Nowruz

Nowruz is a festival celebrating the beginning of the new year according to the Iranian (Zoroastrian) calendar. It is observed on the day of the vernal equinox, which typically falls on 20 or 21 March in the Gregorian calendar. The word 'Nowruz' means 'new day' in Persian.

The festival is observed by people living in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iraq (particularly in Kurdish regions), and parts of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and South Asia. It is a cultural and seasonal festival not tied exclusively to any single religion, though many of its customs derive from the history of Zoroastrianism.

Calendar and timing

Nowruz begins at the precise moment the sun crosses the celestial equator moving northward. Because the timing is astronomical, the exact hour varies from year to year and from country to country. The first month of the Iranian calendar, Farvardin, begins on that day.

Customs

Before the festival, families carry out thorough house cleaning and purchase new clothes. A well-known custom observed in Iran and elsewhere is the 'Haft-sin' table, set with seven items whose names begin with the Persian letter 'sin', each symbolizing prosperity, health, or renewal. Other practices include visiting relatives, exchanging gifts, and sharing special foods.

In many places there are fire-related customs observed on the last night of the old year (Chaharshanbe Suri in Iran), when people jump over small fires. The festival period often concludes with an outdoor celebration known as Sizdah Bedar, which takes place on the thirteenth day.

International recognition

Nowruz has been inscribed by UNESCO on the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity, and the United Nations General Assembly has recognized 21 March as the International Day of Nowruz. Many countries in the region observe the festival days as official holidays.