Nowruz is the Persian New Year. Celebrations for Nowruz begin at the exact moment of the Spring Equinox when the sun passes above the equator. It’s the point when night and day are of the same length. This usually happens on the 20 of March, and it marks the first day of the Persian Calendar. From Iran and Azerbaijan, all the way to Central Asia and Northern India, it is said that almost 400m people celebrate Nowruz each year.
In ancient ages, Persian rulers stressed the significance of this occasion and welcomed people from around the empire who were followers of different religions, to the royal court for celebrations and festivities. Today even after thousands of years, Nowruz stays to be the most important celebration for Iranians and millions of people in the neighboring nations of Iran, who together praise the arrival of spring and the rebirth of nature.
In this article, we will be learning about Nowruz. We start by discussing what is Nowruz, the history of Nowruz, Nowruz date and time, how Nowruz is celebrated, before proceeding to Nowruz traditions and customs. So let’s indulge deep into this day, and learn all you need to know about Nowruz or the Persian New Year.
What Is Nowruz? Learn the meaning of Nowruz with this simple and easy to understand explanation
Nowruz is the Persian name of the Persian new year comprising of two words; Now meaning new and Ruz meaning day, which when combined together means “New Day“.
Nowruz is known by different names such as Norooz, Navruz, Eid Norooz, Norooz Mubarak, Jashn e Nowruz, and Nawruz Mubarak – all these names depict the same meaning which is New Day.
Nowruz is a 5000-year-old festival, that marks the first day of the first month Farvardin of the Iranian calendar. Nawruz usually occurs on March 21st or the very moment when the sun crosses the equator on the vernal equinox, marking the beginning spring.
The festival is widely observed in areas which were once part of the Persian Empire and the auspicious holiday has roots in the ancient Zoroastrian religion.
Norooz was officially registered on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009. The day is believed to promote peace, unity, love, and harmony, and is intended to be loaded up with delicious food, new clothes, and quality time with friends and family.
What Is Nowruz Starting & End Time?
Nowruz officially starts on March 21 and continues for two weeks until April 2nd. All schools and most businesses remain closed during Nowruz vacations. According to the Iranian calendar, Nowruz starts from Farvardin 1 and ends at Farvardin 13th.
When Is Nowruz? Get the exact date and time for Nowruz
Nowruz is the Persian New Year. Festivities for Nowruz start at the exact moment of Spring Equinox when the sun goes over the equator. It’s the moment that night and day are of a similar length. This usually occurs on the 21st of March, and it denotes the first day of the Persian Calendar.
Nowruz Date (Iran): March 20
Nowruz Date (Los Angeles): March 21
Nowruz Date & Time For All Countries
What Is The History Of Nowruz? Learn about the origin of Nowruz and the story behind this famous Persian New Year festival
Nowruz, also called the Persian new year, is the most famous holiday in Iran, originating in ancient Persia more than 5000 years ago. The origins and foundations of Nowruz are dissipated in myth and in history; they go back all the way to the time of the settlement of the first people on the Iranian plateau.
Let’s take a look at the history of Norooz, the story behind its celebration, and learn how Navruz became a major festival in the Persian lands and its neighboring regions:
1). Nowruz has a strong connection with the ancient farmers. In past times, most of Iran’s population was depended on agriculture and producing food. When no agricultural activities were possible in winter, farmers used to go back to their homes.
The end of winter and the start of Spring (when it got warm again), the general population, a large portion of whom were farmers, would come together for work and produce food for their livelihood. Welcoming spring with such great enthusiasm and happily going back to work to earn their livelihood, is a strong reason why Persian New Year (Nowruz), which marks the first of Spring, got popularity among the masses and became a widely celebrated and most loved holiday in Iran.
2). In Persian mythology, Iranian King Jamshed is credited with the founding of Nowruz. When King Jamshed ruled in Iran everything was good. Food was abundant, lies didn’t exist, people were happy, peace was there in the region, and life was perfect from all angles. However, the extremely cold weather in the region used to kill several living creatures and limited all important activities in the region such as farming.
To defeat the extreme winters, King Jamshid constructed a throne decorated with gems and put on a crown encrusted with jewels. He had demons raise him high above the earth into the sky; there he sat, shining like the sun.
People saw the king shining like the Sun. Hence, this brought a lot of happiness and joy to the country. They celebrated that day and proclaimed that this was the Nowruz (New Day). This was the first day of the Iranian calendar month of Farvardin, and the celebrations continued for a week, in which people celebrated the New Year and the revival of nature.
