Noruz, literally “New Day”, is the most important and cherished celebration for Iranians. It is the new day that starts the year, traditionally the exact astronomical beginning of the spring. Since the Achaemenid era (12th B.C.), the official year has begun with the New Day when the sun leaves the zodiac of Pisces and enters the zodiacal sign of Aries, a fire sign, signifying the Spring Equinox.

The moment the sun crosses the equator and equalizes night and day is calculated exactly every year and families gather together to observe the rituals. This exact second is called “Saal Tahvil”. Noruz is considered the major civil celebration of the year. Coinciding with March 20 or March 21, the first day of the first month of Farvardin, brings about a rebirth of nature. This ancient Zoroastrian spring festival of the New Year celebrates the symbolic victory of light, goodness and fire, embodied in the figure of the Wise Lord Ahura Mazda, over darkness and evil, represented by the Dark God Ahriman.

The origins of Noruz are unknown, but they go back several thousand years predating the Achaemenian Dynasty. The ancient Iranians had a festival called “Farvardgan” which lasted ten days, and took place at the end of the solar year. It appears that this was a festival of sorrow and mourning, signifying the end of life while the festival of Noruz, at the beginning of spring signified rebirth, and was a time of great joy and celebration.

What we have today as Noruz goes back to the Sassanid period. They were the last great Persian Empire before the advent of Islam 1400 years ago. Their celebrations would start five days prior to the New Year. They believed the guardian angles (Fourohars) would come down to earth within these five days to visit their human counter parts. A major spring-cleaning was carried out to welcome them with feasts and celebrations. Bon fires would be set on rooftops at night to indicate to the guardian angles that humans were ready to receive them. This was called Suri Festival.

Modern Iranians still carry out the spring-cleaning and celebrate ‘Chahar Shanbeh Suri’ (Wednesday Suri). Bon fires are made and all people will jump over the fire on the last Tuesday of the year. This is a purification rite and Iranians believe by going over the fire they will get rid of all their illnesses and misfortunes. This festival did not exist before Islam in this form and very likely is a combination of more than one ritual to make it last.

Ancient Zoroastrians would also celebrate the first five days of Noruz, but it was the sixth day that was the most important of all. This day was called the Great Noruz (Noruz e Bozorg) and is assumed to be the birthday of Zoroaster himself. Zoroastrians today still celebrate this day, but it has lost its significance for the rest of the Iranians. In Sassanian period the New Year would be celebrated for 21 days and on the 19th day there would be another major festival. Modern Iranians celebrate New Year for 13 days only.

A few days before Noruz colorfully dressed male troubadours known as ‘Haji Firouz’ appear in public and announce the coming of the New Year. They are normally dressed in bright red or green and blacken their face. They carry a small percussion instrument called ‘dayereh zangy’. They sing and dance and recite popular songs about Noruz. They are very ancient in origin. Biruni mentions Firouz as a spirit protector of dead and the figure very likely was part of the celebrations welcoming the dead ancestors, hence the black face. They are very popular and there are recorded tapes of amusing songs that normally accompany the figures. All dance groups outside the country are performing Haji Firouz shows during Noruz celebrations.

It is customary for all to take a bath and cleanse themselves thoroughly before Noruz. This is a purification rite but has lost its meaning with modern life. New garments are worn to emphasis newness and freshness, and this is very important since Noruz is a feast of hope and renewal. Till twentieth century kings were expected to present their staff with new garments. Very expensive and elaborate garments indicated that the king favored the person. Soldiers, servants and slaves also received new summer and winter clothing at this time.

Families stay home and wait for the start of the New Year at the exact time the spring equinox starts. The time the New Year starts changes every year and is called ‘Tahvil’ (revolution) and the day is around 20th of March. The first few minutes are spent around an elaborately prepared spread with several items and objects known as ‘Haft Sin’ (seven ‘s’). More religious people will read or recite verses from their holy books just before the start of the New Year.

Once the New Year is announced (on the radio or TV) the younger members of the family will pay respect to the elders by wishing them a merry New Year and sometimes kissing their hands (a sign of ultimate respect). Relatives kiss and hug and presents (traditionally cash or coins) are exchanged. Sweets are offered to symbolically sweeten lives for the rest of the year. In fact the discovery of sugar is believed to have happened in Noruz. The legendary king Jamshid discovered the sugar cane accidentally.

