to make bonfires, and jump over them while singing the traditional song Zardî-ye man az (ane) to, sorkhî-ye to az (ane) man ("az-ane to" means belongs to you); This literally translates to "My yellowness is yours, your redness is mine," with the figurative message "My paleness (pain, sickness) for you (the fire), your strength (health) for me. "

Serving different kinds of pastry and nuts known as Ajīl-e Moshkel-Goshā (lit. The problem-solving nuts) is the Chahārshanbe Sūrī way of giving thanks for the previous year's health and happiness, while exchanging any remaining paleness and evil for the warmth and vibrancy of the fire.

According to tradition, the living are visited by the spirit of their ancestors on the last days of the year, and many children wrap themselves in shrouds, symbolically re-enacting the visits. They also run through the streets banging on pots and pans with spoons and knocking on doors to ask for treats. The ritual is called qashogh-zany (spoon beating) and symbolizes the beating out of the last unlucky Wednesday of the year.

There are several other traditions on this night, including: the rituals of Kūze Shekastan, the breaking of earthen jars which symbolically hold ones bad fortune; the ritual of Fal-Gûsh, or inferring one's future from the conversations of those passing by; and the ritual of Gereh-goshā’ī, making a knot in the corner of a handkerchief or garment and asking the first passerby to unravel it in order to remove ones misfortune.

Haft Sīn

Main article: Haft sin table

Haft Sīn (هفت سین) or the seven 'S's is a major tradition of Nowruz. Haft Sîn ( or the seven 'S's is a major tradition of Nowruz, the traditional Iranian new year The haft sin table includes seven specific items starting with the letter 'S' or Sīn (س) in Persian alphabet). The Perso-Arabic script is a Writing system that is based on the Arabic alphabet. The items symbolically correspond to seven creations and holy immortals protecting them. The Haft Sin has evolved over time, but has kept its symbolism. Traditionally, families attempt to set as beautiful a Haft Sīn table as they can, as it is not only of traditional and spiritual value, but also noticed by visitors during Nowruzi visitations and is a reflection of their good taste.

Haft sin table

The Haft Sīn items are:

• sabzeh - wheat, barley or lentil sprouts growing in a dish - symbolizing rebirth
• samanu - a sweet pudding made from wheat germ - symbolizing affluence
• senjed - the dried fruit of the oleaster tree - symbolizing love
• sīr - garlic - symbolizing medicine
• sīb - apples - symbolizing beauty and health
• somaq - sumac berries - symbolizing (the color of) sunrise
• serkeh - vinegar - symbolizing age and patience

Other items on the table may include:

• Sonbol - Hyacinth (plant)
• Sekkeh - Coins - representative of wealth
• traditional Iranian pastries such as baghlava, toot, naan-nokhodchi
• Aajeel - dried nuts, berries and raisins
• lit candles (enlightenment and happiness)
• a mirror (symbolizing cleanness and honesty)
• decorated eggs, sometimes one for each member of the family (fertility)
• a bowl of water with goldfish (life within life, and the sign of Pisces which the sun is leaving)
• rosewater, believed to have magical cleansing powers
• the national colours, for a patriotic touch
• a holy book (e. Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for The lentil or daal or pulse ( Lens culinaris) is a bushy Annual plant of the legume family grown for its lens-shaped Seeds Samanu ( Samanak ( or Sumalak ( Tajik alphabet: сумалак) or Сүмөлөк (Kyrgyz is a special type of sweet dish The germ is the "heart" of the Cereal kernel the Embryo of the Seed. Elaeagnus angustifolia ( Russian Silverberry, Oleaster, or Russian-olive) is a species of Elaeagnus, native to western Allium sativum L, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the Onion family Alliaceae. The apple is the pomaceous Fruit of the apple tree Species Malus domestica in the Rose family Rosaceae. Sumac (ˈʃuːmæk or /ˈs(juːmæk/ also spelled sumach) is any one of approximately 250 species of Flowering plants in the Genus Rhus Vinegar is an acidic liquid processed from the Fermentation of Ethanol in a process that yields its key ingredient Acetic acid (also called ethanoic acid A Hyacinth is any plant of genus Hyacinthus, which are bulbous Herbs formerly placed in the lily family Liliaceae but now regarded as the main - title Coin keywords numismatics coin review A candle is a Light source and sometimes a Heat source consisting of a solid block of Fuel and an embedded wick. A mirror is an object with a surface that has good Specular reflection; that is it is smooth enough to form an Image. Egg decorating is the art or craft of decorating eggs It is quite a popular art/craft form because of the attractive smooth oval shape of the egg The goldfish, Carassius auratus, was one of the earliest Fish to be domesticated, and is still one of the most commonly kept aquarium fish and Pisces is the twelfth Astrological sign in the Zodiac, which originates from the Pisces constellation. thumb|right|250px|Rose water Rose water or rose syrup (گلاب Golâb, Gül suyu ماء ورد Māʾ ward, Urdu: گلاب رس The current flag of Iran was adopted on July 29, 1980, and is a reflection of the changes brought to Iran by the Islamic Revolution g. , the Avesta, Qur'an, Bible, Torah, or Kitáb-i-Aqdas) and/or a poetry book (almost always either the Shahnama or the Divan of Hafez)

