Growing wheatgrass is one of the most common
traditional preparations for Nowruz
Nowruz
is the Iranian New Year, also known as the Persian New Year, which
is celebrated worldwide by various ethno-linguistic groups.
Despite its Iranian and Zoroastrian origins, Nowruz has been celebrated
by diverse communities. It has been celebrated for over 3,000
years in Western Asia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Black Sea
Basin, and the Balkans. It is a secular holiday for most celebrants
that is enjoyed by people of several different faiths, but remains
a holy day for Zoroastrians, Bahais, and some Muslim communities.
Nowruz is the day of the vernal equinox, and marks the beginning
of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. It marks the first day of
the first month (Farvardin) of the Iranian calendar. It usually
occurs on March 21 or the previous or following day, depending
on where it is observed. The moment the Sun crosses the celestial
equator and equalizes night and day is calculated exactly every
year, and families gather together to observe the rituals.
The
first day of the Iranian calendar falls on the March equinox,
the first day of spring, around 21 March. In the 11th century
CE the Iranian calendar was reformed in order to fix the beginning
of the calendar year, i.e. Nowruz, at the vernal equinox. Accordingly,
the definition of Nowruz given by the Iranian scientist Tusi was
the following: "the first day of the official New Year [Nowruz]
was always the day on which the sun entered Aries before noon."
Nowruz is the first day of Farvardin, the first month of the Iranian
solar calendar.
In the Shahenshahi and Kadmi calendars, which do not account for
leap years, the New Year's Day has drifted ahead by over 200 days.
Followers of those calendars (some Zoroastrians in Pakistan and
India) celebrate the spring equinox as Jamshed-i Nouroz, with
New Year's Day then being celebrated in July–August as Pateti,
the day of penitence".
The word Nowruz is a combination of Persian words now—meaning
"new"—and ruz—meaning "day". Pronunciation
varies among Persian dialects, with Eastern dialects using the
pronunciation (as in Dari and Classical Persian, whereas in Tajik,
it is written as Navröz), western dialects, and Tehranis.
A variety of spelling variations for the word nowruz exist in
English-language usage, including novruz, nowruz, nauruz and newroz.
Timing
Accuracy :

Illumination of the Earth by the Sun on the day of equinox
Nowruz's
timing in Iran is based on Solar Hijri algorithmic calendar, which
is based on precise astronomical observations, and moreover use
of sophisticated intercalation system, which makes it more accurate
than its European counterpart, the Gregorian calendar.
Each 2820 year great grand cycle contains 2137 normal years of
365 days and 683 leap years of 366 days, with the average year
length over the great grand cycle of 365.24219852. This average
is just 0.00000026 (2.6×10-7) of a day shorter than Newcomb's
value for the mean tropical year of 365.24219878 days, but differs
considerably more from the mean vernal equinox year of 365.242362
days, which means that the new year, intended to fall on the vernal
equinox, would drift by half a day over the course of a cycle.
Charshanbe
Suri :
Charshanbe Suri. In Iran, it is celebrated on the eve of the last
Wednesday before Nowruz. It is usually celebrated in the evening
by performing rituals such as jumping over bonfires and lighting
off firecrackers and fireworks.
In Azerbaijan, where the preparation for Novruz usually begins
a month earlier, the festival is held every Tuesday during four
weeks before the holiday of Novruz. Each Tuesday, people celebrate
the day of one of the four elements – water, fire, earth
and wind. On the holiday eve, the graves of relatives are visited
and tended.
Iranians sing the poetic line "my yellow is yours, your red
is mine" to the fire during the festival, asking the fire
to take away ill-health and problems and replace them with warmth,
health, and energy. Trail mix and berries are also served during
the celebration.
Spoon banging is a tradition observed on the eve of Charshanbe
Suri, similar to the Halloween custom of trick-or-treating. In
Iran, people wearing disguises and go door-to-door banging spoons
against plates or bowls and receive packaged snacks. In Azerbaijan,
children slip around to their neighbors' homes and apartments
on the last Tuesday prior to Novruz, knock at the doors, and leave
their caps or little basket on the thresholds, hiding nearby to
wait for candies, pastries and nuts.
The ritual of jumping over fire has continued in Armenia in the
feast of Trndez, which is a feast of purification in the Armenian
Apostolic Church and the Armenian Catholic Church, celebrated
forty days after Jesus's birth.
