91it is Nauryz Meyramy; in Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan, it is Nau-Roz Bayrami;
and in Iran it is most popularly called
Jamshedi Noruz. However, the essence
of the festivities is the same, and they
can last for many days.
Preparations for Nowruz start with
a good spring clean. You must do away
with the dirt of the old year to be ready
to face the new one. Everything in the
home is washed, and walls are often
repainted. Families make or buy new
clothes and display fresh flowers –
particular tulips and hyacinths – which
remind them that Nowruz is the time
when Nature wakes up after the long
winter. Zoroastrians in particular will
decorate their windows and doorways
with garlands of flowers, and make
colourful patterns with powdered
dyes. The most common motifs are
fish, flowers, and stars, all of which
are considered to be auspicious.The first night of celebration is
Chaharshanbe Suri, the festival of
fire, or Red Wednesday. Historically,
fire was believed to have purifying
qualities, so it’s an occasion to light
bonfires and fireworks. The bonfires
are typically small so that people can
jump over them, cleansing themselves
symbolically in the flames. As you
do so, you recite the Persian words:
zardi ye man az to, sorkhi ye to az
man (which translates to “my yellow
is yours, your red is mine”). You are
casting off your sickness and your
problems, and replacing them with
the heat and energy of the fire.
The New Year’s Eve is an occasion
for feasting. The table is set with Haft
Seen, seven symbolic dishes which
start with the letter “S”. Each dish
correlates with a planet in our solar
system, the sun, or the moon. Coins,
mirrors, painted eggs, a bowl with abELow Boys in traditional
costume play a game of toguz
kumalak during the Persian
New Year
RighT Kurdish people celebrate
Nowruz in Diyarbakir, Turkey
Preparations for Nowruz start with a good
spring clean. You must do away with the dirt of
the old year to be ready to face the new oneCENTRAL AsiA