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The first month of the year was called Frawardin, and the first day of Frawardin was the 'New Year's Day' or Nawruz, from which all other religious observances were reckoned – this day being, in theory, the day of the northern vernal equinox. Naw-Ruz, also spelled Nowruz as well as other variants, is an ancient Persian holiday celebrating the new year. It is one of only two festivals mentioned by Zoroaster in the Avesta, the only holy Zoroastrian scriptures written by Zoroaster himself. Nouruz, New Year's Day. In the Fasli/Bastani variant of the Zoroastrian calendar, this day is always the day of the spring equinox (nominally falling on March 21). In the Shahenshahi and Kadmi yuppa, which do not account for leap years, the New Year's Day Consequently, New Year, which originally correlated with the vernal equinox on March 21st, has since fallen earlier in the Gregorian calendar year such that it now occurs in August. Persian New Year. One of the most important holy days for Zoroastrians. The return of the spring was seen to have great spiritual significance, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil and joy over sorrow. Believers clean and decorate their homes in honor of the New Year. Naw-Ruz, also spelled Nowruz as well as other variants, is an ancient Persian holiday celebrating the new year. It is one of only two festivals mentioned by Zoroaster in the Avesta, the only holy Zoroastrian scriptures written by Zoroaster himself. Discover Navroz, the vibrant Zoroastrian New Year festival celebrated by Parsis around the world. Learn about its rich traditions, cultural significance, and how this ancient festival marks a fresh start with joy, prayers, and festive feasts. The Zoroastrian New Year, also known as Nowruz, holds great significance for the Zoroastrian community and beyond. It is a time of renewal and rebirth, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness and the arrival of spring. Welcome to the vibrant world of Khordad Sal, the Zoroastrian New Year festival that encapsulates rich traditions, deep-rooted history, and spiritual significance. The origins of Khordad Sal can be traced back to ancient Zoroastrian traditions. In their innate wisdom they chose to start the New Year on the day of Vernal Equinox (March 21), which marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Also, on this day the sun enters the constellation Aries and is directly over the equator making day and night equal. Zarathustra (also given as Zoroaster, Zartosht, Zarathustra Spitama, l. c. 1500-1000 BCE) was the Persian priest-turned-prophet who founded the religion of Zoroastrianism (also given as Mazdayasna “devotion Perhaps the most widely known among these is the ceremonial spread called the Khan-e Nowruz or the Haft Chin. It features a variety of objects that symbolize key figures and values of Zoroastrian cosmology. The arrangement of this spread -- or most of its elements -- has historically emerged as a cultural practice shared among numerous peoples across West Asia, the Caucasus, and India.View Post Zoroastrianism, ancient pre-Islamic religion of Iran with both monotheistic and dualistic elements that likely influenced the other major religions, including in angelology and eschatology. Zoroastrian communities still exist in Iran and in India, where they are known as Parsis. The Bundahishn ("Creation"), an important Zoroastrian religious text, cites the time of Zoroaster as 258 years before Alexander the Great's invasion of Persia (i.e., 588 B.C.E.). This "Traditional Date of Zoroaster" was accepted by many scholars, among them S.H. Taghizadeh (1878-1970) and W.B. Henning (1908-1967). Fire is essential to the Zoroastrian faith and is one of the Elements of Life usually represented at Nowruz celebrations. MONDAY, MARCH 21: Many ancient traditions are alive and well in diverse forms today—and that’s certainly true of the ancient Persian New Year, which becomes Norouz or Naw Ruz in various cultures that still reflect Persian customs of marking spring. Nowruz, known as the Persian new year, is one of the most ancient celebrations in history and has been celebrated for around 4000 years in what is now Iran and in the extended cultural area known as Greater Iran. It is an ancient celebration with the spring equinox as the main event occurring on 20 or 21 March every year. [Also see Pateti - Parsi New Year's Eve and the Zoroastrian calendar.] [Note*: Nowruz is sometimes called the 'Persian New Year' where 'Persian' is taken to mean 'Iranian'.] Renewal : As winter gives way to spring, as darkness gives way to light, and as dormant plants burst into blossom, Nowruz is a time of renewal, hope and joy. Preaching his new religion and conducting new rituals, Zoroaster made enemies of the elites in the society who maintained the status quo by conducting old style rituals. Zoroaster is said to have fled his homeland, arriving in Herat-Merv (today's Turkmenistan) and becoming adviser to King Vishtaspato, where the religion grew. The Zoroastrian calendar originated in ancient Persia and was developed based on the teachings of the prophet Zoroaster. It initially consisted of 12 months of 30 days each, with five additional days added at the end of the year. Over time, it underwent changes and advancements to ensure greater accuracy. Nowruz, literally “New Day”, is the Persian New Year and the most important holiday of the year for the majority of Iranians. Officially, the first four days of the New Year are a national holiday but in practice, most people take off a fortnight and the country shuts down.
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