3). In Kurdish legends, the same occasion is said to have matched with the victory of King Faridun over the usurper Ruler Azhi Dehak.
4). Celebrating the New Year at the vernal equinox was also an old Babylonian tradition, as it is frequently mentioned in Babylonian documents that the ancient ceremonial city of Iran (Persepolis), was built for the specific purpose of celebrating Nowruz festival there.
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Nowruz (Persian New Year) History, Origin, Background
What Are Nowruz Customs & Traditions? Learn how Nowruz is celebrated and the main worship rituals performed on this day
The Persian New Year is a cheerful occasion, and all its imagery based on the finish of winter (cold, gloomy) and restoration of life (sunshine – the Spring Equinox, everything growing).
Like most New Year celebrations, Nowruz is a period for Persian families to gather together, exchange gifts and greetings, and visit each other. The event is preceded by Charshanbe Suri (a fire ceremony) which takes place in the week before Nowruz.
Celebrants get ready for Nowruz by cleaning houses and purchasing new clothes. Parsis (or Zoroastrians) wear gold and silver outfits.
Prior to the new year, people give their homes a “spring cleaning” and decorate their surroundings with flowers. They also dye eggs (like Easter eggs), and the symbolism is the same – the eggs hatch and new life emerges. Many people also purchase a goldfish, believing that if they can keep it alive for the entire year, they will have good fortune, luck, and success.
The major highlight of Nowruz celebrations in Iran is the Haft Seen, a decorated table with seven things that start with the Persian letter “s”. Family members sit around this table and keep an eye out for the exact beginning time of Nowruz — the spring equinox when the sun is directly over the equator and the north and south hemispheres get equivalent measures of light. Nowruz will then start for two weeks.
People also start growing greenery (mostly lentils because they grow quickly even without soil) in order to make a perfect traditional decoration for Nowruz table: the Haft Seen.
Nowruz is a favorite holiday of children. On this day, children get lots of gifts from their loved ones. They get a two-week long Nowruz holiday from school and attend a large number of parties, functions, and family get-togethers. There are lots of people visiting close friends and relatives, especially on the first day of the Persian New Year. Food is shared in large quantities among the community members. Traditionally, there’s a lot of dancing and music on Nowruz.
Although the main Nowruz celebration happens on the first day of spring, the merriments keep going for up to weeks. The holiday finishes in early April when people set out for picnics at recreational spots, taking the greenery they have grown as a part of the Haft Seen. The greenery, which is said to have collected all bad luck, evil eye, and sickness from home and family, is thrown into a river so that the current can sweep away all misfortunes.
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Persian New Year Celebrations, Customs & Traditions
Why Nowruz Is Celebrated? Learn the significance of celebrating Nowruz and the reasons why this holiday marks the most important day on the Iranian calendar
Thinking why we celebrate Nowruz? Well, the answer is here. The spread of Nowruz is due to the three main historical factors.
Firstly, the ancient impact of Persian royal culture in Central and Western Asia, where Persian people have observed Nowruz for hundreds of years.
The second reason behind why we celebrate Nowruz is that the festival is deeply connected to the Persian culture by Islamic empires, like the Mughals and the Ottomans, who spread the holiday to South Asia, Turkey, and the Balkans. The Mughals officially celebrated Eid-e-Norooz in India, while the Bektashi Sufi order, which was influential in the Ottoman Empire, spread the festival into Southeastern Europe.
Last but not the least, some credit behind Nowruz popularity can also be given to the migrants from Iran that took the holiday with them as they traveled into different countries, for example in places like Zanzibar where Nowruz or the Persian New Year was eventually adopted by the locals as well.
What Religion Celebrates Nowruz? Learn about Eid Norooz Mubarak in Shia Islam
Besides being a Persian celebration of New Year, Nowruz is also a religious holiday for many. In Zoroastrianism and the Baha’i Faith, Nowruz is celebrated as the new year.
Nowruz holds great significance for Shia Muslims, and they call this day: Eid-e-Nawruz. The 6th Shia Imam, Imam Jaafar, is said to have supported the festival of Nowruz with the commemoration of the divine. This custom is considered important by many Shias, especially Shia and Ismaili Muslims in India and Pakistan, where they celebrate this auspicious occasion by distributing rice and sugar and observing a fast on this day.
The day is marked with celebrations by Shia Muslims in Mazar-e-Sharif (the shrine of Hazrat Ali), where many believe he is buried. One famous Shia Muslim story describes that a bowl of Falooda, a sweet rose-flavored milk dessert, was sent to Imam Ali on Nowruz. When he found the reason behind this sweet gift, he said: “May each day be Norooz then”.