Sizdah bedar :
In Iran, the Nowruz holidays last thirteen days. On the thirteenth
day of the New Year, Iranians leave their houses to enjoy nature
and picnic outdoors, as part of the Sizdebedar ceremony. The greenery
grown for the Haft-sin setting is thrown away, particularly into
a running water. It is also customary for young single people,
especially young girls, to tie the leaves of the greenery before
discarding it, expressing a wish to find a partner. Another custom
associated with Sizdah bedar is the playing of jokes and pranks,
similar to April Fools' Day.
History and origin :
Ancient roots :

Bas-relief in Persepolis, depicting a symbol in Zoroastrianism
for Nowruz
There exist various foundation myths for Nowruz in Iranian mythology.
The Shahnameh credits the foundation of Nowruz to the mythical
Iranian King Jamshid, who saves mankind from a winter destined
to kill every living creature. Jamshid may symbolise the transition
of the Proto-Iranians from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to animal
husbandry and a more settled life. To defeat the killer winter,
Jamshid constructed a throne studded with gems. He had demons
raise him above the earth into the heavens; there he sat, shining
like the Sun. The world's creatures gathered and scattered jewels
around him and proclaimed that this was the New Day (Now Ruz).
This was the first day of Farvardin, which is the first month
of the Iranian calendar.
Although it is not clear whether Proto-Indo-Iranians celebrated
a feast as the first day of the calendar, there are indications
that Iranians may have observed the beginning of both autumn and
spring, respectively related to the harvest and the sowing of
seeds, for the celebration of the New Year. Mary Boyce and Frantz
Grenet explain the traditions for seasonal festivals and comment:
"It is possible that the splendor of the Babylonian festivities
at this season led the Iranians to develop their own spring festival
into an established New Year feast, with the name Navasarda "New
Year" (a name which, though first attested through Middle
Persian derivatives, is attributed to the Achaemenian period)."
Since the communal observations of the ancient Iranians appear
in general to have been seasonal ones, and related to agriculture,
"it is probable that they traditionally held festivals in
both autumn and spring, to mark the major turning points of the
natural year."
Nowruz is partly rooted in the tradition of Iranian religions,
such as Mithraism and Zoroastrianism. In Mithraism, festivals
had a deep linkage with the Sun's light. The Iranian festivals
such as Mehrgan (autumnal equinox), Tirgan, and the eve of Chelle
ye Zemestan (winter solstice) also had an origin in the Sun god
(Surya). Among other ideas, Zoroastrianism is the first monotheistic
religion that emphasizes broad concepts such as the corresponding
work of good and evil in the world, and the connection of humans
to nature. Zoroastrian practices were dominant for much of the
history of ancient Iran. In Zoroastrianism, the seven most important
Zoroastrian festivals are the six Gahambar festivals and Nowruz,
which occurs at the spring equinox. According to Mary Boyce, "It
seems a reasonable surmise that Nowruz, the holiest of them all,
with deep doctrinal significance, was founded by Zoroaster himself";
although there is no clear date of origin. Between sunset on the
day of the sixth Gahambar and sunrise of Nowruz, Hamaspathmaedaya
(later known, in its extended form, as Frawardinegan; and today
known as Farvardigan) was celebrated. This and the Gahambars are
the only festivals named in the surviving text of the Avesta.
The 10th-century scholar Biruni, in his work Kitab al-Tafhim li
Awa'il Sina'at al-Tanjim, provides a description of the calendars
of various nations. Besides the Iranian calendar, various festivals
of Greeks, Jews, Arabs, Sabians, and other nations are mentioned
in the book. In the section on the Iranian calendar, he mentions
Nowruz, Sadeh, Tirgan, Mehrgan, the six Gahambars, Farvardigan,
Bahmanja, Esfand Armaz and several other festivals. According
to him, "It is the belief of the Iranians that Nowruz marks
the first day when the universe started its motion." The
Persian historian Gardizi, in his work titled Zayn al-Akhbar,
under the section of the Zoroastrians festivals, mentions Nowruz
(among other festivals) and specifically points out that Zoroaster
highly emphasized the celebration of Nowruz and Mehrgan.