Haji firouz

Main article: Haji firouz

The traditional herald of the Nowruz season is called Hājjī Fīrūz (or Khwāja Pīrūz). The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to The Kitáb-i-Aqdas is a central book of the Bahá'í Faith written by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the religion Shāhnāmé, or Shāhnāma ((alternative spellings are Shahnama Shahnameh Shahname Shah-Nama, etc Khwāja Šamsu d-Dīn Muḥammad Hāfez-e Šīrāzī, or simply Hāfez ( was a Persian mystic and Poet. In Iranian culture, Haji Firooz is the traditional herald of the Norooz season He symbolizes the rebirth of the Sumerian god of sacrifice, Domuzi, who was killed at the end of each year and reborn at the beginning of the New Year.

He usually uses face paint to make his skin black and wears a red costume. Then he sings and dances through the streets with tambourines and trumpets spreading good cheer and heralds the coming of the New Year. Mehrdad Bahar, iranologist, suggests in his book that this borrowing of the Domuzi/Tammuz tradition from the ancient non-Iranian civilizations in Mesopotamia happened with the arrival of the Iranian tribes to the western parts of the Iranian Plateau at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. Mehrdād Bahār (1930, Tehran – November 13 1994 Tehran ( was a prominent Iranist, linguist, mythologist and Persian This borrowing may according to Bahar be true for the whole Nowruz tradition itself as Indo-Iranian tribes before that did not have this tradition while the civilizations of Mesopotamia did. This later spread to all areas where Iranian culture was present, but was lost by the non-Iranian cultures of Mesopotamia.

New Year dishes

• Sabzi Polo Mahi: The New Year's day traditional meal is called Sabzi Polo Mahi, which is rice with green herbs served with fish. Sabzi polo ( Persian: سبزی پلو is an Iranian (Persian dish of Rice and chopped Herbs, and is usually served with fish The traditional seasoning for Sabzi Polo are parsley, coriander, chives, dill and fenugreek.
• Reshteh Polo: rice cooked with noodles which is said to symbolically help one succeed in life.
• Dolme Barg : A traditional dish of Azeri people, cooked just before the new year. It includes some vegetables, meat and cotyledon which have been cooked and embedded in vine leaf and cooked again. It is considered useful in reaching to wishes.
• Kookoo sabzi : Herbs and vegetable souffle, traditionally served for dinner at New Year. A light and fluffy omelet style made from parsley, dill, coriander, spinach, spring onion ends, and chives, mixed with eggs and walnut.

Sizdah Bedar

Main article: Sizdah Bedar

The thirteenth day of the new year festival is Sizdah Bedar (literally meaning "thirteen to out", figuratively meaning "hit the outdoors on the thirteenth"). Sīzdah-be-dar or Sēzdah-ba-dar ( Persian سیزده بدر) is the Persian Festival of "Joy and Solidarity" celebrated on the 13th day (sizdah Sīzdah-be-dar or Sēzdah-ba-dar ( Persian سیزده بدر) is the Persian Festival of "Joy and Solidarity" celebrated on the 13th day (sizdah This is a day of festivity in the open, often accompanied by music and dancing, usually at family picnics.