This happened in Noruz, once he realized how tasty and sweet it is he ordered its production. It was also a tradition to give small sugar cones as presents to each other at this time. Small sugar cones were sold in Bazaars till very recently but they are going out of fashion. A small mirror is passed around rose water is sprinkled into the air and Espand a popular incense is burnt, to keep the evil eye away and to purify space. In more traditional families the father and the first born son will walk around the house with a lit candle and a small mirror to ritually bless the physical space. Lit candles on the spread are left to burn till they are finished. The first few days are spent visiting older members of the family, relatives and friends. Children receive presents; sweets and special meals are consumed. Traditionally the night before the New Year, most Iranians will have ‘Sabzi Polo Mahi’; rice cooked with fresh herbs served with smoked and freshly fried fish. ‘Kokou Sabzi’, a mixture of fresh herbs with eggs fried or baked is also served. The next day rice and noodles ‘Reshteh Polo’ will be consumed. Regional variations exist and very colorful feasts are prepared.

A major part of the New Year rituals is setting a special table with seven specific items present, Haft Sin (Haft chin, seven crops before Islam). In the ancient times seven items corresponded to each of the seven creations and the seven holy immortals protecting them. Today they are changed and modified but some have kept their symbolism. All the seven items start with the letter ‘S’; this was not the order in ancient times. Zoroastrians today do not have the seven ‘S’ but they have the ritual of growing seven seeds. The ancient Iranians also grew seven seeds as a reminder that this is the seventh feast of the creation, while their sprouting into new growth symbolized the festival’s other aspect as a feast of resurrection and of eternal life to come.

Muslim historians mention that “for the king the site of growing barley was particularly deemed a blessing and the harvest of the green shoots was always accompanied with songs, music and mirth. In Vis u Ramin a Sassanian love story that has survived into medieval Persian, it is mentioned that “though the king’s banquet was splendid, others were no less so. Everyone had gone from his house to the country. From every garden, field and river a different variety of music charmed the ear”.

In the ancient times twenty-five days before New Year, 12 large cylindrical shaped containers made from raw brick were erected in the city center. Different seeds were planted in each including wheat, barley, lentil, chickling and rice. On the sixth of Farvardin, the new growths were pulled out and scattered around with music songs and dancing. Biruni has mentioned this was done to estimate the growth of various seeds for the new season and to know how good a crop they could expect in the coming year. All people also used to grow seven seeds in their own homes. Iranians today still plant tulips, daisies, pansies and violets and many others depending on the location before Noruz, but the tradition of growing seven seeds is not practiced.

Wheat or barley representing new growth and plant life is grown in a flat dish ten to twelve days before the New Year and is called ‘Sabzeh’ (meaning green shoots). Decorated with colorful ribbons it is kept till the last day and will be disposed off on ‘Seezdeh beh dar’, the 13th day while outdoors. Hyacinth is always present, it also represents plant life and it is also used for its perfume. A few red live gold fish (the most easily obtainable animal) are placed in a fish bowl. In the old days they would be returned to the riverbanks, but today most people will keep them till they die. There is no known symbolism attached to the color red, however red goldfish is the most abundant fish available. Mirrors are placed on the spread with lit candles as a symbol of fire. Zoroastrians today place the lit candle in front of the mirror to increase the reflection of the light. Mirrors were significant items in Zoroastrian symbolism art and architecture, and still are an integral part of most Iranian celebrations including marriage ceremony. They are used extensively in Iranian mystical literature as well and represent self-reflection. All Iranian burial shrines are still extensively decorated with mirrors, a popular decorative style of the ancient times. Light is regarded as sacred by the Zoroastrians and the use of mirrors multiplies the reflection of the light and at the same time represents sky or heavens. Wine was always present, after the Muslim conquest it has been replaced by vinegar (serkeh) since alcohol is banned in Islam.

Egg a universal symbol of fertility corresponding to the mother earth, Sepanta Armaiti is still present. The eggs are hard-boiled and traditionally are colored in red, green or yellow, colors favored by Zoroastrians. Recently following the Easter Egg tradition, any color is used and they are elaborately decorated. Nineteenth century accounts mention the popular belief that if an egg is placed on a flat mirror, it will rotate by itself at the exact time of ‘Tahvil’. As children most Iranians have spent a great deal of time observing and putting the above hypothesis to test with no results!

The eggs are offered to children as treats. Fresh garlic (seer) is used to warn off bad omen. This is a modern introduction. There is no evidence that it was used in this context before. However the ancient Iranians would grow seven different herbs for the New Year and garlic might have been one of those. Samano a thick brownish paste is present today. It is a nutritious meal made with wheat and could have been part of the feasts. It is also possible that it has replaced Haoma. This is a scared herbal mix known for its healing properties. It was a major cult on its own with many rituals and ceremonies. The cult is still performed by the Zoroastrians today, but is abandoned by the rest of the Iranians. Coins (sekeh) symbolizing wealth and prosperity, fruits and special sweets and baked goods are present as well. Fruits including apple (sib), a sour herb called somagh and a local small fruit known as senjed (oleaster tree) are present as well and complete the seven ‘S’. Religious people have a copy of their holy book present, while others use a copy of Shahnameh or poetry by Hafez.

