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What do Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Kurdistan, India (Parsis), Iran, Iraq, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have in common?
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Naw-Rúz !!!
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Naw-Rúz (also spelled Nōrouz, Nōwruz, Nōrooz and differently by different nations/people) meaning ‘New Day’ [1] is the name of the Iranian/Persian New Year in the Iranian calendar and widely referred to as the ‘Persian New Year’. Since ancient times it has been the great national holiday of Iran, the only New Year holiday celebrated by more than one religious group.
Naw-Rúz is celebrated on the day of the astronomical northward equinox, which usually occurs on March 21 or the previous/following day, depending on where it is observed. Since the Achaemenid era (550–330 BC) the official year has begun with the New Day when the sun leaves the zodiac of Pisces and enters the zodiacal sign of Aries, signifying the Spring Equinox.
Naw-Rúz and Mehregan, the corresponding festival of the autumnal equinox in September, are the two great annual festivals of Iran from pre- Zoroastrianism.
Originated from Zoroastrian customs in Iran (600+ BC), Naw-Rúz is celebrated rather like the Christian Easter, with many symbols indicating spring and renewal. One of the best-known customs of Naw-Rúz is the haft-sin/the-seven-S’. These are seven objects beginning with the letter `S’ in Persian, decoratively arranged on a table. There are many contradictory versions of haft-sin‘s history. The one which makes the most sense was eloquently written by Mr. Farhad Mohit in the article, In Search of the Haft-Sin.
Two weeks before Naw-Rúz, lentils (or wheat, barley, mung bean) are soaked in water to sprout, and to be used as one of seven S’, sabzeh (sproust) for haft-sin.
Sofreh’ye Haft-Sin – Haft-Sin Table Decoration
sabzeh-sprouts, senjed-silver berry/oleaster fruit, serkeh-vinegar,
sib-apple, sir-garlic, sombol-hyacinth flower,
somaq-ground sumac berries
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On the day of Naw-Rúz, the family gathers in new or freshly cleaned clothes, around a table decorated with sweets, fruits, mixed nuts, colored eggs, other treats, and a Holy Book (of one’s Faith), counting down the precise time to the equinox. As soon as the “New Day ” starts, elders give younger people gifts, traditionally gold or silver mint coins.
Naw-Rúz is celebrated for 12 days during which time visits are exchanged with relations and friends, beginning at the home of the eldest in order to the youngest. The celebrations end on the 13th day of Naw-Rúz with a picnic in the country, called sizdah-bedar [2].
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Naw-Rúz is a major Holy Day for Bahá’ís. Baha’is of different nationalities in more than 200 countries and territories around the world celebrate this day. The day is fixed as the 21st day of March for Bahá’ís in all countries, regardless of exactly what time the equinox occurs. It is celebrated after a 19-day fast, at sunset, March 20 (In the Baha’i calendar, days begin and end at sunset.) It is elaborately celebrated by a community gathering or as a multi-community event. March 21 is a Holy Day and work is to be suspended.
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–The UN General Assembly Resolution in 2010 recognized the International Day of Naw-Rúz, describing it as a spring festival of Persian origin which has been celebrated for over 3,000 years in Iran and other countries. During the meeting of The Inter-governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage of the United Nations, held 2009 in Abu Dhabi, Naw-Rúz (Nowrouz) was officially registered on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. –
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Naw-Rúz Dishes
Dolmeh’ye Barg’e Mo — stuffed grape leave
Reshteh Polo — Rice cooked with noodles
Sabzi Polo va Mahi — Rice with green herbs and fish
Kuku Sabzi — Herbs (parsley, dill, coriander, chives) fritatta, served with sabzi polo
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Over the next few weeks, this blog will concentrate on preparing for ‘Naw-Rúz’.
Posts will include preparation of traditional dishes and I will incorporate some sweets!
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[1] Nō (old Persian nava) means “new” and has the following cognates, in English new, Latin novus, German neu, and Sanskrit nava. The Persian pronunciation differs in many dialects of the language: while eastern dialects have preserved the original diphthong [næuˈɾoːz], western dialects usually pronounce it with a different diphthong [nouˈɾuːz], and some colloquial variants (such as the Tehrani accent) pronounce it with a monophtong [noˈɾuːz].
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[2] Sizdah’bedar/13-bedar: Persian, bedar short for raftan’e beh dar’o dasht (going outdoors to the countryside), leaving the house on the 13th day of the New Year and joyfully spending the day outdoors has been considered a tradition.