Sizdah bedar celebrations stem from the ancient Persians' belief that the twelve constellations in the Zodiac controlled the months of the year, and each ruled the earth for a thousand years at the end of which the sky and earth collapsed in chaos. Zodiac denotes an annual cycle of twelve stations along the Ecliptic, the apparent path of the sun across the heavens through the Constellations that divide the ecliptic Hence Nowruz lasts twelve days and the thirteenth day represents the time of chaos when families put order aside and avoid the bad luck associated with the number thirteen by going outdoors and having picnics and parties.

At the end of the celebrations on this day, the sabzeh grown for the Haft Seen (which has symbolically collected all sickness and bad luck) is thrown into running water to exorcise the demons (divs) from the household. It is also customary for young single women to tie the leaves of the sabzeh before discarding it, so expressing a wish to be married before the next year's Sizdah Bedar. Another tradition associated with this day is Dorugh-e Sizdah, literally meaning "the lie of the thirteenth", which is the process of lying to someone and making them believe it (similar to April Fools Day). This article is about the informal holiday For other uses see April Fool.

Newroz celebration by Kurds

Main article: Newroz as celebrated by Kurds

It is a tradition to jump across a fire at Newroz

The word 'Newroz' is Kurdish for 'Nowruz'. Newroz ( Kurdish:نورۆز refers to the celebration of the traditional Iranic new year holiday of Nowruz in Kurdish society The Kurdish language (Kurdish Kurdî or کوردی is a term used for the language spoken by Kurds. The Kurds celebrate this feast between 18th till 21st March. It is one of the few ‘peoples celebrations’ that has survived and predates all the major religious festivals. The holiday is considered by Kurds to be the single most important holiday of every year.

With this festival Kurds gather into the fairgrounds mostly outside the cities to welcome spring. A festival is an event usually and ordinarily staged by a local community which centers on some unique aspect of that community Women wear colored dresses and spangled head scarves and young men wave flags of green, yellow and red, the colors of the Kurdish people. They hold this festival by lighting fire and dancing around it . ^[13].

The main Kurdish greeting that accompanies the festival is, Newroz pîroz be! literally translating to Holy Newroz, or, simply, Happy Newroz!. The Kurdish language (Kurdish Kurdî or کوردی is a term used for the language spoken by Kurds. Another greeting used is, Bijî Newroz!, simply meaning Long live Newroz!

The festival was illegal until 1995 in Turkey, where the majority of Kurds live ^[14], and Turkish forces arrested Kurds celebrating Newroz ^[15]. In Newroz 1992 at least 70 people celebrating the festival were killed in clashes with Turkish security forces ^[16]. The holiday is now official in Turkey after international pressure on the Turkish government to lift culture bans. Turkish government renamed the holiday Nevruz in 1995, and reclaimed it as a Turkish holiday^[17].

Newroz is still largely considered as a potent symbol of Kurdish identity in Turkey. Newroz celebrations are usually organised by Kurdish cultural associations and pro-Kurdish political parties. Thus, the Democratic Society Party was a leading force in the organisation of the 2006 Newroz events throughout Turkey. Democratic Society Party (Demokratik Toplum Partisi - DTP is a Kurdish nationalist Political party in Turkey. In recent years the Newroz celebration gathers around 1 million participants in Diyarbakır, the biggest city of the Kurdish dominated Southeastern Turkey. Diyarbakır (دیاربکر Diyâr-i Bekr 'land of the Bekr ' (from Persian) Kurdish Amed Zazaki language Dêrbekir Syriac As the Kurdish Newroz celebrations in Turkey often are theater for political messages, the events are frequently criticized for rather being political rallies than cultural celebrations.

In other largely populated Kurdish regions in the Middle East including Iraq and Syria, similar celebrations are carried out with fires, dancing and music. In Iran, it is the most important festival of the whole year.

In Sanandaj (the capital of Iranian Kordestan), jumpting over the fire (known as Chahar Shanbeh Suri) happens on New Year's Eve (rather the last Tuesday of the year).

