Before the arrival of Nowrooz Iranians have various joyful traditions to welcome this great Aryan celebration. This article is an abstract of these traditions.
Khaneh Tekani: The first tradition common among Iranians is the Khaneh Tekani. They welcome spring, freshness, and vitality by removing the dust, cleaning the house, removing the old and useless things, and replacing them with new ones. Zoroastrians believe that before the Panji and the first day of Gahanbar, the house should be thoroughly cleaned to welcome the spirit of the departed.
Tree planting: This is a very useful custom that has come to us from the ancients. In mid-Esfand (beginning March) in every neighborhood, Zoroastrians would prune trees and plant new trees in order to make their surroundings, the fire temple, schools and public places green and fresh. Fortunately this tradition has remained and 15th Esfand is named as tree planting day in the calendar.
Chaharshanbe Suri: Zoroastrians celebrate the last Tuesday of the year by lighting fires on the roof and in the alleys and streets; an ancient custom that is said to invite the spirits of the dead to Nowrooz. According to Iranians, 5 days before Nowrooz (the 5 days of Panji) the spirits of the deceased visit their homes and are greeted with lit fire. Since the last year that this custom was performed before the attack of the Arabs was on Tuesday, from then on, Every Tuesday, they remember the traditions of their ancestors.
Gahanbar for completion of the Shahnameh: This gahanbar is performed on the occasion of the completion of Shahnameh. On Ard Izad day of the month of Esfand (March 19) a Gahanbar is prayed in the name of our great Ferdowsi, with donations from volunteers. Today, this customs has become very rare and is only performed in a few places in Yazd.
Panji: Another ceremony that is performed before Nowrooz is the Panji gahanbar. On all the 5 days of Panji Gahanbar is prayed and food and fruit is distributed. All the people of that neighborhood gather in the house where Gahanbar is going on. For 5 days, and each day in 3 or 4 houses there is a Gahanbar ceremony going on, where people are entertained with nuts and fruit, and in some houses with lunch.
Shab Veh: This is the last day of the year, which is celebrated with group prayers in the fire temple of each neighborhood. In the past (and now-a-days only in limited places) Zoroastrians would stay up until late at night and pray in the fire temple for a year full of blessings.
Fire on the roof: on the last day of Ghanbar and the dawn of the first day of Nowrooz, Zoroastrians light fire on their rooftops and pray avesta, to see off the spirits of their dead (it is believed that the spirits had come on the first day of Panji to visit their home) and until the following year, when they return on the first of Panji, they would bid them farewell, and after the fire is about to extinguish, each family takes a little of that fire to the closest fire temple, as a sign of unity and solidarity.
Nowrooz celebration: This great day, which is now celebrated all over Iran and also in a part of the land of Greater Iran (the old map of Greater Iran), Zoroastrians, like other Iranians, lay the Nowrooz table, which includes seven symbols of Amshaspandan, along with a sample of local of and traditional foods. As the year is ending and the New Year is starting, the family members recite group prayers and greet each other a happy new year by sprinkling rose water and offering sweets.
Nowrooz Visits: On the morning of the first day of Farvardin (21st march) Zoroastrian families go to their neighborhood fire temple to meet relatives and friends and celebrate Nowrooz by reciting group prayers. In the days that follow, as is the customs of all Iranians, families go to each other’s houses to pay Nowrooz visit, and at the same time reconcile if there has been any heavy feelings in the past year.
Ceremony for remembering the deceased: On the morning of the 1st day of Nowrooz, those who have lost a family member in the past year lay a white table cloth in their house and offer family and neighbors who visit them, sweetened coffee and hard sugar cubes and special halwa. By visiting the homes that have lost a member, people pay respect to the deceased. (Close relatives of the deceased receive guests only on the first day of Nowrooz and themselves do not go on Nowrooz visits).
Zoroastrians’ birth anniversary: 6th of Farvardin, which in ancient texts is the day of the birth of the Iranian prophet; Zoroastrians used to gather in the halls or fire temples of their neighborhoods and have a big celebration full of joy. Grand will honor this dear day.
Sizdah Bedar: According to the ancient customs among Iranians, on 13th Farvardin (4th April) everybody goes on a picnic in a green outdoor area to celebrate nature and rejoice by singing and dancing and making merry. They also take with them the flowers and sprouts of the Nowrooz table and unite them with nature.
Farvardag: (or Farvardingan festival) It is the last celebration of the nowrooz celebrations (on 19th Farvardin). This day is Farvardin day of the month of Farvardin. On this day, which is also called Farvardingan, Zoroastrians visit the graves of their deceased, and also spread a Nowrooz table for their deceased. In this ceremony all the mobeds are present, and perform prayers, from morning till late in the afternoon.
In conclusion, our unique Nowrooz celebrations start from mid-Esfand and continue until 19th Farvardin. Zoroastrian spend more or less a month preparing for the new year’s celebrations, which I think are all meant for togetherness, solidarity and distraction from life’s problems and worries. These days e are seeing that the celebrations have lost their joy and color, which is because of the depression and stress that our people are struggling with. We pray to God that such celebrations gain momentum to bring joy and peace for the people and fade away the sadness (which Nowrooz always does).
