Welcome to spring!

‘The News’ wishes all those who celebrate the day, a happy Nauroze. May your day be filled with love, laughter and goodwill. While traditional preparations and all formalities are observed, the most important is getting together with family and friends to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company, something which is still possible in these difficult times.

For those who are not familiar with Nauroze traditions, spring cleaning the house and preparing the ‘haft seen’ table are important. The table includes seven symbolic items all starting the with the letter ‘S.’ Sabzeh (sprouted wheat grass) for rebirth and renewal; Samanu (sweet pudding) for affluence and fertility; Senjed (sweet, dried lotus tree fruit) for love ; Serkeh (vinegar) for patience and wisdom gained through aging; Sir (garlic) for medicine and maintaining good health; Sib (apples) for health and beauty and Sumac (crushed spice made from reddish berries) for recalling the sunrise; a mirror to reflect on the past year; live goldfish in a bowl to represent new life; an orange in a bowl of water to symbolize the earth; decorated eggs for fertility; coins for future prosperity and books of classical poetry and/or the Quran for spirituality.

Nauroze is the day of the vernal equinox and marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. It marks the first day of the first month of the Iranian calendar. It usually occurs on March 21 or the previous or following day, depending on where it is observed. The moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator and equalizes night and day is calculated exactly every year and families gather together to observe the rituals. Despite its Iranian and Zoroastrian origins, Nauroze has been celebrated by diverse communities. It has been celebrated worldwide by various ethno-linguistic groups for over 3,000 years in Western Asia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Black Sea Basin and the Balkans. It is a secular holiday for most celebrants that is enjoyed by people of several different faiths, but remains a holy day for Zoroastrians, Bahais and some Muslim communities.

‘Nauroze promotes values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families,’ the United Nations says. ‘It's a time of reconciliation and neighbourliness, contributing to cultural diversity and friendship among peoples and different communities.’

So enjoy the celebration along with 300 million people around the globe!