Nowruz in Kurdistan is celebrated as Kurdish New Year. Click here to learn more about:
Kurdish New Year (Newroz Kurdish)
What Countries Celebrate Nowruz? Learn about Nowruz celebrations across the globe
Nowruz (the Persian New Year) is Iran’s most famous holiday. Besides Iran, Nowruz is celebrated in many other countries as well, which include:
Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, as well as among the Kurds of Iraq and Turkey, the Zoroastrians and Shia Muslims of India and Pakistan, and the Uygur, Salar, Tajik, and Kazakh ethnic groups of China.
Even in the European nations, such as the United States and Canada, urban areas with huge Iranian diaspora communities hold Nowruz festivities as well.
Nowruz in Afghanistan is celebrated as Afghan New Year. Click here to learn more about:
Afghan New Year or Nauruz In Afghanistan
What is Nowruz Table? All you need to know about Persian New Year Haft Seen and Haft Seen items
Nowruz table, popularly known as Haft Seen, is a table that is decorated with seven items that start with letter “s” in the Persian language. Just a few moments before the starting time of Nowruz, all family members sit around this table and get ready to welcome Nowruz with the Final Countdown.
Every item in Nowruz Haft Seen symbolizes Abundance, Wealth, Health, Life, and Prosperity. The traditional Haft Seen items for Nowruz and what each item symbolizes is mentioned in the table below:
- Sabzeh (sprouts): symbolizes rebirth
- Samanoo (sweet pudding): symbolizes affluence
- Serkeh (vinegar): symbolizes age and patience
- Senjed (dried fruit from lotus tree): symbolizes love
- Sir (garlic): symbolizes medicine
- Somagh (sumac): symbolizes the color of sunrise
- Sib (apple): symbolizes health and beauty
Besides these 7 very important items for Navruz table, there are also many other additional symbolic items that are sometimes used to accompany Haft-sin such as candles, painted norooz eggs, goldfish, coins, a holy book such as the Quran or the Bible, and a mirror .
How To Wish Nowruz? Greeting Happy Nowruz to your friends and family in the most beautiful way
Nowruz or the Persian New Year is when family and friends get together. It is a period of happiness, miracles, and fulfilling wishes. For many people, these are important occasions in their lives because there’s a spark of hope in the soul that the Persian New Year will bring huge positive changes, things will enhance, long-held wishes will be fulfilled, and so on.
So we thought it would be ideal to suggest a couple of ways that you can wish somebody well during the Nowruz holidays. Here are some Happy Nowruz greetings and quotes to wish someone well for Nowruz Festival:
- Wishing you Wonderful moments, treasured memories, And all the blessings a heart can know. Happy Norooz to you!
- May each day of the new year shine with optimism and bliss for you and your family, Happy Nowruz.
- May everything you could ever hope for and wishes to work out as expected, and May prosperity touch your feet. Happy Nowruz Mubarak.
- May the stars sparkle upon your life, May stunning blooms bloom your life, May this new Persian year rock your life, and May God favor and protect you all through the year. Wishing you a Happy Nowruz.
- As the new year restores all the happiness and great tidings, hope the cheerful soul continues shining in your heart for eternity. Happy Nowruz to my friend.
- Keep the smile, Forget the tear, Hold the laugh, Forget the pain, Think of joy, Forget the fear, Be happy, cause Its new year! Happy Nowruz to all my friends.
- As the new year unfurls, I wish that you find new delights to discover And have loads of reason to praise every snapshot of your life. Happy Nowruz to all.
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Happy Nowruz Mubarak Wishes, Greetings, Messages
Essay On Nowruz: A Perfect Essay About Nowruz
Being such a famous event in Iran, many students are asked by their teachers to write an essay on Nowruz. Here we have shared a beautiful essay about Nowruz, which is perfect for students. You can either use this Nowruz essay for your homework or get unique creative ideas from this Nowruz essay:
For the vast majority, March 20th or March 21st is simply one more day on the calendar. But for Persians around the globe, this day is a time of festivity, celebration, and joy. The first day of the spring denotes the Persian New Year, known as Nowruz — that is a blend of two Persian words: Now meaning new, and Ruz meaning day. Combined together they mean “New Day”.
Nowruz begins the exact moment when the season changes from winter to spring on the vernal equinox. The event is celebrated by millions of people from differing ethnic networks and religious foundations across the globe, with main celebrations in Iran and neighboring nations.
