ںو روز مبارک
Nowroz is a Zoroastrian festival that celebrates the spring and harvest. Having originated in Iran thousands of years ago it has moved out with the diaspora, to be observed by people of Iranian origins the world over. Falling usually on the 21st of March every year it denotes the entry of the Sun into the Spring equinox from the winter solstice. And there are exact calculations pertaining to this transformation. Traditionally, the moment when the earth enters into the new quarter of its orbit - between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, is calculated to the precise second with the help of Jantris. Now however, there are websites that dedicated to nowroz which display a calculator constantly counting seconds backwards to the upcoming nowroz time.
Jantris, like all horoscopes are recommend lucky alphabets, stones to wear and colors don in apparels etc. For instance this nowroz on 20 March 2016, the lucky colour was orange. So celebrations were marked with merry makers wearing orange dresses and serving the fruit on their table. Probably, due to 2016 being a leap year, the Jantris had calculated 20 March instead of 21 march for the spring festival. This also happens to be the Solar New year, hence the name Nowroz in Persian where Now=new and roz=day.
Interestingly, this solar year which is enacted by nature, is neither adhered to by the Islamic Hijri calendar nor by the which is lunar, nor by the Christian AD era calendar which despite being solar, is governed by political reasons. St. Augustus and Julius Ceasar demanded that both July and August have 31 days and the rightful and powerful of the Christian era deemed fit for the new year to be coupled with Christmas.Although orthodox Christians in the United States and Central Europe celebrate Christmas on 7 January, according to the Gregorian Calendar which predates the Julian Calendar.
Despite the hegemony of the CE, over world affairs nature celebrates its new years day on Nowroz by all means. This was recognized by our ancient ancestors who lived close to nature and responded to the joys of biodiversity. The day is literally marked by a riot of colours in gardens. Be it the regimented manicured gardens of the city, the little green spaces of the country or the unkempt wilderness. Flowers and in bloom and pollen is in the air. This pollen is an allergen to many, but the aroma lent by them to the whiffs of cool breeze wafting around is a welcome. Very soon the flowers in blossom will give away fruits and there will regeneration of life.
Happy families lay elaborate tables with the Sapt Seen (Seven food items starting with the perso-arabic alphabet seen س ). The germinated wheat, sweetened rice desert, dates, fruits and dry fruits decorated in fancy platters and pots radiate in the soft glow of candles and incense sticks. Tradition has it that a mirror is also set on the table. The Nowroz observance in the White House, attended by the President Obama had similar arrangement. Children and women also set the same on push carts and visit the neighbours filling their vicinity with festivities.
Nonetheless, people of Persian origins the world over - which includes the present day Iran, Afghanistan and parts of Iraq get together to celebrate Nowroz with mirth and friendliness. This year too my facebook home page was adorned with pictures of friends celebrating nowroz by sitting together around elaborate dining tables and greeting each other. An Afghan student of mine huddled up with friends in the University of Masachusetts, Amherst and was wishing his family back in the Palmir mountains of Afghanistan.
Ideally, the Muslims have alienated themselves from Zoroastrians who are originally Persians. There is no way Islam can reconcile on religious grounds with the fire worshipers but fortunately, the shared customs and traditions of Nowroz live on. This former Afghan student of the AMU, when I was teaching him here, once complained of the ignorance of natural solar calendar in India. He was trying to learn the Hindi names of the Vikram Calendar in India from his batch-mate, another Muslim girl. The foreign students hostel dominated by Muslim Iranian families seems becomes abuzz with activity on Nowroz. They congregate in parks in the evenings and sing and clap till late at night.
It is prevalent with the Parsi community in India. Living in Gujurat and around Mumbai, they have never forgotten their Parsi roots while performing all rites and rituals. While the Parsis may have added Salli (potaoto chips) eggs to their spread in other places too Indian Muslims tracing their Iranian origins have added to the diversity. Some Muslim families in Aligarh painstakingly organise an open house for friends to devour on goodies and display the decorations with pride. Women drape sarees according to the colour of the day by the Jantri and modify dishes to suit the Indian palate.
The peasant in the country plains of India may not know of Nowroz but the koel singing and the flowering of the mango tree relates to him bringing joy and smile with the onset of spring. Parsi or Muslim, Shia or Sunni, Nowroz, is truly a celebration of the variety of live forms that has transcended the boundaries of religion and culture and proven its test of time.
