[CONTRIBUTION] Nowruz celebrates rebirth of Earth

Naqsh-e Jahan Sq. (Imam Sq.) in Isfahan, Iran / Courtesy of Embassy of Iran

Nowruz is a very powerful Iranian custom and the most important annual celebration of the folks dwelling within the cultural and civilizational sphere of the good Iran. and is widely known yearly originally of spring — in the mean time when the Earth enters the vernal equinox. Nowruz is widely known on the event of the tip of the chilly season and the start of the interval of replica when nature is renewed and the working season begins, particularly farming. And as we speak, as prior to now, it’s celebrated with particular pleasure and respect in Iran and past.

By way of astronomy and astrology, originally of Nowruz and Farvardin, which is roughly equal to March twenty first within the Gregorian calendar, the Earth enters the constellation “Ram” or “Aries.” In Iranian mythology, Nowruz is attributed to the time of one of many legendary kings of Iran, Jamshid Kiani, who based this custom on the finish of the completion of the six levels of the creation of the world. In line with the proof, many date the celebration of Nowruz to about eight thousand years in the past. The phrase “Nowruz” is derived from the Pahlavi language, which was the traditional language of the folks in Iran. Within the tales, Nowruz is taken into account to coincide with many occasions, however a few of them are related to myths.

Iranian Ambassdor to Korea Saeed Koozechi / Korea Instances photograph by Choi Received-suk

Each day of Nowruz is an indication of one of many months of the yr and symbolizes every of the angels and gods revered by Iranians. The thirteenth day of Nowruz, generally known as “Sizdah-be-dar”, is devoted to touring nature to take away its cosmic wickedness and chaos from folks, identical to a five-day month on the finish of historical Iranian calendars. The primary day of Farvardin can also be known as the day of “Hormozd” (Ahuramazda), who was the best god of gods.

Nowruz was revered much more earlier than the Iranians transformed to Islam. On the thirteenth day of Nowruz, Iranians clear their home, placed on new garments, eat a wide range of sweets, fruits and nuts, go to relations and plant crops. It has lengthy been a customized for folks to sow the seeds of some sorts of worthwhile and edible grains akin to wheat, barley, corn, rice, lentils and beans of their place of residence on the eve of Nowruz. And every grew higher, accounting for the most important share of that yr’s crop. One other historical customized, largely dedicated to kings, was the discharge of prisoners and the forgiveness of sinners.

Theatrical traditions akin to Mir Noroozi, Haji Firooz, the bald man and the beardless man may also be talked about. Together with this, poetry studying, and particularly “Nowruz studying” and singing joyful poems and spring songs, accompanied by singing and dancing, are among the everlasting options of Nowruz celebrations. The unfold of “Haft Seen tablecloths,” the primary image of Nowruz, is likely one of the most essential rituals that’s celebrated to today. On the Nowruz tablecloth, along with the holy ebook, which prior to now was the Avesta (Zoroastrian ebook) and as we speak has been changed by the Qur’an, there are mirrors, candles or lamps, totally different sorts of sweets, drinks and nuts, contemporary fruits, flowers and inexperienced crops, a container of water and so many different issues.

Every part that was positioned on the Iranian Nowruz tablecloths had an earthly or celestial signal and image. Along with these, there are seven merchandise whose names start with the letter “S,” learn as /sIn/ in Persian, which is why it is usually known as “Sofre Haft Seen,” which means “the seven S tablecloths.” The seven merchandise are apple (Seeb in Persian) as an emblem of well being, vinegar (Serkeh) as an emblem of tolerance in troubles and calamities, sumac (Somaq) as an emblem of justice and hope for all times, Samanoo (a form of pudding with the juice of germinating wheat) as an emblem of reward of energy and wealth and to sentence weak point, oleaster (Senjed) as an emblem of information and knowledge, garlic (Seer) as an emblem of respect for others and respect for reality, and sprouted wheat (Sabzeh) as an indication of self-sacrifice and good morals.

All this reveals that Iranians have at all times cared about ethical and human virtues; they respect them and attempt to realize them. Iranians have fastidiously calculated the precise second of the transition to the brand new yr for hundreds of years, they usually spend this second in religious silence whereas reciting a prayer, which is considerably totally different from the New Yr celebrations of many different cultures. Since 2010, Nowruz has been inscribed on the listing of intangible human heritage as the most important multinational heritage on the planet to this point and a typical heritage of the lands that commemorate Nowruz.

Saeed Koozechi is the Iranian ambassador to Korea.