Nowruz in Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, Nowroz festival is traditionally celebrated for 2 weeks. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Preparations for Nowroz start several days beforehand, at least after Chaharshanbe Suri, the last Wednesday before the New Year. Chahārshanbe-Sūri ( pronounced Chārshanbe-Sūri ( is the ancient Iranian festival dating at least back to 1700 BCE of the early Zoroastrian era Among various traditions and customs, the most important ones are:

• Haft Mēwa: In Afghanistan, they prepare Haft Mēwa (Seven Fruits) instead of Haft Sin which is common in Iran. Haft Mewa is like a Fruit salad made from 7 different Dried fruits, served in their own syrup. Fruit salad (also called Macedonia) is a dish consisting of various kinds of Fruit, served either in their own juices or a Syrup. Dried fruit is fruit that has been dried, either naturally or through use of a machine such as a Food dehydrator. In Cooking, a syrup (from Arabic' ar شراب sharab, beverage via Latin siropus) is a thick Viscous Liquid The 7 dried fruits are: Raisin, Senjed (the dried fruit of the oleaster tree), Pistachio, Hazelnut, Prune (dry fruit of Apricot), Walnut and whether Almond or another species of Plum fruit. Raisins are dried Grapes They are produced in many regions of the world such as the United States, Australia, Chile, Elaeagnus angustifolia ( Russian Silverberry, Oleaster, or Russian-olive) is a species of Elaeagnus, native to western The pistachio ( Pistacia vera L Anacardiaceae or sometimes Pistaciaceae) is a small Tree native to mountainous regions of The Common Hazel ( Corylus avellana) is a species of Hazel native to Europe and western Asia, from the British Isles A prune is any of various of various Plum species mostly Prunus domesticus or European Plum (commonly referred to as a Sugar Plum The Apricot ( Prunus armeniaca, "Armenian plum" in Latin syn Walnuts (genus Juglans) are Plants in the family Juglandaceae. The Almond ( Prunus dulcis, syn Prunus amygdalus Batsch Amygdalus communis L A plum or gage is a stone fruit Tree in the genus Prunus, subgenus Prunus.
• Samanak: It is a special type of sweet dish made from Wheat germ. Samanu ( Samanak ( or Sumalak ( Tajik alphabet: сумалак) or Сүмөлөк (Kyrgyz is a special type of sweet dish The germ is the "heart" of the Cereal kernel the Embryo of the Seed. Women take a special party for it during the night, and cook it from late in the evening till the daylight, singing a special song: Samanak dar Josh o mā Kafcha zanem - Degarān dar Khwāb o mā Dafcha zanem
• Mēla-e Gul-e Surkh (Persian: ميله‌ى گل سرخ): The Guli Surkh festival which literally means Red Flower Festival (referring to the red Tulip flowers) is an old festival celebrated only in Mazari Sharif during the first 40 days of the year when the Tulip flowers grow. Tulipa, commonly called tulip, is a Genus of about 150 species of bulbous Flowering plants in the family Liliaceae. Mazār-e Sharīf ( is the fourth largest city of Afghanistan, with population of 300600 people (2006 estimate People travel from different parts of the country to Mazar in order to attend the festival. It is celebrated along with the Jahenda Bālā ceremony which is a specific religious ceremony performed in the holy blue mosque of Mazar that is believed (mostly by Sunnite Afghans) to be the site of the tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliph of Islam. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (a=علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب|t=ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib 13th Rajab, 24 BH – 21st Ramaḍān, 40 AH The ceremony is performed by raising a special banner (whose color configuration resembles Derafsh Kaviani) in the blue mosque in the first day of year (i. The Derafsh-e Kavian ( Derafš-e Kāvīān, Middle Persian) was the legendary royal standard of the Sassanid kings e. Nowroz). The Guli Surkh party continues with other special activities among people in the Tulip fields and around the blue mosque for 40 days. Tulipa, commonly called tulip, is a Genus of about 150 species of bulbous Flowering plants in the family Liliaceae.
• Buzkashi: Along with other customs and celebrations, normally a Buzkashi tournament is held. Buzkashi, Kok-boru or Oglak Tartis ( Persian: بزکشی bozkæšī, Tajik: бузкашӣ buzkašī: "goat Buzkashi, Kok-boru or Oglak Tartis ( Persian: بزکشی bozkæšī, Tajik: бузкашӣ buzkašī: "goat The Buzkashi matches take place in northern cities of Afghanistan and in Kabul.
• Special cuisines: People cook special types of dishes for Nowroz, especially on the eve of Nowroz. Normally they cook Sabzi Chalaw, a dish made from rice and spinach, separately. Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many Spinach ( Spinacia oleracea) is a Flowering plant in the family of Amaranthaceae. Moreover, the bakeries prepare a special type of cookie, called Kulcha-e Nowrozī, which is only baked for Nowroz. In the United States and Canada, a cookie is a small flat-baked treat usually round containing milk flour eggs and sugar etc Another dish which is prepared mostly for the Nowroz days is Māhī wa Jelabī (Fried Fish and Jelabi) and it is the most often meal in picnics. In Afghanistan, it is a common custom among the affianced families that the fiancé's family give presents to or prepare special dishes for the fiancée's family on special occasions such as in the two Eids, Barā'at and in Nowroz. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE-ROMEOS*************** Mid-Sha'ban is the 15th day of the Muslim month of Sha'ban. Laylatul Bara'ah is the night preceding the 15th day of Shaban Hence, the special dish for Nowroz is Māhī wa Jelabī.
• Sightseeing to Cercis fields: The citizens of Kabul go to Istalif, Charikar or other green places around where the Cercis flowers grow. Cercis, or Redbuds, is a genus of about 6-10 species in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to warm- Temperate } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with Istalif is a village about 18 miles northwest of Kabul, Afghanistan,situated on at 1693 m altitude Charikar ( Persian: چاریکار Pronounced Chârikâr) is the main town of Kōhdāman and the capital of Parwan province in northern Cercis, or Redbuds, is a genus of about 6-10 species in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to warm- Temperate They go for picnic with their families during the first 2 weeks of New Year.
• Jashni Dehqān: Jashni Dehqan means The Festival of Farmers. It is celebrated in the first day of year, in which the farmers walk in the cities as a sign of encouragement for the agricultural productions. In recent years, this activity is being performed only in Kabul and other major cities, in which the mayor and other high governmental personalities participate for watching and observing.

