Springtime has a certain allure to it, as does the possibility of fresh beginnings. Iranians welcome the beginning of spring on the first day of the vernal equinox, which is known as the Iranian new year. The vernal equinox marks the astrological beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
Stay with Zhinmag to be familiar with the Iranian new year.
Iranian New Year; Nowruz
The name Nowruz translates to “new day.” New Year’s Day is known as Nowruz in Persian and is celebrated on the 20th or 21st of March every year, much like the Chinese New Year. Nowruz, an UN-recognized cultural landmark, has nothing to do with any particular faith or religious belief. There are actually astronomical reasons for this.
More than three thousand years have passed since the Iranians first celebrated Nowruz. There are many similarities between Nowruz and Zoroastrians, who practiced the ancient culture of Persia prior to the arrival of Islam.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re living in Iran or anywhere else in the world, Nowruz emerges with its unique set of customs.
Read More: Nowruz | Happy Persian New Year 2022 + Meaning + Messages
Iranian New Year; Haft Seen
Nowruz is symbolized by the Haft Seen table. Iranians set out seven objects that begin with the letter “S” in Farsi in order to create this table. Additionally, they include objects such as:
- Mirror
- Candle
- The holy book of Quran
- Poetry of Hafez
- Coibn
- Decorated eggs
- Goldfish
Seasonal Hyacinth flowers. They all represent riches, happiness, success, and fresh starts in various ways.
- Sabze, also known as wheat grasses, represents the regeneration of life, as well as wealth and expansion. A few days before Nowruz, ancient Iranians grew their own Sabze in flat plates from wheat or lentil seeds. Also, many Nowruz marketplaces around the nation sell Sabze.
- Samanu is a Persian dessert prepared from wheat sprouts that are both sweet and savory. It’s a representation of life’s little pleasures and delights.
- Senjed, a tasty silver fruit, is a romance sign. This fruit is dried and delicious.
- The red color of Sumaq symbolizes the color of the morning before the sun rises. Thus, it symbolizes the triumph of brightness over darkness.
- Serkeh or vinegar is a symbol of tolerance, knowledge, and old age.
- The red apple, sometimes known as a sib, is an attractiveness symbol.
- Sir or garlic is a sign of good health.
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Persian New Year Food and Cuisine
When it comes to Nowruz festivities, there is a lot of emphasis on food. The traditional New year’s eve dinners might differ from area to region or even from family to family. It’s customary for Iranians to have Sabzi Polo Mahi or Reshteh Polo on Nowruz. As a result, the decision boils down to where in Iran your parents originate from.
Sabzi Polo Mahi
Sabzi Polo Mahi is a kind of Iranian rice that is prepared with fresh basil and accompanied by white fish that has been roasted, grilled, or baked. All around Iran, this meal is a symbol of the Iranian New Year and is quite famous.
Reshteh Polo
Reshteh polo, as the name suggests, is a dish consisting mostly of rice and noodles. Mix in meatloaf or pork chops to make the meal even more hearty and deliciously flavorful. Serve this dish by mixing the ingredients together with some turmeric and Iranian ginger, then cooking it. You may make a festive meal by adding raisins, almonds, and fried onions to the mix.
KuKu Sabzi
Iranian herbs omelet, also known as Kuku Sabzi, is a delicious vegetarian meal made with fresh Persian herbs. However, others prefer to eat this meal as an appetizer or as a complement to other major dishes rather than as a complete dinner on its own. Parsley, onions, and dill are the primary ingredients in Kuku Sabzi. First, to make the mixture, combine all the herbs and add several eggs. Then cook the paste in a skillet over medium-high heat. To finish the meal, scatter some almonds and barberries on top.
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Sweets for New Year’s Eve
Sweets and desserts are quite popular among Iranians. Definitely, Nowruz is the best time of year to enjoy such delicacies. Even though Iranian sweets and cakes have a wide range of regional variations, Nowruz sweets are indeed the tastiest of them all.
Pastries and sweets from each area of Iran are amazing souvenirs to take back home with you when you visit these places.
Persian Baklava
Persian Baklava is usually prepared with olive oil pastry, unlike Turkish or Lebanese Baklava, which is made using phyllo dough pieces. Bakeries in Iran make baklava in little bite-sized shapes, which they serve all year round to customers.
Honey Cashew Caramel Candies
A Nowruz tradition in Iran is to eat honey-drizzled roasted cashews, walnuts, or peanuts mixed with cardamom and rosewater.
Marzipan Berries
When it comes to white Mulberries, Persians have a strange fascination. If you want to get your hands on these rare berries, you’ll have to move quickly. Persians thus bake nutty Marzipan Berries once they’re out of season.