Nowroz is a Zoroastrian festival that celebrates the spring and harvest. Having originated in Iran thousands of years ago it has moved out with the diaspora, to be observed by people of Iranian origins the world over. Falling usually on the 21st of March every year it denotes the entry of the Sun into the Spring equinox from the winter solstice. And there are exact calculations pertaining to this transformation. Traditionally, the moment when the earth enters into the new quarter of its orbit - between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, is calculated to the precise second with the help of Jantris. Now however, there are websites that dedicated to nowroz which display a calculator constantly counting seconds backwards to the upcoming nowroz time.
Jantris, like all horoscopes are recommend lucky alphabets, stones to wear and colors don in apparels etc. For instance this nowroz on 20 March 2016, the lucky colour was orange. So celebrations were marked with merry makers wearing orange dresses and serving the fruit on their table. Probably, due to 2016 being a leap year, the Jantris had calculated 20 March instead of 21 march for the spring festival. This also happens to be the Solar New year, hence the name Nowroz in Persian where Now=new and roz=day.
Interestingly, this solar year which is enacted by nature, is neither adhered to by the Islamic Hijri calendar nor by the which is lunar, nor by the Christian AD era calendar which despite being solar, is governed by political reasons. St. Augustus and Julius Ceasar demanded that both July and August have 31 days and the rightful and powerful of the Christian era deemed fit for the new year to be coupled with Christmas.Although orthodox Christians in the United States and Central Europe celebrate Christmas on 7 January, according to the Gregorian Calendar which predates the Julian Calendar.
Despite the hegemony of the CE, over world affairs nature celebrates its new years day on Nowroz by all means. This was recognized by our ancient ancestors who lived close to nature and responded to the joys of biodiversity. The day is literally marked by a riot of colours in gardens. Be it the regimented manicured gardens of the city, the little green spaces of the country or the unkempt wilderness. Flowers and in bloom and pollen is in the air. This pollen is an allergen to many, but the aroma lent by them to the whiffs of cool breeze wafting around is a welcome. Very soon the flowers in blossom will give away fruits and there will regeneration of life.
Happy families lay elaborate tables with the Sapt Seen (Seven food items starting with the perso-arabic alphabet seen س ). The germinated wheat, sweetened rice desert, dates, fruits and dry fruits decorated in fancy platters and pots radiate in the soft glow of candles and incense sticks. Tradition has it that a mirror is also set on the table. The Nowroz observance in the White House, attended by the President Obama had similar arrangement. Children and women also set the same on push carts and visit the neighbours filling their vicinity with festivities.
Nonetheless, people of Persian origins the world over - which includes the present day Iran, Afghanistan and parts of Iraq get together to celebrate Nowroz with mirth and friendliness. This year too my facebook home page was adorned with pictures of friends celebrating nowroz by sitting together around elaborate dining tables and greeting each other. An Afghan student of mine huddled up with friends in the University of Masachusetts, Amherst and was wishing his family back in the Palmir mountains of Afghanistan.
Ideally, the Muslims have alienated themselves from Zoroastrians who are originally Persians. There is no way Islam can reconcile on religious grounds with the fire worshipers but fortunately, the shared customs and traditions of Nowroz live on. This former Afghan student of the AMU, when I was teaching him here, once complained of the ignorance of natural solar calendar in India. He was trying to learn the Hindi names of the Vikram Calendar in India from his batch-mate, another Muslim girl. The foreign students hostel dominated by Muslim Iranian families seems becomes abuzz with activity on Nowroz. They congregate in parks in the evenings and sing and clap till late at night.
It is prevalent with the Parsi community in India. Living in Gujurat and around Mumbai, they have never forgotten their Parsi roots while performing all rites and rituals. While the Parsis may have added Salli (potaoto chips) eggs to their spread in other places too Indian Muslims tracing their Iranian origins have added to the diversity. Some Muslim families in Aligarh painstakingly organise an open house for friends to devour on goodies and display the decorations with pride. Women drape sarees according to the colour of the day by the Jantri and modify dishes to suit the Indian palate.
The peasant in the country plains of India may not know of Nowroz but the koel singing and the flowering of the mango tree relates to him bringing joy and smile with the onset of spring. Parsi or Muslim, Shia or Sunni, Nowroz, is truly a celebration of the variety of live forms that has transcended the boundaries of religion and culture and proven its test of time.
