Ancient · Farvardin 1

Nowruz

/now-ROOZ/

نوروز

How to greet · Pure Persian

نوروزتان پیروز

Now-roo-ZE-tân pi-ROOZ

"May your Nowruz be triumphant"

پیروز (pirooz) is pure ancient Persian — victory, glory, radiance. Iranians have said this across 3,000 years of spring equinoxes.

Next Occurrence

March 21, 2027

Farvardin 1, 1406 (Persian)

290

days away

Nowruz — meaning 'New Day' in Persian — is the Iranian New Year, celebrated at the exact astronomical moment of the vernal equinox. It is one of the oldest continuously observed festivals in human history, with roots in the Zoroastrian tradition stretching back over 3,000 years. Today, it is celebrated by over 300 million people across Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Iranian diaspora worldwide.

Traditions

  • ◆Haft-Sin table: Seven items beginning with the letter 'S' in Persian, each symbolizing a cosmic principle — health, love, prosperity, patience, beauty, sunrise, and the apple of knowledge.
  • ◆Spring cleaning (Khaneh Tekani): The entire home is cleaned from corner to corner in the weeks before Nowruz — a physical and spiritual renewal.
  • ◆Chaharshanbe Suri: The last Wednesday before Nowruz, bonfires are lit and people jump over flames.
  • ◆Visiting family: For the 13-day holiday period, Iranians visit family and friends in order of age and seniority.
  • ◆Sizdah Bedar: On the 13th day, families leave home for nature — the last day of Nowruz.

Did You Know?

Nowruz was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009. The United Nations officially recognized the International Day of Nowruz in 2010.

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