Navroze
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By Maryam Murtaza Sadriwala
Having studied at a Parsi school for a decade, Navroze was one event we all looked forward to. The fact that we enjoyed a lengthy holiday from school had a huge role to play in why the non-Parsis anticipated this celebration.
Jamshedi Navroze is the Parsi New Year—‘nav’ meaning new and ‘roze’ meaning day. It is named after the legendary King of Persia, who ruled 3,000 years ago, called Shah Jamshed of the Peshadian dynasty who started the Parsi Calendar. The Shah Nameh, the ‘Persian Book of Kings’ written by Firdausi, states that the feast commemorates the ascent of King Jamshed into the skies, in a chariot built by the demons he had subdued and forced into the service of mortals. It also states that this festival was celebrated by the kings of Persia, Cyrus and Darius, to rejoice in the spring and in their own glory. It is believed that Jamshed ascended the throne on “NAVROZE”.
As per the Parsi mythology, the universe is recreated on this day and life with all its glory is cherished. Navroze means spring and is believed Mother Nature casts her spell by dressing up like a young bride. Thus, Navroze gives a new vision to everyone’s life. This festival is said to have been a pagan pastoral festival that marked the transition from winter to summer. The rites of fertility and procreation can be perceived in some of its customs.
There are two events that Usher in the Parsi Navroze, or to be more accurate the Jamshed-i-Navroze. One is the advent of spring in February-March and the other is the vernal equinox — a day when light and darkness stand equal on the scale of space and time when the length of the day equals that of the night. The actual time when the changes take place is noted down in Iran and then the information is sent all over the world to Zoroastrians.
If you are invited to a Parsi household on Navroze, consider yourself in for a treat. You will be greeted at the threshold and the steps of the house with intricate patterns created by colourful powders and a doorway — patterned with metallic moulds of auspicious symbols like fish, birds, butterflies and stars. Your host will then sprinkle you with a spray of rice and rose water as you enter their home filled with the fragrance of incense sticks and sandalwood. Be sure that you’ll be offered a chilled Falooda — the most traditional drink for Navroz, which is prepared with milk and flavoured with rose water.
The lunch table will hold a mouth-watering array consisting of sev and sweet yogurt, followed by pulao (rice with nuts and saffron). The meal will end with Ravo (made from sugar, milk and suji). A copy of the sacred book, a picture of Zarathustra, a lit lamp, a bowl of water containing live fish, a shallow earthenware plate with sprouted wheat or beans for prosperity, flowers for colour, a silver coin for wealth, painted eggs for productivity, and sweets and rosewater in bowls for sweetness and happiness, will adorn the table. Apart from these, the table will also have seven foods beginning with ‘sh’ and ‘s’. These are meant to symbolise creation; prosperity and longevity for the family members.
For Parsis New Year day would traditionally begin with rising early, bathing and donning new outfits, followed by a scrumptious breakfast of Ravo and vermicelli cooked in sugar syrup and sprinkled with raisins and lot of almond slivers, after which the entire family would sojourn to a nearby Fire Temple or Agiary. In the Zoroastrian religion, fire is looked upon as a visible symbol of godhead and it is believed that the Sacred Fire was brought to earth from heaven by the prophet himself. In Zoroastrian temples that are known as Fire temples, fire is kept burning all the time. These temples are tended by Priests called Jozdalhregavs.
On the occasion of Navroz, priests perform a thanks giving prayer in the temple called Jashan and the congregation offers sandalwood to the Holy Fire with covered heads — children put on caps of gold or silver brocade, men put on black velvet caps and the women pull their sari pallus over their heads. On this day, hundreds of Zoroastrians pay obeisance to Khorshed and Meher Yazads (the two divine beings who preside over the sun), thrice during the course of the day. On the day of Navroz or Jamshed Navroz or Navu Sal, it was customary for the king to be weighed in gold and silver, and the money was then distributed to the poor. People greet each other by doing the Hama-zor — united in strength — and visit the Fire Temple.
These colourful New Year Celebrations conclude on the 13th day from the New Year’s Day. It is known as ‘Sizdah be dar’. For this day, it is the custom of leaving the house for public celebrations, visiting out with friends and family members. On this day, people throw their sabzeh (seeds grown at Navroz) into a river. Some unmarried girls tie sprouts of sabzeh with wishes for their good fortune and love in life. But more than anything else, the beauty of Navroze is how Parsis from all the classes come together, to rejoice with abandon, and celebrate the festive occasion in friendship, harmony and happiness, anticipating a new dawn in their lives.