Achaemenid
period :

A
bas-relief at the Apadana, Persepolis, depicting Armenians bringing
their famous wine to the king
Although the word Nowruz is not recorded in Achaemenid inscriptions,
there is a detailed account by Xenophon of a Nowruz celebration
taking place in Persepolis and the continuity of this festival
in the Achaemenid tradition. Nowruz was an important day during
the Achaemenid Empire (c. 550–330 BCE). Kings of the different
Achaemenid nations would bring gifts to the King of Kings. The
significance of the ceremony was such that King Cambyses II's
appointment as the king of Babylon was legitimized only after
his participation in the referred annual Achaemenid festival.
It has been suggested that the famous Persepolis complex, or at
least the palace of Apadana and the Hundred Columns Hall, were
built for the specific purpose of celebrating a feast related
to Nowruz.
In 539 BCE, the Jews came under Iranian rule, thus exposing both
groups to each other's customs. According to the Encyclopædia
Britannica, the story of Purim as told in the Book of Esther is
adapted from an Iranian novella about the shrewdness of harem
queens, suggesting that Purim may be an adoption of Iranian New
Year. A specific novella is not identified and Encyclopædia
Britannica itself notes that "no Jewish texts of this genre
from the Persian period are extant, so these new elements can
be recognized only inferentially". Purim is celebrated within
a few weeks of Nowruz as the date of Purim is based on a lunar
calendar, while Nowruz occurs at the spring equinox. It is possible
that the Jews and Iranians of the time may have shared or adopted
similar customs for these holidays.
Arsacid
and Sassanid periods :
Nowruz was the holiday of Arsacid dynastic empires who ruled Iran
(248 BCE–224 CE) and the other areas ruled by the Arsacid
dynasties outside of Parthia (such as the Arsacid dynasties of
Armenia and Iberia). There are specific references to the celebration
of Nowruz during the reign of Vologases I (51–78 CE), but
these include no details. Before Sassanids established their power
in Western Asia around 300 CE, Parthians celebrated Nowruz in
autumn, and the first of Farvardin began at the autumn equinox.
During the reign of the Parthian dynasty, the spring festival
was Mehrgan, a Zoroastrian and Iranian festival celebrated in
honor of Mithra.
Extensive records on the celebration of Nowruz appear following
the accession of Ardashir I, the founder of the Sasanian Empire
(224–651 CE). Under the Sassanid emperors, Nowruz was celebrated
as the most important day of the year. Most royal traditions of
Nowruz, such as royal audiences with the public, cash gifts, and
the pardoning of prisoners, were established during the Sassanid
era and persisted unchanged until modern times.
After the Muslim conquest :
Nowruz,
along with the mid-winter celebration Sadeh, survived the Muslim
conquest of Persia of 650 CE. Other celebrations such as the Gahambars
and Mehrgan were eventually side-lined or only observed by Zoroastrians.
Nowruz became the main royal holiday during the Abbasid period.
Following the demise of the caliphate and the subsequent re-emergence
of Iranian dynasties such as the Samanids and Buyids, Nowruz became
an even more important event. The Buyids revived the ancient traditions
of Sassanian times and restored many smaller celebrations that
had been eliminated by the caliphate. The Iranian Buyid ruler
'Adud al-Dawla (r. 949–983) customarily welcomed Nowruz
in a majestic hall, decked with gold and silver plates and vases
full of fruit and colorful flowers. The King would sit on the
royal throne, and the court astronomer would come forward, kiss
the ground, and congratulate him on the arrival of the New Year.
The king would then summon musicians and singers, and invited
his friends to gather and enjoy a great festive occasion.
Later Turkic and Mongol invaders did not attempt to abolish Nowruz.
Contemporary
era :
Before
the collapse of the Soviet Union, Iran was the only country that
officially observed the ceremonies of Nowruz. When the Caucasian
and Central Asian countries gained independence from the Soviets,
they also declared Nowruz as a national holiday.
Nowruz was added to the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage of Humanity in 2010. To commemorate the UN recognition,
Iran unveiled a commemorative postage stamp during the first International
Nowruz Celebrations in Tehran on Saturday, 27 March 2010.
Locality :
Traditional costume for Nawriz in Kazakhstan.
The
festival of Nowruz is celebrated by many groups of people in the
Black Sea basin, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Western Asia, central
and southern Asia, and by Iranians worldwide.