Zoroastrian Faith

Zoroastrians worldwide celebrate Nowruz as the first day of the New Year. The New Year is an event that happens when a Culture celebrates the end of one Year and the beginning of the next year Parsi Zoroastrians of South Asian origin celebrate it as "Nowroj", "Navroz", or "Navroj" on the fixed day of March 21, while Zoroastrians of Iranian background generally celebrate, like other Iranians, on the actual Spring Equinox date. Because different Zoroastrian communities in India/Pakistan and Iran have evolved slightly different calendar systems, there is some variance. Adherents of the Fasli variant of the Zoroastrian calendar celebrate Nowruz in March, but today, most other Zoroastrians also celebrate on this day. The Zoroastrian calendar is a religious Calendar used by members of the Zoroastrian faith and it is an approximation of the (tropical Solar calendar.

Other variants of the Zoroastrian calendar celebrate the Nowruz twice: once as Jamshedi Nowruz on March 21st as the start of spring, and a second Nowruz, in July/August (see Variations of the Zoroastrian calendar), as either new year's eve or new year's day. The Zoroastrian calendar is a religious Calendar used by members of the Zoroastrian faith and it is an approximation of the (tropical Solar calendar. Jamshēd, Jamshīd ( or Jam ( in Middle- and New Persian, or Yima in Avestan is a mythological figure of Greater The Zoroastrian calendar is a religious Calendar used by members of the Zoroastrian faith and it is an approximation of the (tropical Solar calendar. That the second Nowruz is celebrated after the last day of the year, known as Pateti, which comes after a Muktad period of days remembering the dead. Many Parsis are confused by this, and mistakenly celebrate Pateti as if it were Nowruz, when in fact Nowruz is the day after. Some attribute this confusion by some as celebrating the last day of the year (contrary to what might be expected from a term that means "new day"), may be due to the fact that in ancient Persia the day began at sunset, while in later Persian belief the day began at sunrise.

Zoroastrians of Iranian origin generally put up a Haft Sin table as do other Iranians. Zoroastrians of Parsi (South Asian) origin do not traditionally use a Haft Sin. They set up a standard "sesh" tray- generally a silver tray, with a container of rose water, a container with betel nut, raw rice, raw sugar, flowers, a picture of Zarathustra the prophet, and either a floating wick in a glass filled with water topped with oil for fuel, or an "afargania", a silver urn with a small fire nourished by sandalwood and other fragrant resins.

