NAVROZ

 

The Parsi New Year, also known as Navroz or Jamshedi Navroz, is celebrated every year to mark the beginning of the new Iranian calendar.

Parsis in India celebrated New Year or Navroz on August 17.

• In Persian, ‘Nav’ means new, and ‘Roz’ stands for the day, and together it translates to ‘new day’.
• People clean and decorate their homes, dress up in traditional attires, and visit fire temples to pray for prosperity and seek forgiveness for their sins.
• Traditional Parsi delicacies like dhansak, meethi sev dahi, prawns, farcha, machchi no patio, berry pulao, lagan nu custard are prepared as part of the festivities.
• In India, the occasion is a regional holiday in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

 

Background

Jamshedi Navroz got its name from the legendary King of Persia – Jamshed, who is said to have introduced the solar calculation in the Parsi Calendar.

 

Zoroastrians

Parsis are also known as Zoroastrians as they follow Zoroastrianism, one of the oldest known monotheistic religions founded by the Prophet Zarathustra or Zoroaster (Greek) in Pre-Islam era of ancient Iran approximately 3500 years ago in 650 BC.

According to the history of Persia, after the rise of Islam, only 10,000 Persians were left and today the count is approximately 2.6 million worldwide.

 

Parsis

India is home to the largest group of Parsis from around the world where the community has been a significant part of the economic and industrial growth of the country and lives in harmony with various other religions like Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and many more.

Parsis in India follow the Shahenshahi calendar which does not account for leap years and hence the Persian New Year is celebrated mostly on August 17th, approximately 150-200 days after its original day of the vernal equinox.

 

Important Info

In Iran and other parts, Zoroastrians celebrate the Persian New Year using the Fasli/Bastnai calendar according to which this day falls on the moment of Vernal Equinox, mostly on March 21st every year.

 

Source: News 18

 

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