Sizdah-bedar
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One of the cute traditions/superstitions of 13-bedar is that young women tie together blades of grass in hopes of finding ideal husbands. This gesture represents nuptials between a man and a woman. As young women tie blades, they recite: Sizdah bedar, sal-e degar, khaneye shohar, bacheh be baqal (sizdah bedar, next year, at my husband’s house, our baby in my arms). I have seen men secretly tie grass in hopes of finding a girlfriend.
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Enjoy this contemporary Iranian dance performed by Mariam accompanied by Neema Hekmat/Santur & Amir Abbas/Tombak
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Happy New Day!
Thank you! Happy Spring to you too!
Enjoyed this post! I’m quite interested in different cultures! Thanks for visiting my blog and for the like!
Thank you very much, and for visiting my blog too.
Fae.
Wonderful post – great to learn as always! I adore Persian food and on a recent trip to Birmingham (UK) found the most wonderful Persan restaurant there!!
I’m sure the restaurant would have a haft-sin decoration set for the Naw-Ruz.:)
Thank you,Fae; I only knew of this in the most general terms.I love the ‘grass-tying’.I love any time where the celebration is food, friend, family!!!
Thank you for the lovely comment, Tonette.
Amazing photos…I just want to Pin them all!! Good work
Thank you. For this post, I borrowed the photos/video from the available sources.
thanx for sharing …love ‘em!! and many many many thanx for comments
Thank you for sharing Fae, I was always hoping to be invited by my Persian acquaintances but I wasn’t. I love the whole idea of it.
On behalf of my people, I apologize that they did not share this wonderful celebration with more friends/acquaintances. Until we someday meet, for now, ride with me vicariously through my posts. ♡ Fae.
Thank you for the culture lesson Fae!
Thank you, Tina.
Fae, beautiful and interesting post. I love traditions and beliefs! Loving the New Day feast and the blades of grass!! As always, stunning photos
Thank you, Judy. One way how we get to know about each other, is by storytelling.
Love this post Fae!I had no idea about this holiday..It is great to get up in the morning and learn something new!Love the tradition of tieing together blades of grass!
Thank you, Charlotte. I have tied grass a time or two in my youth!
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Loved this posting and dancing. So many thanks for sharing it with us. Much love,
Feri
Dearest Feri, Hope you, your Kilimanjaro climbing Hubby and the Girls are all fine. I enjoyed writing about it too. I’m posting dolmeh next, which brought me to the lovely memory of your Mom (once we exchanged dolmeh recipes). My best to everyone. ♡ Fae.
Hey Fae,
Thanks for sharing this information. You commented about the lunar calendar..it is more accurate to the calender we use today. If you believe in a Higher power, the Vatican has a lot to answer for.
Anyhow Fae, thanks for the insights from your post. This can make us see the people in the Middle East in a different light, instead of through the politicians eyes. Chef Randall
Thank you, and you made some good comments, Randall.
So looking forward to your recipes!
How blinkered are we? I’d never heard of this New Year until your post. Can’t wait to find out more about it.
Thank you, Johnny! It is known to be the oldest solar calendar, until the Vatican switched it to the Gregorian calendar (to adjust to Christ’s birthday… long story) for Christians. In the last century, countries which were on the lunar calendar switched to the Gregorian calendar to synchronize with the American/European calendar for business purposes.
Fascinating and gorgeous photos Fae!
Thank you, Cindy!
How lovely to see the dance & I can’t wait for the navroz recipe when iPhone cut me off
I am working on some ideas in queue.
khodahafez ! Thank you for posting this wonderful post … and I loved the dancing too!
Merci! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Fae.
Fab post! Love the images, specially the sizdah-bedar collage, it’s so vivid and fun. (But mon dieu, you have already started on the Norooz postings? ’tis more than a month away! I’m planning mine for March … )
Sweet Azita, I’m not as fast as I used to be. I have some post ideas I’m working on, in a queue, which takes time. If I start in March, Naw-Ruz would zip by me.
))) I am really looking forward to “Azita original” Norooz posts. Should I post anything which is similar to what you have in mind (after all, we are celebrating the same Nowruz) please post your artistic entertaining flavor. Varieties of perspectives will increase the rich regard we have for our special Norouz. 
))) ♡ Fae.
I love this post, it has brought back many memories of celebrating, I love the food and still to this day try to make Persian dishes often.
Great! Let’s celebrate together with nostalgic memories!