No Ruz is going on



The oldest archaeological record for No Ruz celebration comes from the Achaemenian (Hakhamaneshi) period over 2500 years ago.What we have today as No Ruz goes back to the Sassanian period. They formed the last great Persian Empire before the advent of Islam. There are many references with respect to the celebration of No Ruz at this time in both Zoroastrian and Islamic literature. The Zoroastrian text Zadspram mentions that " a sense of renewal was now characteristic of No Ruz



New cloths were worn; food was of the new season. The day began with a mouthful of pure fresh milk and fresh cheese; all the kings of Persia took it as a blessing. The same text mentions that it was the custom to sow seven seeds, to come up fresh and green on the holy day itself.
A few days before No Ruz colorfully dressed male troubadours known as �Haji Firouz� appear in public and announce the coming of the New Year. They are normally dressed in bright red or green and blacken their face. They carry a small percussion instrument called �dayereh zangy�. They sing and dance and recite popular songs about No Ruz. They are very popular and there are recorded tapes of amusing songs that normally accompany the figures. All dance groups outside the country are performing Haji Firouz shows during No Ruz celebrations.It is customary for all to take a bath and cleanse themselves thoroughly before No Ruz. New garments are worn to emphasis newness and freshness, and this is very important since No Ruz is a feast of hope and renewal.
Families stay home and wait for the start of the New Year at the exact time the spring equinox starts. The time the New Year starts changes every year and is called �Tahvil� (revolution) and the day is around 20th of March. The first few minutes are spent around an elaborately prepared spread with several items and objects known as �Haft Sin� (seven �s�). More religious people will read or recite verses from their holy books just before the start of the New Year.


Once the New Year is announced the younger members of the family will pay respect to the elders by wishing them a merry New Year and sometimes kissing their hands (a sign of ultimate respect). Relatives kiss and hug and presents (traditionally cash or coins) are exchanged. Sweets are offered to symbolically sweeten lives for the rest of the year. It was also a tradition to give small sugar cones as presents to each other at this time. Small sugar cones were sold in Bazaars till very recently but they are going out of fashion.