Its underlying foundations lie in Zoroastrianism, the ancient religion of Iran. Today, 40 years after the Islamic revolution in Iran, Nowruz remains Iran’s most famous yearly celebration, dominating the traditional Islamic celebrations, for example, Eid.
Everyone gets ready for the grand Nowruz celebration months before it lands with a traditional spring-cleaning of the house. Nowruz is a period for the family to gather and celebrate the finish of one Persian year and the start of the new Persian year. Students have a two-week vacation from school, and most businesses remain closed during the festivities. All through the holiday period, loved ones enjoy get-togethers at each other’s homes for feasting, dancing, and chit-chats.
The most vital action in the festival of Nowruz is setting the Nowruz Haft-Seen table. Haft is the Persian word for the number seven and seen for the letter “S”. It is a table of seven things that begin with the letter S in the Persian language. Making the haft-seen table is a Persian family custom that starts by spreading a new cloth on the table, next the table is set with the seven S things which include: Sabzeh (sprouts), Samanoo (sweet pudding), Serkeh (vinegar), Senjed (dried fruit), Sib (apple), Sir (garlic), Somagh (sumac). Every item in Nowruz Haft Seen symbolizes Abundance, Wealth, Health, Life, and Prosperity.
Getting up early from bed on March 20, taking a bath and dressing in new outfit purchased specifically for the New Year, assembling by the haft-seen table with the family and seeing the Nowruz countdown on Persian TV channels are one of the most special moments of the year.
It might be simply one more day, an additional 24 hours in the year, yet for Iranians, it’s an opportunity to value their rich culture and legacy. To reflect on their past and push ahead with their lives with a desire for a prosperous year ahead loaded up with wellbeing, wealth, love, happiness, success, and joy.
Have a happy and flourishing new year. “Nowruz Mubarak.”
Top 20 Frequently Asked Questions Related To Nowruz Answered!
Nowruz is a famous festival that marks the Persian New Year. The holiday is observed annually by almost 300 million people in Iran, Central Asia, and Northern Asia. Want to know each and every detail of Nowruz?
Here we have answered your top 20+ frequently asked questions related to Nowruz.
What Is Nowruz?
Nowruz is the Persian name of the Persian new year comprising of two words; Now meaning new and Ruz meaning day, which when combined together means new day.
Nowruz is a 5000-year-old festival, that marks the first day of the first month (Farvardin) of the Iranian calendar.
Nawruz usually occurs on March 21st or the very moment when the sun crosses the equator on the vernal equinox, marking the beginning of spring.
How Nowruz Is Celebrated?
Nowruz is a period for families to gather together, exchange gifts and greetings, and visit each other’s homes. Celebrants get ready for this day by cleaning their homes and wearing new outfits.
The major highlight of Nowruz celebrations is the Haft Seen, a table decorated with seven things that start with the letter “s” in the Persian language.
Food is shared in large quantities among the community members. Traditionally, there’s a lot of dancing and music on Nowruz. The Nowruz celebrations continue for two weeks.
How Did Nowruz Start?
According to legends, Nowruz started because of these main events:
1). In ancient times, a large portion of Iran’s population was depended on farming and agriculture. During extremely cold weather, the agricultural activities used to become to a halt. At the end of winter and start of spring, the Iranian farmers used to gather together and celebrate the beginning of warm weather. The arrival of spring was marked as Nowruz, and people of that time loved this day because it marked the end of winter and arrival of spring.
2). In Persian mythology, Iranian King Jamshed is credited with the founding of Nowruz. It is said that during extreme winters, King Jamshed constructed a throne decorated with gems. He had demons raise him high above the earth into the sky; there he sat, shining like the sun. People saw the king shining like the Sun. Hence, this brought a lot of happiness and joy to the country. They celebrated that day and proclaimed that this was the Now Ruz (New Day).
3). In Kurdish legends, the same occasion is said to have matched with the victory of King Faridun over the usurper Ruler Azhi Dehak.
4). Celebrating the New Year at the vernal equinox was also an old Babylonian tradition, as it is frequently mentioned in Babylonian documents that the ancient ceremonial city of Iran (Persepolis), was built for the specific purpose of celebrating Nowruz festival there.
How To Wish & Greet Nowruz In Persian?
You can wish and greet Nowruz in Persian by saying: “Saal-e-no mobaarak” (سال نو مبارک) meaning Happy New Persian Year.
How Long Does Nowruz Last?
Nowruz lasts for around two weeks. The festival starts on March 21st and ends on April 2nd.
