Written by: Waseem Abbas
Posted on: March 20, 2024 | 
| 中文
Rasam-e-Daada is a popular Nowruz celebration in Gilgit Baltistan
Nowruz marks the beginning of a new year and spring for many communities around the world, especially the people residing around the ancient Silk Roads. Celebrated by approximately around 300 million people, this festival has Zoroastrian roots and a history of over 2500 years. Nowruz is a combination of two Persian words, ‘now’ means ‘new’ and ‘ruz’ means 'day', which makes it a celebration of the new year. Nowruz is celebrated on either the 20th or 21st of March, the spring equinox, the day that marks the arrival of longer days and warmer weather, bidding farewell to winter.
A man painting huge eggs on Nowruz in Tehran, while a group takes a selfie
According to Shahnama Ferdowsi, the Nowruz festival originated during the time of the mythical King of Iran, Jamshid, who saved the world from a killer winter fated to perish humankind. Jamsheed did so by building a throne studded with gems and by elevating himself to the heavens, and from there he shone like a sun, thus neutralizing the severity of winter. Sitting in the heavens, Jamsheed proclaimed it to be a new day (Nowruz) for the people, which became a cultural festival as people have celebrated it for centuries. Some accounts say that Zarathustra, the founder of the Zoroastrian religion, was the main person behind Nowruz. The festival has spread to other parts of the world over time, and is now celebrated in South Asia, Central Asia, the Caucus, Black Sea and Western Asia by different communities. Nowruz is an official holiday in Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and another about a dozen countries. The celebration of Nowruz usually goes on for thirteen days.
Ancient Persian painting, depicting the mythical king Jamshid
Nowruz celebrations have incorporated some of the local customs and have evolved differently in various regions over time. In ancient Persia, Nowruz festivities would start four weeks before Nowruz, as each Tuesday before the Nowruz marked a unique celebration with a cultural touch. The first was known as Water Tuesday, which placed emphasize on the renewal of nature; the second was Fire Tuesday, signifying rebirth; the third was Earth Tuesday, signaling the revival of the earth; and the final was Wind Tuesday, which heralded the arrival of spring by the flowering that followed. The purification of the soul was central to Nowruz's beliefs, as people would jump over a bonfire to purify the soul and cleanse the spirits on the last Tuesday before Nowruz. Cleaning houses and streets, making new clothes, planting trees and hosting family dinners are some of the popular forms of celebrations that are still practiced during the Nowruz holidays.
Kurds celebrating Nowruz in Sanandji, Iran, in 2019
Popular food custom regarding Nowruz is arranging a 'Haftseen' table, seven eatable things starting with the letter ‘س’ (pronounced as seen) or S; all of them represent something positive for the upcoming year. These include: Sabzah (sprouting or grass) signifying rebirth and growth; Samanu (wheat pudding), the symbol of power, strength, fertility and sweetness; Senjed (oleaster), symbolizing love and affection; Serkeh (vinegar) representing patience and long life; Seer (garlic) for good health; and Somaq (crushed spices of berries), symbolizing sunrise. The table is further adorned with colored eggs, reflecting fertility and creation; an orange floating in a bowl of water, signifying earth rotating around itself; a mirror, signaling self-reflection; coins, signifying wealth and prosperity, and a book of wisdom such as Quran, Bible, Avesta (holy book of Zoroastrians) or Shahnama Ferdowsi, signifying knowledge and truth.
Haftseen or Haft-sin, the popular seven edible items on Nowruz
Like all other parts of the world, Nowruz is celebrated in Pakistan as well, especially in Gilgit Baltistan (GB), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s regions bordering Afghanistan and Baluchistan. It is celebrated in all parts of the country by Zoroastrians, Bahais, Ismailis and some other Shia sects. In Gilgit Baltistan, Nowruz is celebrated with the same zeal, if not more, as Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha.
Locals perform dance while carrying cultural objects in Khaplu, Baltistan, on Nowruz, 2022
The most popular celebration on Nawruz across GB is Dada. In Dada, all the children born after the last Nowruz are gathered in a designated place, dressed in traditional outfits for grooms and brides. It is to welcome the kids and give them blessings who are heading to the first spring of their lives. Dry fruits and other edibles are piled together that have been brought by all the assembled families, and the newborn babies’ heads are brought in contact with the food that has been collected thrice. The ingredients are then distributed amongst all those present as sadqa (the concept is to give to the needy in any form, which benefits both the giver and the recipient) of the babies. In the Baltistan region, egg rolling (in this competition, the participants roll their eggs on grass and see whose egg will go farthest before cracking) is a common practice on Nowruz and many competitions are held on this occasion.
Two young girls are holding colorful eggs during Nowruz in Khaplu, Baltistan
Nowruz has been added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage in 2009, while the United Nations through its resolution number 64/253 officially recognized 21st March as International Nowruz Day in 2010. Nowruz is a joint cultural heritage of the world, which promotes coexistence, peace and harmony, as it is celebrated by people of different faiths, ethnicities, nationalities and political orientations.
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