Nowruz - March 20-21, the Persian New Year on the spring equinox

Nowruz on March 20-21 is the Persian / Iranian New Year on the spring equinox. It is one of the largest holidays in the Iranian cultural sphere, celebrated by approximately 300 million people across a dozen countries.

The one-line summary

Persian New Year on the spring equinox (March 20-21). Rooted in Zoroastrian tradition, predating Islam by more than a millennium. Celebrated by approximately 300 million people across Iran, Central Asia, and the Iranian diaspora.

Origin

Nowruz is rooted in Zoroastrian tradition, the ancient Iranian religion that was dominant in Persia before the Arab conquest of the 7th century CE. The festival is attested in Achaemenid-period records (6th-4th century BCE) and is associated with the mythic kings Jamshid (in the Shahnameh) and (in Zoroastrian texts) Ahura Mazda. The day marks the symbolic triumph of light over darkness and the renewal of the natural world.

After the Islamic conquest of Persia, Nowruz was preserved as a cultural (rather than religious) festival and became a marker of Iranian identity across the Islamic world. Unlike many religious festivals, Nowruz retained its pre-Islamic ritual structure even as the population became Muslim majority.

The Haft-sin table

The Haft-sin (seven S's) is the ceremonial table laid for Nowruz. Each item on the table starts with the letter S in Persian and carries a symbolic meaning. The seven traditional items are: sabzeh (sprouted wheat or lentil grass, symbolizing rebirth); samanu (sweet wheat pudding, symbolizing wealth); senjed (dried oleaster fruit, symbolizing love); seer (garlic, symbolizing medicine); seeb (apple, symbolizing beauty and health); somaq (sumac, symbolizing sunrise); and serkeh (vinegar, symbolizing age and patience).

Beyond the seven S's, the Haft-sin table typically includes a mirror (symbolizing self-reflection), painted eggs (symbolizing fertility), goldfish in a bowl (symbolizing life), a holy book (Quran, Avesta, or Bible - Nowruz is observed by Muslims, Zoroastrians, Baha'is, and Christians), candles, and a clock. The arrangement is set just before the moment of the spring equinox and is traditionally not touched until the new year has begun.

Chaharshanbe Suri (the fire festival)

Chaharshanbe Suri (literally "Red Wednesday") is the fire-jumping festival held on the last Wednesday before Nowruz. Participants light small bonfires in public spaces, jump over the flames while reciting a traditional verse asking the fire to exchange its warmth (health) for the jumper's pallor (sickness or misfortune). The festival has its roots in Zoroastrian purification rituals and is widely observed across Iran and the Iranian diaspora.

Chaharshanbe Suri is also associated with the tradition of fereydoun or ghashogh-zani - adults disguised in costumes (often with masks) who go door-to-door asking for treats and startling passersby, particularly children. The festival is associated with fire department responses for fire-related injuries, and many cities now designate official public bonfire locations to limit accidental fires.

Sizdah Bedar (the 13th day)

The Nowruz celebration officially runs 13 days, ending on the 13th day after the spring equinox, called Sizdah Bedar (literally "thirteenth outdoors"). On Sizdah Bedar, families picnic outdoors to mark the end of the new year festivities. The sabzeh (wheatgrass) grown for the Haft-sin table is traditionally thrown into a stream or river on this day, symbolically taking any remaining misfortune with it.

Sizdah Bedar is one of the largest outdoor days of the year in Iran. Parks, gardens, and rural areas fill with families for the day; the official holiday for Sizdah Bedar is itself a national day off in Iran.

How it is observed

Preparation begins weeks in advance: house cleaning (Khooneh takouni), shopping for new clothes, and growing the sabzeh (wheatgrass). At the moment of the equinox, families gather around the Haft-sin table and exchange visits. The first day (often the official day off) is spent with immediate family; the days that follow with extended family, friends, and elders. Traditional foods include sabzi polo (herbed rice) with fish (the fish symbolizing the zodiac sign of Pisces and the end of winter), ash reshteh (a thick noodle and herb soup), kuku sabzi (herb frittata), and various regional sweets.

Legal status

Nowruz is a public holiday in Iran (the largest holiday of the year), Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, parts of Iraq (especially Kurdistan), parts of Turkey, and several Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan). It is not a US federal holiday but is widely observed by Iranian-American communities, especially in California (Tehran Boulevard in Beverly Hills hosts large celebrations).

International recognition

The UN General Assembly recognized Nowruz in 2010 (Resolution 64/253) and proclaimed the International Day of Nowruz on March 21 each year. UNESCO inscribed Nowruz on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.

Nowruz by the numbers

Sources

• UNESCO, "Nowruz": ich.unesco.org
• United Nations, International Day of Nowruz (March 21): un.org
• Wikipedia, "Nowruz": en.wikipedia.org
• Related: Reformation Day (German fall holiday that some compare to Nowruz as a cultural rather than religious observance).

History of Nowruz

Nowruz (literally "new day") is the Persian New Year, celebrated on the vernal equinox (around March 20-21). The holiday has roots in Zoroastrianism and has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years. Nowruz is observed in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kurdish regions of Iraq, Syria, and Turkey, as well as by diaspora communities worldwide.

Nowruz rituals

Nowruz is marked by family gatherings, the preparation of a haft-sin table with seven symbolic items (mirror, apple, wheat or barley sprouts called sabzeh, dried fruits, vinegar, sumac, and senjed or garlic), fire-jumping traditions (Chaharshanbe Suri on the Tuesday before Nowruz), and gift-giving to children. Nowruz has been inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Nowruz FAQs

• When is Nowruz? On or around March 20-21, the vernal equinox.
• Where is it observed? Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Kurdish regions, and diaspora communities.
• Is it a public holiday? Yes, in Iran, Central Asian countries, and Kurdistan.
• What is the haft-sin? A ceremonial table with seven symbolic items.

UNESCO recognition

Nowruz was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009. The joint nomination by Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan recognised Nowruz as a shared cultural heritage across the region.

The UN has also recognised Nowruz as an international holiday. The UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 64/253 in 2010 recognising March 21 as the International Day of Nowruz. The UN's celebration includes events at UN headquarters and regional offices.