How To Say Nowruz?
Different nations and communities have different ways of saying Nowruz. Nowruz is known by many different names, however, all have the same meaning which is “New Day“. You can say Nowruz as Noorooz, Norooz, Nav Ruz, Nawrouz, Newroz, Novruz, Nowrouz, Nawrouz, Nauryz, Nooruz, Nowruz, Navruz, Nevruz, Nowruz, Navruz
How To Congratulate & Wish Nowruz?
You can congratulate and wish Nowruz by exchanging gifts, sending Nowruz gift cards, sending Happy Nowruz wishes messages and greetings.
How Important Is Nowruz?
Nowruz is deeply connected to the Persian culture and has been celebrated for thousands of years. Celebrating Nowruz is important because it is one of the most important hallmarks of the Persian culture and Iranian civilization. It speaks to the brilliance and eminence of ancient Iran and shows a feeling of national pride for Iranians around the globe.
Nowruz is also important because it comes as winter ends, and that’s the reason Iranians trust Nowruz is a celebration of rebirth and restoration that infuses fresh and warm blood in the frozen nature.
How To Say Happy Nowruz in Farsi?
“Saal-e-no mobaarak” (سال نو مبارک)
What Does Nowruz Mubarak Mean?
Nowruz Mubarak is a Persian term that means “happy holiday” or ” blessings of the happy new year”. Persians use it as a greeting for use on the festival of Nowruz. Nowruz means New Day, and Mubarak means blessings.
What Time Is Nowruz?
Nowruz Date & Time (Iran Time): March 20, 01:28:27 AM
Nowruz Date & Time (Los Angeles Time PST*): March 21, 14:58:27 PM
What Does Nowruz Celebrate?
Nowruz celebrates Persian New Year, the arrival of spring, the end of extreme winter, rebirth, and rejuvenation of frozen nature.
What Religion Celebrates Nowruz?
Religions that celebrate Nowruz are Zoroastrianism, Baha’i Faith, Shia, and Ismaili Muslims.
When Is Nowruz Celebrated?
Nowruz is celebrated on March 21st or the first day of the first month (Farvardin) of the Iranian calendar. Nowruz begins the very moment when the sun crosses the equator on the vernal equinox.
When Was Nowruz Invented?
Some people say that it’s the 5,780th time that Iranians are celebrating the ancient Persian New Year festival, Nowruz. Some believe that Nowruz has been observed for more than 15,000 years. So there’s no exact date when did Nowruz start.
When Does Nowruz Starts and Ends?
Nowruz starts on Farvardin 1st to Farvardin 13th, which in Gregorian calendar means from 21st March to April 2nd.
Which Countries Celebrate Nowruz?
From Iran and Azerbaijan, all the way to Central Asia and Northern India, it is said that almost 300m people celebrate Nowruz each year.
Countries that celebrate Nowruz are Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.
Nowruz is also celebrated by the Kurds of Iraq and Turkey, the Zoroastrians and Shia Muslims of India and Pakistan, and the Uygur, Salar, Tajik, and Kazakh ethnic groups of China.
Even in the European nations, such as the United States and Canada, urban areas with huge Iranian diaspora communities hold Nowruz festivities as well.
Why Shia Celebrate Nowruz?
Nowruz holds great significance for Shia Muslims, and they call this day: Eid-e-Nawruz. The 6th Shia Imam, Imam Jaafar, is said to have supported the festival of Nowruz with the remembrance of the divine.
One famous Shia Muslim story also describes that a bowl of Falooda, a sweet rose-flavored milk dessert, was sent to Imam Ali on Nowruz. When he found the reason behind this sweet gift, he said: “May each day be Norooz then“.
Nowruz, the Persian New Year – Quick Facts
Nowruz is the Persian New Year. Celebrations for Nowruz begin at the exact moment of Spring Equinox when the sun passes above the equator. Nowruz is celebrated on 21st of March, and it marks the first day of the Persian Calendar.
Date: March 21,
Starting Time: 01:28:27 AM (Iran)
Significance: Celebrating the arrival of spring and rebirth of nature
Celebrations: Haft-Seen, a family and other social gatherings, symbolic decoration, exchanging gifts and greetings, feasting etc
Also called: Noorooz, Norooz, Nav Ruz, Nawrouz, Newroz, Novruz, Nowrouz, Nawrouz, Nauryz, Nooruz, Nowruz, Navruz, Nevruz, Nowruz, Navruz, Eid-e-Norooz
Type of Holiday: Religious, secular, New Year, ethnic, national