For the ancient Iranians, Noruz was a celebration of life. Forces of nature completely beyond them dominated people in those times. They formed a union with these forces to protect themselves. Through this union they created a balance and maintained the cosmic order Asha. Without it there would be chaos, the world of the Hostile Spirit (Ahriman). The Zoroastrians were and are required to have the same mind, the same voice and act the same way as their god the Lord of Wisdom.

They are expected to only think of good things, speak the good words and act the good deeds. This way they managed to maintain their balance and Noruz was an occasion when life with all its’ glory was celebrated and cherished. With modern Iranians, Noruz is a feast of renewal and freshness; a time to visit relatives, friends and to pay respect to the older members of the family clan. By thorough house cleaning the physical space is purified and merrymaking efforts create comfort and happiness becomes a celebration in itself. This is reminiscence of the ancient traditions when all forces of Joy were regarded as holy and venerated. Festivities will go on for 13 days and will end on the 13th day known as ‘Seezdeh beh dar’ which literally means; getting rid of the omen of the 13th day.

At the last day of the New Year celebrations, the 13th of the first month Farvardin, it is the universal custom in Iran to pass as many hours as possible outdoors. All people leave their homes to go to the parks or local plains for a very festive picnic. It is a must to spend this day in nature and the occasion is called ‘Seezdeh be dar’ (getting rid of the omen of the 13th day). It is generally believed that if people stay home something bad can happen.

This day was not celebrated in this manner before Islam and might be several rituals in one. It is possible that this day was devoted to the deity Tishtrya (Tir) protector of rain. In Zoroastrian calendar each day is named after a deity and this particular day in the month of Farvardin is named after Tishtrya. In the past there were outdoor festivities to pray to this Eyzad in hope of rain that was essential for agriculture. The act of throwing away the Sabzeh from Haft Sin into rivers and running waters on this day also indicates veneration for a water deity. The act symbolically represents an offering made to such a deity.

However Anahita was the goddess protector of running waters and not Tishtrya. It appears that at least part of the celebration is to pay respect to some water deity. Tishtrya/rain or Anahita/water are likely mixed together to preserve veneration for water deities in general. In ancient mythology the deity Vata the rain-bringer was associated with Harahvati Aredvi Sura, which means possessing waters (Anahita is a later assimilation of this deity). She personified a mythical river and all rivers flow out of this one. Clouds also took up rain from the same mythical river every year. Tishtrya goes to the river once per year in shape of a white stallion to fight the Demon of Dearth appearing in shape of a black stallion. After Trishtrya’s victory he rushes into the sea and water is hurried all over, and Vata snatches some for the clouds. The rest of the water is mixed with seeds of plants, which sprout as the rain falls. Ancient Iranian rituals quite often enacted their mythologies, waters were respected and many rites existed with respect to waters. It is very likely that several of these were combined to preserve some aspect of the ancient celebrations venerating waters. Till 19th century there was horse racing on this day which very likely represented the fight between the two stallions.

Iranians today regard this day as bad omen and believe that by going into the fields and parks they avoid the misfortunes that could befall on them. This notion is contrary to the Zoroastrian doctrine where all days were regarded as sacred and were named after venerated deities. According to Muslim’s popular belief the 13th day of the month is a day with unfortunate consequences (nahs in Islamic terminology), therefore Iranians could have combined the two. By going outdoors into the fields the ancient festivities were observed while the Islamic ideas are also incorporated into the occasion. Muslims today still have a prayer for rain called ‘namaz e baran’, which is used at times of prolonged drought. In year 2000 there were huge communal prayers organized in Iran with the said prayers during the water crisis in Iran.

All kinds of food and delicacies are prepared with tea, local drinks, fruits, bread, cheese and fresh herbs, noodle soup called ‘ash e reshteh’ and herbed rice with lamb (baghale polo & bareh) are favorites. The wealthy Iranians will spend the day in their country homes and estates, while the entire day will be spent in their gardens. The occasion is a communal one and all close relatives and friends will participate. Wheat or barley shoots (Sabzeh) that are grown especially for New Year and are kept throughout the festivities are discarded in nature mainly in running waters and small rivers at the end of the day. The picnic ends with the setting of the sun. The occasion has no religious significance and is celebrated by all.

With the more modern Iranians there is music and dancing while most people will play games and sports. It is also believed that unwed girls can wish for a husband by going into the fields and tying a knot between green shoots, symbolizing a marriage knot. The day should be spent joyfully with no quarrels or bad feelings and all things unpleasant are avoided to make sure nothing bad will happen.

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