NOWRUZ FESTIVAL

1. Context

• Nowruz beings on the first day of the Farvardin, the first month of the Iranian solar calendar at the spring equinox and continues for 12 days.
• The climax of blossoming, the anxiety of births and a festival filled with the excitement of every beginning are considered a festival of renewal, hope and happiness.
• In India, the Iranian New Year is celebrated with ardour people visit the Fire Temple, the place of worship of the Paris community, decorate their houses, prepare delicacies and perform rituals based on the movements of the sun during the day.

Image: Ajam Media Collective

3. Origins of Nowruz

• The origins of the festival are, however, unclear. Newroz from Kurdish and Persian Perspectives A comparative study delves deep into diverse cultural perceptions about the festival among Kurdish and Persian communities and what it stands for them.
• While for the Kurds, Nowruz stands as a symbol of resistance, for Persians, it is purely a cultural festival.
• It is observed as a celebration of Kurdish national identity it is more about the establishment of a state identity.
• According to Kurdish mythology, Kawa, the Blacksmith and their ancestor killed Zuhak, the tyrant, marking a new for Kurds.
• Soon after, Deiokes, who was "Chosen by seven Kurdish tribes to build the Median Empire succeeded in building the empire".
• As Kurds did not have an independent state in what is referred to as "modern history" their cultures remained influenced by the cultures of four nation-states, namely, Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria, Nowruz for them, entails a political dimension.
• Kurdish people in these four countries observe distinct rituals on the day of the festival, but one common link between these rituals is that the festival is a mark of Kurdish resistance against oppression. It is a day when they demand freedom, peace and independence.
• Kurdish people in these four countries observe distinct rituals on the day of the festival, but one common link between these rituals is that the festival is a mark of Kurdish resistance against oppression. It is a day when they "Demand freedom, peace and independence".
• Khalid's analysis also deconstructs the Persian myth for the readers. For Persians, even though they narrate the stories of Kawa and Zuhak in their folktales, they trace back the festival to Jamshid, legendary ancient rulers who "fought against winter, above the earth into the heavens and was shining like the sun".
• For Persians, it is a reminder of values that bind all people together with the aim of mutual understanding, unity and peace.
• Interestingly, these days, the festival, in both nations, stands as a "symbol of national identity" and as a tourism resource.

4. UNESCO about the Nowruz festival

• The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the International Day of Nowruz in 2010.
• The festival had also been listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016.
• Terming it a day which marks the "Renewal of nature, UNESCO describes it as a festival which promotes values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families as well as reconciliation and neighbourliness".

5. History of the Paris Community in India

• Following religious persecution in Iran, Parsis arrived in India in 936 AC and sought refuge under the Hindu King of Gujarat, Jadav Rana, according to a chronicle, Qissa-i-Sanjan, written in the 17th century.
• They continued to preserve their culture and religious identity in India, as they built the first fire temple, Atash Behram, to shelter their holy fire which they had rescued from Iran.
• The sacred fire is now located in a temple in Udvada, Gujarat, which has become the heart of the Paris culture in India.
• Surat had become a major trade centre for the community by the 16th century. A large part of this community included weavers and artisans, the British willingly conducted business in the country through the community.
• In the present times, about 70 per cent of Parsis are concentrated in Mumbai and are intimately connected to the city.

6. Parsis celebration of the festival

• Nowruz, across Central Asia, is celebrated by weaving Toran, an ornated gateway; chalk making (similar to the Hindu tradition of making rangolis), and "taking around the Loban (frankincense) in the act of ritual purity.
• The preparations begin in March with the sprouting of Sabzeh (lentil, wheat or barely) and Khane Tekani (house cleaning), followed by Kharid-i-Nowruz or shopping for Nowruz.
• Navroze necessarily entails a "Jashan" of thanksgiving in the morning a core religious ceremony which brings all creations together with the recitation from the Yasna Text.
• The Festival marks a unique site of community cohesion as the Zoroastrian community experiences the diaspora and population decline over the years.

For Prelims & Mains

Previous Year Questions