Happy Nowruz!

What is Nowruz?

Nowruz, “new day”, is a new year celebration beginning at the exact moment of Spring Equinox, celebrating the arrival of spring over darkness. Nowruz can be traced back 3000 years ago to the Zoroastrian’s celebration of Spring and the symbolic triumph of good vs. evil.  Winter vs. Spring.

When is Nowruz?

Spring Equinox occurs when the sun crosses the celestial equator going South to North.  After this passage many places in the northern hemisphere will experience more daylight than darkness. Nowruz is celebrated at the exact time that the sun crosses the equator, therefore the day and time of each new year varies.  The first day of spring can fall on March 19, 20, 21 and the exact time fluctuates about 6 hours every year due to the earth’s revolution around the sun.  This year’s Nowruz falls on March 20, at 2:01 a.m.

Where is Nowruz celebrated?

Nowruz is one of the most important holidays in Iran and is celebrated as an official holiday in a great swath of near east Asia including, Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iraq, Kurdistan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia’s Bayan-Ölgii province, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.  It is celebrated worldwide by the Iranian diaspora. 

Celebrate with us!

Sunday, March 16: Join Palo Alto City Library for a fun-filled Nowruz Celebration, opens a new window from 2:00–4:00 p.m. at the Mitchell Park Community Center.

Enjoy storytime, arts and crafts, and performances by:

Music by Mo: Mohammad Ebrahimi, Persian Musician, started learning music when he was 12 years old.  He attended College of Art in Tehran, Iran and studied folk music, he plays Santoor, Flute, Ney, Tonback and Daf and some other wind instruments.  Sorna is the first wind instrument human made and mostly used for cultural celebrations like Nowruz. 

Ayra Daf Group: The students of Homeyra Banejad, known as the Ayra Group, will be playing the daf and singing at the Nowruz program. Homeyra Banejad is an Iranian daf player and vocalist. As a member of the Iranian Musicians Union, she has performed in both Iran and the U.S.

Persian Dancing with Shadan, opens a new window: Shadan has been teaching Persian dance for 11 years locally, and performing for about 20. She shares both classical as well as folk styles with her students, in Menlo Park and Atherton.  She also performs with another dance company called Nava Dance collective that is based in Berkeley.  Shadan's adult Persian dance class is on Tuesday evenings at 7:30-8:30pm at the Arillaga Family Recreation Center in Menlo Park and all are welcome to join.

Beshkan Dance Academy: Founded in 2003 by Razieh Oghabian and Sharareh Ghahremani, Beshkan Dance Academy in Silicon Valley celebrates Persian culture through dance. With over 20 years of teaching experience, they have contributed to events like the New York Norooz Parade and OC Mehregan Festival. Their new initiative, "Beshkan Fitness," offers a Persian workout class for adults every Tuesday in San Jose. The academy aims to inspire the community and empower youth through cultural appreciation.

Sunday, March 30: The celebration continues with Celebrating 13 Days of Nowruz, a program featuring Ballet Afsaneh and celebrating the rich traditions of Persian, Tajik, and Afghan dance. Join us from 2:30–3:30 p.m. at the Mitchell Park Bowl!

Founded in 1986 and incorporated as a non-profit in 1991, Ballet Afsaneh, opens a new window is a San Francisco Bay Area ensemble showcasing the dance, music, and poetry of the Silk Road. Their repertoire spans traditional and contemporary works from cultures across Eurasia, blending ancient art forms with modern dance. The company performs nationally and internationally at festivals, universities, and special events.

Books about Nowruz, Springtime, and Persian Culture

• Nowruz a Celebration of Spring! The Persian New Year, opens a new window
• Iran and Iranian American Authors, opens a new window
• Persian Cooking, opens a new window
• Know Iran through Graphic Novels, opens a new window
• Persian Perspectives: eBooks for Insight into Iran, opens a new window
• Persians, opens a new window

Preparing Your Home

“Khane-takooni”, literally shaking the house, is the custom of spring cleaning which is a tenet of most traditional cultures.  Cleansing the house and environs after a cold winter to signal a fresh start and renewal.

• Check out some great books on Cleaning and Getting Organized, opens a new window
• Places to Donate Items You No Longer Need:
  • Goodwill of Silicon Valley: Clothes, Household Items, Misc.
  • Friends of the Palo Alto Library: Books, Movies, Puzzles, Games
  • Hope Services: Clothes, Household Items, etc.

Preparing Yourself

“Chaharshanbe suri”, literally festive Wednesday, is celebrated the Wednesday before Nowruz. It is a fire jumping ritual to rid oneself from any negative energy accumulated over the past year. The celebration which usually begins at dusk commences with firecrackers and sparklers. Small bonfires are lit, and as one jumps over the flame one says: “My yellow pallor to you, your red power to me”.

As the new year approaches, a set of new clothes and shoes are bought to be worn at the “Haft-seen” table. “Haft seen”, literally seven S, is the spread set to symbolize hopes for the new year. In reality most people put these eight items on the table:

• Sekeh, coins: to represent year of wealth and fortune
• Sabzeh, wheat or lentil grown: to represent vitality and life
• Seeb, apple: to represent health
• Senjed, Oleaster: to represent love and logic
• Samanu, wheat germ pudding: to represent affluence
• Sumac: to represent patience and endurance
• Seer, garlic: to represent medicinal cures
• Serkeh, vinegar: to represent long life

In addition to these “S” items the following are traditionally on the table as well:

• Goldfish: to represent life energy
• Candle: to represent light into the new year
• Mirror: to represent truth and authenticity
• Shirini, sweets: to represent good memories

Children receive cash as gifts hidden in a cherished book handed out by the eldest adult.

Take a look at this Haft-Seen table put together by library staff member, Maryam!

Celebrating 13 Days of Nowruz

The first 12 days of the new year are spent visiting family starting with the eldest member and progressing.

The 13th day of Nowruz is called “sizdeh-bedar”, literally purge thirteen, meaning to purge the bad energy from the house. It is considered bad luck to be at home on that day, the idea being that if you are inside on the 13th you will not have a fruitful year. Many families picnic outside in parks. Locally, Vasona Park in Los Gatos holds one of the larger gatherings of the Iranian diaspora in this area on “sizdeh-bedar”.

Along with picnicking and food, the wheat sprout which has been grown and kept is taken outside and thrown into running water to purge bad energy and increase wealth for next year. On this day, unmarried women tie grass blades together and hope for marriage within the next year.