Nowruz, the Farsi term for “new day,” also known as the Iranian or Persian New Year, is a celebration observed by nearly 300 million people worldwide. Nowruz, an ancient celebration with roots in Zoroastrianism, celebrates the start of the Iranian Solar Hijri calendar and falls on or near the spring equinox, usually between March 19th and March 21st.
The celebration is widely celebrated in countries along the Silk Roads, including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
What is Nowruz?
Iran’s most important occasion is Nowruz, which means ‘new day’ in Persian. It is also celebrated in several different countries in the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, the Balkans, and East Africa, and it has a history of at least 3,000 years. The occasion has grown all over thousands of years of celebration, with different regions preserving or developing old customs while also introducing new ones. However, it honours the original message of rebirth and regeneration wherever it is honoured.
Nowruz 2024: Date & Timings
Nowruz, often spelt Norooz or Nowrooz, is the Iranian New Year that falls with the northern hemisphere’s spring equinox. This year, it will be observed on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, with the vernal equinox happening at 6:36 a.m. in Tehran, Iran. However, the United Nations marks March 21st as the International Day of Nowruz, highlighting its worldwide relevance and cultural significance.
Nowruz celebrations transcend boundaries and time, thus here are some particular schedules for Nowruz 2024 in different locations:
- Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan: March 20, 2024, at 9:06 AM
- Ashgabat, Turkmenistan: March 20, 2024, at 8:06 AM
- Tirana, Albania: March 20, 2024, at 4:06 AM
- Tbilisi, Georgia: March 20, 2024, at 7:06 AM
- Baghdad, Iraq: March 20, 2024, at 7:06 AM
- Damascus, Syria: March 20, 2024, at 6:06 AM
Due to differing calendar customs, Nowruz 2024 will be celebrated on two separate days in India. The first celebration will be held on March 20, 2024, corresponding with the global observation of Nowruz on the spring equinox, according to the Solar Hijri calendar.
The second celebration will take place on August 15, 2024, according to the Shahenshahi calendar, which does not account for leap years, resulting in the unique custom of two New Year celebrations among India’s Parsi community.
Nowruz 2024: History & Significance
Why nowruz is celebrated? Nowruz has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years, beginning in ancient Persia (modern-day Iran) and expanding to neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and Turkey. It is firmly ingrained in the Iranian plateau’s rich cultural past and has been designated by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural past of humanity.
Spring cleaning, visiting family and friends, exchanging presents, and eating traditional delicacies like sabzi polo (herbed rice) and fish are some of the customs linked to this special day. Families also participate in the Haft-sin ceremony, which involves putting up a table with symbolic things such as sprouts, vinegar, apples, and garlic.
The festival is known for emphasising peace, solidarity, and respect for diverse cultures, to bring people closer together. The United Nations formally recognized the International Day of Nowruz in 2010, renewing its commitment to promote worldwide cooperation and cultural exchange.
Traditional customs include fire and water rituals, dances, gift exchanges, and other activities. The haft-sin custom is at the heart of the festivities, in which families carefully arrange seven symbolic artefacts signifying regrowth and power.
How Do People Prepare For Nowruz?
People start preparing for the celebrations weeks in advance. They clean their homes from top to bottom, including the carpets, windows, and curtains. Everyone in the family helps out. Any broken items are mended or replaced, and the house gets decorated with flowers. People perform spring cleaning to wash away the negative from the previous year and prepare for greater things in the next year.
People set up a special table in their houses, with small dishes containing seven symbolic foods and spices. The names of these dishes all begin with the letter ‘s’ in Persian, hence the table is known as the seven s’s’ (haft-seen).
Haft-Seen Table Tradition During Nowruz
The Haft-Seen table, or the table of seven items beginning with the letter S, is a family activity. It normally begins with laying a unique family cloth on the table, followed by arranging the seven S things. These may include:
- Sirkeh (Vinegar): Represents age and the patience that comes with it.
- Sikkeh (Coin): This is for wealth and success.
- Seer (Garlic): For excellent health.
- Seeb (Apples): For health and natural attractiveness.
- Sabzeh (Wheat): For rebirth, renewal, and good fortune.
- Samanu (Wheat Pudding): A delicious delicacy that represents prosperity, fertility, and the sweetness of life.
- Sumac (Berries): For the sunrise and to celebrate a new day.
Apart from these components, the table may add a mirror to symbolize the previous year, painted eggs to indicate fertility, a goldfish to represent new life, and candles to represent light and happiness.
According to research, a variety of food items are cooked during the festival, but “ash-e resteh” or noodle soup is commonly offered and is considered to symbolize the “many possibilities in one’s life”.
Special delicacies, such as baklava and sugar-coated almonds, are also thought to bring good fortune and are shared throughout the festivities. Other delicacies include fish served with special rice infused with green herbs and spices, which represent nature in spring.
Must-Try Foods for a Delicious Nowruz Celebration
Sabzi Polo Mahi
Sabzi Polo Mahi is a typical Nowruz food made out of herbed rice and fish. The rice is usually prepared with aromatic herbs like dill and served with grilled or fried fish. This dish represents the beginning of spring and the regeneration of life.
Ash Reshteh
Ash Reshteh is a significant Persian soup prepared with lentils, beans, noodles, and spices. It is a popular meal for Nowruz and is frequently served as a main course. The soup is delicious and filling, and it is thought to bring good luck in the new year.
Dolmeh Barg-e Mo
Dolmeh Barg-e Mo is stuffed grape leaves made with rice, spices, and minced lamb or beef. These delectable snacks are popular at Nowruz celebrations, and they are frequently served with yoghurt or a garlic dipping sauce.
Kuku Sabzi
Kuku Sabzi is a Persian herb omelette prepared with fresh herbs including parsley, cilantro, and dill. This dish is a mainstay of Persian cuisine and is frequently served as a side dish or appetizer during Nowruz.
Baklava
Baklava is a delicious pastry composed of layers of phyllo dough, chopped almonds, and honey syrup. This delectable dish is a typical treat during Nowruz celebrations and is frequently served with tea or coffee.
Wishes And Quotes For Nowruz 2024
- Happy Nowruz to you and your family. May this new year bring a lot of hope, fortune and success in your life.
- “For last year’s words belong to last year’s language, And next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.” ― T.S. Eliot
- Let’s celebrate the ancient festival of Nowruz with food and festivities. There’s no bigger joy than knowing that we can always start afresh.
- “Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbours, and let every new year find you a better man.” ― Benjamin Franklin
- “We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity, and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” ― Edith Lovejoy Pierce
- A new year brings the hope of starting something new and turning it over to the next chapter of our lives. May life guide us to our dreams.
- “Each age has deemed the new-born year; the fittest time for festal cheer.” ― Sir Walter Scott
- This Nowruz. I want to wish you a lot of success, fortune and hope as you walk towards your dreams and aspirations with newfound zeal.