Bahá'í Faith

Main article: Bahá'í Naw-Rúz

Naw-Rúz in the Bahá'í Faith is one of nine holy days for adherents of the Bahá'í Faith worldwide and the first day of the Bahá'í calendar occurring on the vernal equinox, around March 21. Naw-Rúz in the Bahá'í Faith is one of nine holy days for adherents of the Bahá'í Faith worldwide and the first day of the Bahá'í calendar occurring The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind The Bahá'í calendar, also called the Badí‘ calendar, used by the Bahá'í Faith, is a Solar calendar with regular years of 365 days and Leap The Bahá'í calendar, also called the Badí‘ calendar, used by the Bahá'í Faith, is a Solar calendar with regular years of 365 days and Leap Events 630 - Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the True Cross to Jerusalem. ^[18] The Bahá'í calendar is composed of 19 months, each of 19 days,^[19] and each of the months is named after an attribute of God; similarly each of the nineteen days in the month also are named after an attribute of God. ^[19] The first day and the first month were given the attribute of Bahá, an Arabic word meaning splendour or glory, and thus the first day of the year was the day of Bahá in the month of Bahá. The official symbol of the Bahá'í Faith is the Five-pointed star, as mentioned by Shoghi Effendi: "Strictly speaking the 5-pointed Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language ^[18][20] Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, explained that Naw-Rúz was associated with the Most Great Name of God,^[18][20] and was instituted as a festival for those who observed the Nineteen day fast. Bahá'u'lláh ( ba-haa-ol-laa "Glory of God" ( November 12, 1817 – May 29, 1892) born Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Nuri The Nineteen-Day Fast ( March 2 - March 20) is a nineteen-day period of the year during which members of the Bahá'í Faith adhere to a sunrise-to-sunset ^[21][22]

The day is also used to symbolize the renewal of time in each religious dispensation. ^[23] `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'u'lláh's son and successor, explained that significance of Naw-Rúz in terms of spring and the new life it brings. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ( ar عبد البهاء &lrm (23 May 1844 - 28 November 1921 born `Abbás Effendí, was the son of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Spring is one of the four Temperate Seasons Spring marks the transition from Winter into Summer. ^[18] He explained that the equinox is a symbol of the messengers of God and the message that they proclaim is like a spiritual springtime, and that Naw-Rúz is used to commemorate it. The Manifestation of God is a concept in the Bahá'í Faith that refers to what are commonly called Prophets The Manifestations of God are a series of personages ^[24]

As with all Bahá'í holy days, there are few fixed rules for observing Naw-Rúz, and Bahá'ís all over the world celebrate it as a festive day, according to local custom. ^[18] Persian Bahá'ís still observe many of the Iranian customs associated with Nowruz such as the Haft Sîn, but American Bahá'í communities, for example, may have a potluck dinner, along with prayers and readings from Bahá'í scripture. A potluck is a gathering of people where each person is expected to bring a dish of food to be shared among the group Bahá'í literature, like much Religious text, covers a variety of topics and forms including scripture and inspiration interpretation history and biography

Nowruz around the world

Nowruz is celebrated in Greater Iran, Caucasus, Central Asia and by Iranians worldwide. Greater Iran (in Irān-e Bozorg, or fa ایران‌زمین Irān-zamīn; the Encyclopedia Iranica uses the term The Caucasus ( also referred to as North Caucasus) is a geopolitical region located between Europe Asia & Middle East Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south It is a public holiday in: Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan ^[25], Tajikistan ^[26], Uzbekistan ^[27], Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kashmir ^[28], and Kyrgyzstan ^[29]. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South Turkmenistan ( Türkmenistan; also known as Turkmenia) is a Turkic country in Central Asia. Tajikistan (təˈdʒɪkɨstæn or /təˈdʒiːkɨstæn/ Тоҷикистон tɔʤikɪsˈtɔn or, Persian تاجیکستان‎ taajikestaan officially the Republic of Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the This article is about the geographical region of greater Kashmir Kyrgyzstan (ˈkɻ̩gɪztɑn (AmE or /'kɝgəztan/ (BrE Kyrgyz: Кыргызстан; Russian: Киргизия or Киргизстан or Кыргызстан

