Celebrate the Persian New Year and the arrival of spring with tradition and festivities!
Nowruz, the Persian New Year, marks the spring equinox and symbolises renewal and hope. This ancient festival, celebrated for over 3,000 years in Iran and several other countries, is an opportunity to bring family and friends together around rituals that are rich in meaning. Discover the traditions of Haft-Sin, the delicious feasts and the joyous atmosphere of this luminous celebration!
15 de Diciembre de 2024
Drawing of Simurg by María Palazón Ros
1 · Welcome spring
Today we celebrate spring, the day of the equinox, that poetic time of the year when day and night are of equal length. Or Nowruz, in Persian.
One of the most beautiful gifts Paris has given us is the possibility of meeting people unreachable for us from Valencia. Lila, Negin, Anousha and Sina are our Iranian friends. Thanks to them we have discovered the beauty of their culture. We have learned about their art, their music, their gastronomy and their poetry, about their influence on world civilisation.
2 · What does Nowruz mean?
Nowruz is the Persian New Year, which marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Iranian calendar and has been celebrated for more than 3000 years in various cultures and countries.
Nowruz means ‘new day’ in Persian, and symbolises the renewal of nature, as well as spiritual and moral rebirth.
2.1 · How do we celebrate Nowruz?
Since Lila, Negin, Anousha and Sina have been in our lives, we join them in honouring spring every year.
When the day comes, we prepare the Haft-Seen. That is, we set a specially arranged table with seven objects beginning with the letter ‘S’ in Persian, each symbolising a different aspect of life and nature. These objects include:
o Sabzeh (green shoots) – symbolising rebirth.
o Samanu (sweet wheat pudding) – symbol of power and strength
o Senjed (hawthorn fruit) – symbol of love
o Seer (garlic) – symbol of health
o Seeb (apple) – symbol of beauty
o Somāq (sumac) – symbol of dawn and patience
o Serkeh (vinegar) – symbol of age and patience
2.2 · Nowruz and poetry
Another tradition that we have incorporated into our lives and that we love is the celebration of Nowruz by reading poetry.
Poetry occupies a central place in Persian culture and has been an essential form of artistic and philosophical expression for centuries. In the celebration of Nowruz, poetry plays a crucial role, not only in Iran, but also in many other cultures. This tradition honours Iran’s rich literary heritage and connects people to the values of renewal, beauty and hope that Nowruz represents.
We too now feel Nowruz as a time of renewal, joy and hope that brings us closer to nature, family and community.
3 · The Persian legend of Simurg
The legend tells that, many years ago, all the birds of the world set out on a journey in search of King Simurg, a symbol of wisdom and universal knowledge. The birds sought him out so that the king would help them to resolve the conflicts and differences between them.
Throughout the journey, most of the birds could not let go of their selfishness and vanity and, one by one, they abandoned the journey.
In the end, thirty birds, understanding that the differences between them were not an obstacle but their potential, found their destination. These birds understood that Simurg was in them from the beginning. All together they were Si morgh (thirty birds), i.e. Simurg.
Our Simurg-Woman symbolises universal knowledge: Equality between all people regardless of their social class, race, beliefs, gender or sexuality.
By María Palazón
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