Nowruz in Photograph
Today, Cambridge was blessed with some unusually beautiful weather. It’s not every day in March when the temperatures rise to sixty-five degrees and clouds disappear from the sky. In appreciation of this great weather, I decided to grab my camera and take pictures of the beauty all around me. As I was taking pictures, I was reminded of Nowruz – the Persian holiday that marks the beginning of the new year. I remember the topic of our lecture on the 21st of March which began with a short discussion about this holiday celebrated by many Muslims across the world.
Nowruz is the name of the Iranian New Year. It is the day of the vernal equinox. It marks the beginning of spring in the Northern hemisphere. The now translates to “new” and the ruz translates to “year” in the Persian language. It is a holiday celebrated widely by diverse ethnic and religious groups. I have attached a link to a website that details some of the ways in which Nowruz is celebrated. In sum, Haji Firouz – a Santa Claus of sorts – gives out gifts and plays his tambourine, people gather to jump over fire, engage in thorough spring cleanings, and much more. I especially liked this holiday because I’d never thought to just how much sense it makes for the new year to actually begin then. I also think it highlights the beauty of the start of a new year by placing it on a day that marks the beginning of nature’s revival.