In Albania Sultan Nevruz is celebrated as a manily mystical day by the Bektashi sect, there are special ceremonies in the Tekke led by the clergy and large meals are served there. This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. Bektashism (Bektaşilik is an Islamic Sufi order ( Tariqat) considered to be a distinct branch of Shi'a Islam It is considered the historical Albanian New Year by the Bektashis, who refer to old Illyrian evidence. Bektashism (Bektaşilik is an Islamic Sufi order ( Tariqat) considered to be a distinct branch of Shi'a Islam

Nowruz is also celebrated by Kurds in ^[30]Iraq and Turkey ^[31] as well as by Parsis in India and Pakistan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and

Other notable celebrations take place by Iranians around the world, such as Los Angeles, Toronto, Cologne and in United Kingdom, mainly in London ^[32]. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

But because Los Angeles is prone to devastating fires, there are very strict fire codes in the city. No fires are allowed even on one's own property. Usually, Iranians and Azerbaijanis living in Southern California go to the beaches to celebrate the event where it is permissible to build fires. ^[33]

In Afghanistan during the reign of the Taliban, Nowruz was banned until 2001 where it came back as popular as it was before the Taliban.

Trivia

• Basque musician Fermin Muguruza recorded a song called Newroz in his album Brigadistak Sound System (1999). Fermin Muguruza ( Irun, Gipuzkoa, The Basque Country) is a basque rock musician singer songwriter producer and record label manager Brigadistak Sound System is a Studio album from Basque artist Fermin Muguruza.
• On June 1, 2006, the word for Nowruz was used in the final session of the 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee in the United States. The Scripps National Spelling Bee (formerly known as the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee and commonly referred to simply as the National Spelling Bee) is The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 11-year-old contestant Allion Salvador of Fort Lauderdale Florida was eliminated from the top 13 contestants in the final rounds for offering the spelling "naoruse" rather than the spelling "nauruz" that was considered correct for the competition. Fort Lauderdale, known as the "Venice of America" due to its expansive and intricate Canal system is a city in Broward County, Florida, Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the ^[34] The official pronouncer prompted Salvador with a pronunciation in which the first syllable was pronounced like the English word "now" or "gnaw" rather than "no", and indicated that no alternative pronunciations were available. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The origin of the word was described as Persian and the definition given was, approximately, the Persian New Year holiday. It is noteworthy that there appears to be little agreement over how to spell this word in English and that neither the spelling considered official by Scripps nor the offered pronunciation would appear to be considered correct by most people familiar with the word ^[35].

References

See also

• Earth Day
• Iranian festivals
• Assyrian new year
• Nowruz Eve among Mazandarani people
• Public holidays in Iran
• Ulugh Kun
• Oshlaq-ay

External links

• Norooz Video
• nowruz's music
• Iranian New Year during Present Times - nice photo of "haft seen" table
• Nowruz - The Official English Website of Nowruz by Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization
• Time of the Iranian New Year in Your Town
• Noruz -Encyclopedia Britannica
• Ceremonies and Tradition
• Ismaili Celebrates Navroz Day
• Struggle of Day and Night by Prof A. Earth Day is one of two Observances both held annually during spring in the Northern hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern hemisphere. The following is a List of Festivals in Iran Iranian Festivals Nowruz: Celebration of the start of spring ("Rejuvenation" The Assyrian new year (Assyrian Akitu) lies on April 1. Traditionally falling on the Vernal equinox, it was moved to April 1 when the The Tabarian New Year or neowrez is an event occur in the pintek days of the Tabarian Calendar, Pintek in the Mazandarani language of Iran means pentad since in Holidays in Iran: Iran uses three official calendar systems The Iranian calendar as the main date the lunar Islamic calendar for religious Ulugh-Kun (or "Great Day" in Old and Middle Turkic) was the spring festival of Turkic Shamanism It was celebrated on or A month of the Shamanic calendar of the Eurasian Nomadic peoples particularly the Turks. H. Zarrinkoub.
• Norouz in the Course of History
• Bitter celebrations on Newroz from soL the online newspaper.
• nowruz Online fireworks, celebrations
• Norooz, Persian New Year
• Newroz 2008, Turkish, News, Photos, Videos
• a traditional Haft Sin setup in the White House
• Barack Obama Congratulates Persian New Year to Iranian-Americans
• Nowruz Pictures From Photographers Around the World
• Ontario, Canada recognizes Norooz