Persian Chickpea Cookies
It’s hard to believe how soft and delicate Chickpea Cookies are until you bite into one.
Sizdah-Bedar Foods
The festivities of Nowruz come to a conclusion on the 13th day of Nowruz. In Iran, Sizdah-Bedar means “Thirteen in the open air.” In fact, family picnics are common in the countryside. Sizdah-Bedar get-togethers are not complete without plenty of mouth-watering food. In addition, the habit of eating a lot of vegetables is common. Sizdah- Bedar’s cuisine includes the following dishes, all of which are worth trying.
Kahoo Sekanjebin
The Persian word for lettuce leaves is kahoo. Sekanjebin is a vinegar-honey syrup compound term. Many believe this meal to be a strange Persian cuisine because of its unique blend of ingredients.
It is also customary to exchange and consume this mixture on Sizdah-Bedar, which is a holiday in the Iranian calendar.
Baghali Polo
Baghali is a word in Farsi that means wide beans. On the other hand, Polo is a kind of rice. Cooked rice, wide beans, fresh and dried parsley, and salt and pepper make up the bulk of this meal. While this meal is best served with meat, such as parmesan chicken, you may also enjoy it vegetarian-style with yogurt and Salad-Shirazi.
An Iranian dish known as Ash Reshteh is a substantial noodle soup made with yogurt whey, beans, vegetables, and sometimes a robust meat broth. It’s an excellent choice for a picnic lunch on Sizdah-Bedar with large gatherings of family members and friends in the evening.
How Are the Festivities of Nowruz in Other Countries?
Let’s see how people throughout the world celebrate Nowruz.
Iranian New Day Celebration
The festivities in Iran lasted for two weeks. During Khaneh Tekani, people clean their houses carefully and buy new garments, which marks the beginning of the Eid celebrations. For both their homes and themselves, they reap the benefits of these actions. Samano, for example, is one of the typical desserts that they prepare at this time of the year.
In addition to spending time with loved ones, many people dress up as Hajji Firuz, a traditional figure from the Nowruz story, to sing in the streets. Every year on Chahar Shanbeh Suri, locals light little campfires in the neighborhoods and jump over them while chanting for prosperity in the next year.
Also, people often visit each other’s homes and exchange presents on this day. In the marketplaces, you may get a wide variety of Nowruz presents, including the seven things that every Iranian family should have on hand for the New Year.
Nowruz in Kurdistan
In epic poetry known as the Shahnameh, there is a narrative called Kawa, which Kurds associate with this festival.
In this story, this figure was a blacksmith who became the commander of an uprising against King Zahak, a dictatorial Assyrian ruler who oppressed his people.
He developed the celebration as a way of honoring his triumph. Kurds, like Iranians, execute ancient dances by jumping over and around bonfires. Nowruz festivities in Kurdistan are also a reminder of the Kurdish people’s struggle against injustice.
Like Iranians family gatherings in the countryside are a common way for them to spend quality time with their family.
Nowruz in the United States
Thousands in the United States also celebrate the Iranian new year. Numerous exhibits and performances of Persian art are held in addition to the celebrations that take place on university and park grounds around the country. Celebrations are mainly for Iranian-Americans, but others visit to know something about Iranian culture and to sample Iranian cuisine and art.
Iranian New Year Wishes and Greetings – Persian New Year
Here is a collection of Nowruz wishes and greetings that you may send to your Persian friend, coworkers, employer, or to anybody else who is enjoying the holiday. So, go in and get the greatest one for yourself.
- I wish you happiness and love on this lucky day. Wishing you a happy and prosperous New Year’s Day.
- This Nowruz, get rid of the hatred tree in your heart and promote the purest expression of love. Happy New Year.
- Everyone, a happy new year! Have a happy and safe holiday season.
- I wish you all the happiness and prosperity in the new year. Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful Nowruz.
- We can already hear the wind’s predictions for a better and more secure year to come. Greetings of the New Year to everybody.
- Happy New Year’s Eve to all of those celebrating. Wishing you all the best this holiday season and wish you a safe journey.
- My dearest buddy, Happy New Year. You have the opportunity to shine in the new year.
- The next Persian year is going to be a great one for you, I can guarantee it. Dear buddy, I wish you and your family a happy Iranian New Year.
- Happy New Year to you, my best buddy. Is it OK to host a big dinner on this occasion??
- Wishing you the happiest and safest New Year’s Eve possible with your loved ones. I wish everyone a pleasant Nowruz.
- It is our desire that we can use all the magnificent colours of Nowruz to decorate our lives. All the best for Nowruz to you.
