Navroz celebrations 2012

The first day of the Zoroastrian year on the first month is known as Jamshed-E-Navroz. Parsis normally observe the Fasli calendar. Their New Year normally starts with the Vernal Equinox. Thus Navroz is a festival that is celebrated with a lot of pomp

and show and with great enthusiasm. The entire Parsi community follows all the rituals related to the celebration of the Jamshed-e-Navroz. Paris across the world offered prayers on the day of Navroz and enjoys all the celebrations with a lot of reverence and respect and wait to savour the delicious cuisine that is so typical of this day.

Navroz falls on March 21 every year .There is only one particular sect that observes this as Parsi New year. This is the Fasli sect, but all the same Parsis generally revel on this day. It is said that March 21 marks the augment of spring and also signifies the vernal equinox of the sun so there was a logical day to bring in the New Year. Hence this day of the vernal equinox was chosen as the Navroz which in Parsi means New Year.

Legend has it that the festival was celebrated in ancient days sometime back in the 6th century B.C. That was the time kings of the legendary kind like Darius and Cyrus ruled over the entire Persian Empire. The celebration of the festival thus goes back to around 3000 years back when Jamshedji the King of Persia came to the throne on the day of the vernal equinox which is today Navroz. This is the day when the length of the day and that of night is the same. Navroz thus marked a change of the time from winter to summer. Then this day later began to be known as Jamshed Navroz Festival.

It is believed that King Jamshedji brought in the solar calculation into the Persian calendar and he decided the date when Sun enters the Aries star. This happens in the beginning of the year when spring is in the process of setting

into earth. It was very habitual for the king to be weighed in gold and silver on this day and the complimentary money was then usually distributed amongst the poor.

Celebrations for Navroz normally starts with cleaning the entire house and taking out cobwebs, and generally getting the house painted. People buy new clothes and the entire family is in a process of celebration. Then there are garlands of roses and jasmine that are hung on the doorways and also the windows. All the Parsi households have the very colourful designs of rangoli and other decorative patterns in the threshold and it is a greatly colourful sight during the time of Navroz.

Food plays a major role in Navroz celebrations. So the Parsi culture which is a blend of the Indian style of cooking and West Asian , is a lovely fare with the best dish being the “Rava’ which is cooked with sugar, milk and suji. This mixture when thickened is then sprinkled with rose water and nutmeg powder. This is a popular Parsi dish made on Navroz. Then of course you have the fried vermicelli which is then cooked in sugar syrup and then sprinkled with nuts and almonds.

Parsis generally celebrate Navroz with great pomp and show. With whole hearted rejoicement and with a spirit of joy, happiness and harmony they spread the ambience of love and warmth during this time. Then of course the culture for receiving the guests with a lot of rosewater sprinkling and application of rice and tilak.

On the day of Navroz normally Parsis go to the fire temple for worship. They give sandalwood sticks to the fire and it is customary for the Parsis to keep their head covered when they are inside the temple. Children wear small caps which are round in shape and also silver brocade. Men wear black caps that are made out of velvet. The women generally cover their heads and they greet each other saying Sal Mubarak meaning bless the coming year to be very prosperous. The practice of going to the Agiary or fire temple is for offering a thanks giving prayer called Jashan.

Normally any visitor who comes to a Parsi’s house issue to be received with a lot of sweets and of course the very popular Faluda. This is a sweet milky drunk which is cooked with a lot of special methods and is topped with rose essence. Then of course you have the very traditional puloaos which are filled with the best nutrition, They also make pulaos with saffron and then there is the other popular dish which is the fish steamed in banana leaves which is called patra ni macchi. Then there are chicken curries which are made with ground almonds. Then there is plain rice and moong dal which is served for lunch on that day. In fact it is a rule that moong dal and plain rice is a must on this day.

There are many rituals that are observed on the day of Navroz. Growing of wheat in a small bowl is a very ancient custom observed by the Parsis. On the 13th day after Navroz these wheat plants are tossed into a nearby lake or water pond. This is a form of paying respect for water and also for the greenery around. Even today it is practised by the Parsis.

Keeping a copy of the Gathas, a water bowl with a live fish, an Afrigan and a lit lamp, the Parsis pray for a world with seven foods starting with ‘sh’ and ‘sa ‘ which symbolize creation.