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Navroz, an Iranian New Year

Navroz, an Iranian New Year, marks the beginning of spring and the beginning of the year in the Persian calendar. It is usually celebrated on March 21 with families gathering together to observe rituals
NEW DELHI: Google is celebrating an Iranian New Year, Navroz, by posting a colourful doodle on its India homepage.

Google homepage visitors can see logo designed in a colourful way which symbolises flowers and bee.

Navroz, an Iranian New Year, marks the beginning of spring and the beginning of the year in the Persian calendar. It is usually celebrated on March 21 with families gathering together to observe rituals.

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It is celebrated by people from diverse background for many decades irrespective of their religious lineage or caste. It is considered the secular festival and is enjoyed by diverse ethnic communities across the world.
"Jamshedi Navroz is commemorated in honour of King Jamshed of Iran who was a just ruler," says Hormuz Dadachanji, priest at the Vatcha Gandhi agiary. Dadachanji will officiate at a private prayer ceremony organized by the owners of Kayani Bakery inside the restaurant, which is closed for business. The day begins with a visit to the neighbouring fire temples, so atashbehrams and agiaries are preparing to welcome scores of worshippers. "People offer sandalwood to the holy fire that is kept burning throughout. They bring flowers and incense as well. Each household decorates a table with auspicious items including a picture of the prophet Zoroaster where every item begins with the syllable 'sh'," says Freny Behramkamddin, wife of priest Nozer Behramkamddin who oversees the Bhicajee Patel Dadgah in Andheri .
Although it is not clear whether proto-Indo-Iranians celebrated a feast as the first day of the calendar, there are indications that both Iranians and Indians may have observed the beginning of both autumn and spring, related to the harvest and the sowing of seeds, respectively, for the celebration of new year.

Boyce and Grenet explain the traditions for seasonal festivals and comment: "It is possible that the splendor of the Babylonian festivities at this season led the Persians to develop their own spring festival into an established new year feast, with the name Navasarda 'New Year' (a name which, though first attested through Middle Persian derivatives, is attributed to the Achaemenian period). Since the communal observations of the ancient Iranians appear in general to have been a seasonal ones, and related to agriculture, it is probable, that they traditionally held festivals in both autumn and spring, to mark the major turning points of the natural year".

We have reasons to believe that the celebration is much older than that date and was surely celebrated by the people and royalty during the Achaemenid times (555–330 BC). It was, therefore, a highly auspicious occasion for the ancient Iranian peoples. It has been suggested that the famous Persepolis complex, or at least the palace of Apadana and the Hundred Columns Hall, were built for the specific purpose of celebrating Nowruz. Although there may be no mention of Nowruz in recorded Achaemenid inscriptions (see picture)[41], there is a detailed account by Xenophon of a Nowruz celebration taking place in Persepolis and the continuity of this festival in the Achaemenid tradition.

Families are preparing a menu of festival delicacies. Parsi caterer Zinobia Schroff will cook Irani berry pulao, chicken farcha and patra ni machhi.