About 300 million people worldwide celebrate Nowruz, a holiday that has been around for almost 3000 years in different regions such as the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Nowruz is a Persian word that translates to “new day” and it’s an ancient festival marking the first day of spring. Every year Iranians come together and celebrate Nowruz, not just as a holiday or new year, but as a beloved festivity that brings the people together.
Here is everything you need to know about Nowruz:
What is Nowruz?
Nowruz is the celebration of the Persian calendar (the solar hijri calendar) new years. It is the official New Year in Iran and Afghanistan. Still, it is also celebrated in many countries as a holiday, such as Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Russia, Syria, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Albania, China, India, etc.
Nowruz is more than a New Year celebration; it is an ancient tradition dating back to the Achaemenid Empire (550-330 B.C.) and appearing in various ancient Iranian mythologies.
Many empires have risen and fallen since then, but Nowruz is still standing, not just as a celebration of the new year, but as a holiday that brings all races and beliefs together and bonds all Iranians as a nation.
How do Iranians celebrate Nowruz?
This holiday has been celebrated for centuries and many customs have been added or changed with time but the heart of Nowruz has stayed the same, Nowruz is about family, friendship, togetherness, and of course, food, that is the reason why Iranians celebrate it by gathering, cooking, and celebrating the ancestors’ customs. Here are some activities and traditions listed below:
Getting ready for Nowruz
Iranians prepare for Nowruz by planting wheat in advance for the Haft-Seen table, spring cleaning and throwing or giving away unused things, shopping for new clothes, cooking Samanu(wheat pudding), and coloring and painting boiled eggs. It is customary for the whole family to come together a few days in advance and do said activities together.
Charshanbe-Suri
The last Wednesday before New Year is called Charshanbe-Suri, which is an ancient Zorodostrian festival celebrated by making a bonfire, jumping over it, and singing “sorkhi-ye to az man, zardi-ye man az to”, meaning “let your redness be from me, let my paleness be from you.” This ritual is believed to be a purification practice.
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Haft-Seen table
Haft-Seen translates to seven(Haft) Ss(Seen), seven things that start with the letter S in Persian. Every family designs a table by spreading Terme and placing the following seven items, each holding a special meaning:
- Sirkeh (vinegar) represents age and patience, also it is believed it cleanses negative energy
- Sikkeh (coin) for wealth and prosperity
- Seer (garlic) for good health
- Seeb (apples) for beauty
- Sabzeh (wheat) is a sign of rebirth, renewal, and good fortune
- Samanu (wheat pudding) is a sweet dessert for fertility and blessing from earth
- Sumac (berries) for the celebration of a new day and family bonds
Other items are also displayed on a Haft-Seen table like candles for light and luminosity, a mirror for clarity and honesty, water for purity, and The Divan of Hafez or a Quran, a Bible, a Torah, an Avesta, a Shahnameh of Ferdowsi, or a couple of the above. You might see a bouquet of hyacinths, a bowl of colored and painted eggs, and a goldfish. None of these items have been in the original celebration but each holds a special place in the modern-day Haft-Seen table.
After New Year’s Eve
The next day, traditional Iranian food is prepared for lunch called Sabzi Polo ba Mahi, which translates to ‘herd rice with fish’. This dish is made of white rice mixed with dill and Caspian Kutum, Grouper, or any other type of fish.
It is customary for people to visit each other after New Year, they come together and celebrate life and family. Another tradition is for elders to gift money and presents to younger kids of the family.
Sizdah Be-dar
The 13th day of Farvardin, the first month of the Iranian calendar, is called Sizdah Be-dar or Nature Day. It is an annual festival celebrating and connecting to nature and having picnics outdoors. This day has certain customs and traditions of its own, one custom is to take the wheat that was previously planted and leave it in a moving water stream or a river. Another Sizdah Be-dar tradition is knotting grass, this is mostly done by single people wishing to get married during the year ahead. The third customary thing to do on this day is “the lie of thirteen, similar to April Fools’ Day.
The traditional drink for this day is Sekanjabin sherbet and the conventional food is Ash-e Doogh. The main ingredients for Sekanjabin sharbat are honey, vinegar, mint syrup, or extract, and it is served with lettuce. Ash-e Doogh, also called “yogurt soup”, is an Azeri dish, it’s made with yogurt, peas, and leafy vegetables such as leek and parsley.
Why you should travel to Iran during Nowruz?
Nowruz marks the beginning of spring, which means you will experience Iran in the best season. The weather is just right for exploring the whole country, such as visiting historical places like Apadana and Anahita temple, a desert safari, seeing the southern cities and islands etc.
You can also experience the customs firsthand, try the traditional foods and drinks that might not be available for the rest of the year, interact with locals, learn more about different races’ cultures, see the traditional clothes, and experience all the tourist sites.
Nowruz is a busy time, a lot of families take advantage of the holiday and take trips around the country and it’s a busy time in tourism too, but if you don’t have a problem with that, this is the best time to really see and experience Iran like no other time and truly enjoy it.
