To celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on March 19, 2024, Google’s site had a bright and happy Doodle. Google Doodle honors Nowruz whose name means “new day” in Persian, is an old Iranian holiday that is held on the vernal equinox, which is the first day of spring.
During the spring equinox, the tilt of Earth’s axis is not toward or away from the sun. Because the earth is lying in a symmetrical way, there is almost the same amount of daylight and darkness at all places. It’s also the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, a time when nature renews itself and starts over.
The Doodle had a complicated design that showed parts of Persian culture, like the Haft-sin table, traditional calligraphy, and bright flower patterns. All seven of the things on this table begin with the Persian letter “sin,” which stands for ideas like rebirth, health, and wealth.
History of Nowruz
Nowruz has been enjoyed for more than 3,000 years. It started in ancient Persia, which is now Iran, and has spread to nearby Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. It has its roots in the rich cultural history of the Iranian plains, and UNESCO has named it an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Spring cleaning, visiting family and friends, exchanging gifts, and having traditional foods like sabzi polo (herbed rice) and fish are all things that people do during the festival. Families also take part in the Haft-sin ritual by putting up a table with things that represent the holiday, such as sprouts, vinegar, apples, and garlic.
Nowruz is a time for rebirth, hope, and unity that goes beyond religion and culture. As everyone celebrates the start of a new year, Google’s Doodle is a fun way to remember how this old holiday has been passed down through the years.
Over time, it spread to other places along the trade paths of the Silk Road. It is now celebrated by people of many faiths and races in Central Asia, the Middle East, and even some parts of the Balkans.
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What the holiday of Nowruz, which dates back 3,500 years, can teach us now, in 2024
Instead of becoming less important, the ideas behind this old event are more important than ever. They include starting over every year and connecting with nature during a dangerous time.
Nowruz is here, the 13-day holiday that marks the start of spring every year. Millions of people with roots in the old Persian Empire are celebrating all over the world.
Persia, which is now Iran, used to cover a huge area that went from Afghanistan and Pakistan in the east to Egypt and the Balkan Peninsula in the west. It left behind a rich cultural legacy that includes this lively party. Nowruz has been around for 3,500 years, but people who celebrate it think that its lessons, like starting over every year, loving family, and connecting with nature during a dangerous time, are more important than ever.
Google Doodle honors Nowruz started out as a holiday in Zoroastrianism, an old monotheistic faith started by the prophet Zoroaster around 500 BCE. During the Persian Empire, which lasted from about 559 to 331 BCE, the leaders of all the countries that were part of it were called together at Nowruz to bring gifts and honor the king at Persepolis. The ruins of this city can still be seen in the Iranian city of Shiraz. The kings could show their ancestors that they were doing well in this way, which is still an important part of the holiday.
Zoroastrianism was the official faith of the Persian Empire for many hundreds of years, until the Arabs took it over in 632 CE. After that, it became Muslim. But Nowruz was firmly established, and it stayed that way even when Islam took over. Over time, it changed into a holiday that people of all faiths, including Christians, Jews, and Muslims, enjoy. Today, people in Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and other countries that used to be ruled by the Persians celebrate Nowruz. So do Iranians who live in North America, Europe, and other places.
People plant beans and wheat in the weeks before Nowruz to match the shoots and buds that are coming up outside.
Nowruz has become more popular in the West as these customs have spread. Disney put out a video of Mickey Mouse talking about Nowruz last year. Big American magazines and newspapers often have food stories and recipes for Nowruz. And this year, the traveling dance party Disco Tehran will throw Nowruz parties in Berlin, Paris, and London. This is because it was so popular in Los Angeles and New York.
Google Doodle honors Nowruz whose name means “new day” in Persian, begins when the sun crosses the equator on its way north at the spring equinox. This year, it starts in New York at 23:06 on March 19 and in Tehran at 06:36 on March 20. On March 19, it starts at 03:06 in London.
Different parts of the world have their own unique Nowruz traditions. Afghanistan’s national sport is buzkashi, which is like polo but uses a goat’s body instead of a ball.
It’s not just a way to celebrate the new year; it’s what all Iranians do together.
Haleh Esfandiari is the founding head of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. She says that the holiday’s longevity comes from the fact that it is open to everyone. “Because it is a national celebration and not a religious one, it helps bring all Iranians together. It’s more than just a celebration of the new year.”
Nowruz is a holiday that means rebirth and fresh starts. Though Nowruz starts on the equinox, people start getting ready for it weeks ahead of time. Having a clean home and a good mind are both good ways to start the new year off on the right foot.
Where to have a Nowruz party
There are many ways to celebrate and learn about the holiday in cities around the world with big Iranian and Persian-American communities, such as Dubai, Toronto, London, New York, and Los Angeles. As an example:
From March 22, Disco Tehran will have dance parties in Berlin, New York, Los Angeles, London, and Paris.
For the month of Nowruz, London’s Lauderdale House is putting on an event with art shows, talks, and music.
Doing khoone takoone, which means “shaking the house” in Persian, means cleaning the house from top to bottom. This is the first step. Then, on the Wednesday before Nowruz, everyone jumps over a flame, from little kids to old people.
Google Doodle honors Nowruz is a great time to recharge because it brings the message of new starts. The British cook book author and talk show host Yasmin Khan, whose mother is from Iran, sees it as the beginning of the year. “
On Nowruz, people honor their family, both the dead and the living. They also visit each other and eat together. A This is especially true after the COVID pandemic. “I like having conversations. “It’s a good reason to get back in touch with my family,” she said. “We do an online fire jump with friends who live in different places.” We’ll each light a candle in our flat and jump over them all at the same time. It’s mostly about getting together with other people. Getting together with friends and family.”
When Nowruz starts in 2024
People have been celebrating Nowruz in the same way for thousands of years, but climate change is changing that. This undeniable proof could make people pay attention. “Everywhere you look there are rising temperatures, lack of water, the depletion of natural species,” he said. “The flowers are opening up a lot earlier.
For some reason, Nowruz is in danger right now. This might have something to do with realizing how weak our world is and how we contribute to that weakness.
Rebecca Rahimi, a TV director from New York, sees Nowruz as a time to take it easy and enjoy life. “It’s springtime, the sun is shining, and we feel one with the Earth.” It’s time to have a lunch in the park. She said, “There’s a sense of freedom.”
The holiday is very important to Rahimi, and she enjoys it every year, even when she’s not with her family. “Every year, I get my non-Persian friends together and we go to Disco Tehran.” She said, “It’s fun!”
Bimal Mardi is a Professional Content Writer. He works in First Santal Broadcast Network TV/ News channel in India. Bimal Mardi writes about Technology, Education and Tech Product Reviews