Places
where Nowruz is a public holiday include :
• Afghanistan
• Albania
• Azerbaijan (five days)
• Georgia
• Iran (thirteen days)
• Iraqi Kurdistan
• Kazakhstan (four days)
• Kosovo
• Kyrgyzstan
• Bayan-Ölgii, Mongolia
• Tajikistan (four days)
• Turkmenistan (two days)
• Uzbekistan
Nowruz in Bharat (India) :
In
Bharat Nowruz is celebrated but in a different way. It is dedicated
to Goddess Durga.
(Lot
of deities like Ishtar, Astarte, Inana, Lilith, Kadesh, Qudhu
and Hathor are shown riding a lion like the Hindu goddess Durga.)
There
is a festival connected with Goddess Durga called Navratri where
for 9 days Navratri is celebrated.
There
are 4 Navratri in a year :
1. Shardiya Navratri (September-October),
2. Basanti Navratri (March-April),
3. Ashadh Navratri (Jun-July) and,
4. Paush/Magh Navratri (Jan-Feb)
1st and 2nd one is celebrated all over India in different forms
by common Hindu people. While 3rd and 4th one is not celebrated
by common people. Sadhu, Muni, rishi who are follower of Shakta
branch of Hinduism do penance and worship Shakti form of Brahm
(supreme power).
Besides religious importance of Navratri if you notice all navratri
occurs at transition of Season change.
4 season change is correspond to 4 navratri :
1. Shardiya Navratri (start of sharad ritu (mild winter season)
just after monsoon),
2. Basanti Navratri (start of spring just after winter end),
3. Ashadh Navratri (Start of monsoon just after summer) and,
4. Paush/Magh Navratri (start of harsh winter from mild one).
If you notice first two season changes are more prone to disease
and seems to be that’s why more popular and suggested for
common people.
Jaya Parvati Vrat :
Jaya
Parvati Vrat is observed in Ashada Maas by unmarried girls and
married women in Gujarat and some other Western India parts. This
vrat is observed for five days for 5, 7, 9, or maybe even 11 years.
The story or legend of Jaya Parvati vrat is associated with a
Brahmin woman who observed this vrat to get her husband free from
his curse (was not really a curse). The divine couple Lord Shiva
and Goddess Parvati is worshipped during this vrat.
Gujaratis also worship Goddess Gauri in Ashadh Maas as Gauri Vrat.
There is a legend behind the Jaya Parvati Vrat. There was a Brahmin
couple. They were devotees of Lord Shiva. They had everything
in their life but a child. They used to worship Lord Shiva every
day in the temple. Lord Shiva was propitiated with the devotion
of the couple and there was a revelation which said "My Shiva
Linga is at a certain place in the jungle. No body is performing
its puja. If you go there and perform its puja, then your wishes
will be fulfilled." The Brahmin couple was pleased when they
heard this. They went to the jungle and found out the place where
Lord Shiva's Shiva Linga was. The couple found the Linga and the
Brahmin went in search for flowers to perform the puja, where
he was bitten by a snake and fell unconscious. His wife got worried
as her husband did not return and went in search for him. She
prayed intensely for her husband's safety. Lord Shiva saw the
true devotion of the Brahmin woman and brought her husband back
to consciousness. Later, the couple prayed at the Linga and they
were blessed with a son.
Vrat :
When observing Jaya Parvati vrat, one cannot eat tomatoes, spices,
salt, and vegetables. It is believed that Jaya Parvati vrat brings
happiness and blesses the girl with a good husband and a happy
married life.
On the first day of the vrat, wheat seeds (javaara) are planted
in a small bowl/pot and kept by the temple in the house. Prayers
are then offered to the javaar pot. A nagla (a necklace made from
cotton wool) is decorated with vermillion (kumkum). This ritual
is carried out every morning and the wheat seeds are watered.
On the last day, the women who have observed the fast have to
remain awake the whole night of the fifth day called as jagran.
On the sixth day the javara are taken out of the pot are immersed
in the holy waters of rivers or ponds after taking a bath and
wearing beautiful dresses; offer prayers at Mataji's temple and
break the fast by eating a full meal consisting of salt, chapaatis
made of wheat, and vegetables.
Here
we can see the common similirities in Aryan traditions but because
of the invasions and seperation of lands into different countries
a lot is lost but time has now come to rebuild the lost traditions
and alliances.