In harmony with the rebirth of nature, the Persian New Year Celebration, or Norooz, always begins on the first day of spring. Norooz ceremonies with thousands of years history are symbolic representations of two ancient concepts – the End and the Rebirth; or Good and Evil.
With various local pronunciations and spellings, meaning ‘New Day’) is the traditional Iranian new year holiday celebrated by Iranian people and initiated in Ancient Iran. Apart from Iran, the celebration has spread in many other parts of the world (specially the parts which belonged to the Greater Iran) including parts of West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, Northwestern China, the Caucasus, between kurdish population of Turkey, the Crimea, Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo and the Republic of Macedonia.
Nowruz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the Iranian year. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox (the start of spring in the northern hemisphere), which usually occurs on March 21 or the previous/following day depending on where it is observed.
The term Nowruz first appeared in Persian records in the second century AD, but it was also an important day during the time of the Achaemenids (c. 648-330 BC), where kings from different nations under the Persian empire used to bring gifts to the emperor (Shahanshah) of Persia on Nowruz.
Hushang Ebtehaj (هوشنگ ابتهاج), with the pen name of H. E. Sayeh (ه. ا. سایه, or H. A. Sayeh, lit. Shade) is an eminent Iranian poet of the 20th century, whose life and work spans many of Iran’s political, cultural and literary upheavals.
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شاخه همخون جدا مانده من
آسمان تو چه رنگ است امروز؟
آفتابی است هوا؟
یا گرفته است هنوز؟
من درین گوشه که از دنیا بیرون است،
آسمانی به سرم نیست،
از بهاران خبرم نیست،
آنچه می بینم دیوار است
آه، این سخت سیاه
آن چنان نزدیک است
که چو بر می کشم از سینه نفس
نفسم را بر می گرداند
ره چنان بسته که پرواز نگه
در همین یک قدمی میماند
کورسویی ز چراغی رنجور
قصه پرداز شب ظلمانی است
نفسم می گیرد
که هوا هم اینجا زندانی است
هرچه با من اینجاست
رنگ رخ باخته است
آفتابی هرگز
گوشه چشمی هم
بر فراموشی این دخمه نینداخته است
اندر این گوشه خاموش فراموش شده،
کز دم سردش هر شمعی خاموش شده،
یاد رنگینی در خاطر من گریه میانگیزد
ارغوانم آنجاست
ارغوانم تنهاست
ارغوانم دارد می گرید
چون دل من که چنین خون آلود
هر دم از دیده فرو می ریزد
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این چه رازی است که هر بار بهار
با عزای دل ما می آید؟
که زمین هر سال از خون پرستوها رنگین است؟
وین چنین بر جگر سوختگان
داغ بر داغ میافزاید
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پنجه خونین زمین
دامن صبح بگیر
وز سواران خرامنده خورشید بپرس
کی برین دره غم میگذرند؟
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خوشه خون
بامدادان که کبوترها
برلب پنجره باز سحر غلغه میآغازند،
جام گلرنگ مرا
بر سر دست بگیر،
به تماشاگه پرواز ببر
آه بشتاب که هم پروازان
نگران غم هم پروازند
ارغوان
بیرق گلگون بهار
تو بر افراشته باش
شعر خونبار منی
یاد رنگین رفیقانم را
بر زبان داشته باش
تو بخوان نغمه ناخوانده من
Thousands of Iranians gathered at dusk against a snowy mountain backdrop to light giant bonfires in an ancient mid-winter festival dating back to Iran’s pre-Islamic past that is drawing new interest from Muslims. Saturday’s celebration was the first in which the dwindling remnants of Iran’s once plentiful Zoroastrian religious minority were joined by thousands of Muslims, reflecting a growing interest for the country’s ancient traditions.
Sadeh is an ancient Iranian tradition celebrated 50 days before nowrouz (Persian New Year). Sadeh in Persian means “hundred” and refers to one hundred days and nights left to the beginning of the new year celebrated at the first day of spring on March 21 each year. Sadeh is a mid winter festival that was celebrated with grandeur and magnificence in ancient Iran. It was a festivity to honor fire and to defeat the forces of darkness, frost, and cold.
In harmony with the rebirth of nature, the Persian New Year Celebration, or Norooz, always begins on the first day of spring. Norooz ceremonies with thousands of years history are symbolic representations of two ancient concepts – the End and the Rebirth; or Good and Evil. With various local pronunciations and spellings, meaning ‘New Day’) […]
Christ’s birth took place halfway through the period of Parthian rule in Iran (250 BC – 224 AD), a dynasty which allowed more freedom of religion than some of the later Persian rulers. At the time of the Sassanian dynasty (224 AD – 652 AD), although Christianity spread in western regions of the country, [...] […]