Persian music and New Year traditions have been registered on UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Tradition of Persian New Year, Nowruz, and the Radif of Iranian music were inscribed on the list during the 4th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held from Sep. 28 to Oct. 2, 2009 in Abu Dhabi.

Nowruz, which coincides with the first day of spring on the solar calendar, is mostly celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan.

For Iranians, Nowruz is a celebration of renewal and change, a time to visit relatives and friends, and pay respect to senior family members.

Iranians welcome the New Year by wearing new clothes and setting the Haft Seen, a table containing seven items starting with the letter ‘S’ — Sabzeh (freshly grown greens), Samanoo (A type of traditional pudding), Senjed (Jujube), Seeb (Apple), Seer (Garlic), Sumac and Serkeh (vinegar).

The Radif of Iranian music is the traditional repertoire of the classical music of Iran and reflects the cultural and national identity of the Iranian people.

UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) was established in the 1990s and deals with oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, traditional craftsmanship and knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe.

The neocons, the same gang that have shown themselves such experts on the Middle East in their Iraq blunder, now want Obama to embrace the protesters and take a hard line on the conservative clerics led by Ayatollah Khamenei. Obama continues to take the same gentle, warm approach of his Noruz greeting to the people of Iran. It all reminded me of this story attributed to Aesop:

“THE WIND and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger. Suddenly they saw a traveller coming down the road, and the Sun said: ‘I see a way to decide our dispute. Whichever of us can cause that traveller to take off his cloak shall be regarded as the stronger You begin.’ So the Sun retired behind a cloud, and the Wind began to blow as hard as it could upon the traveller. But the harder he blew the more closely did the traveller wrap his cloak round him, till at last the Wind had to give up in despair. Then the Sun came out and shone in all his glory upon the traveller, who soon found it too hot to walk with his cloak on.”

I think Obama’s approach has so far given the uprising a far better chance than if he had embraced them and denounced the regime thus allowing the regime to claim that the protesters were American stooges.

Instead Obama is there saying “happy new year” and “peaceful protest should be respected” – I mean how silly do the hardliners in Iran look calling this guy “the Great Satan” and calling him a threat:

Photographed by Hamed Saber

Haft Sîn (Persian: هفت سین) or the seven ‘S’s is a major tradition of Norouz, the traditional Iranian new year. The haft sin table includes seven items specificly starting with the letter S or Sîn (س in the Persian alphabet). The items symbolically correspond to seven creations and holy immortals protecting them. Originally called Haft Chin (هفت چین), the Haft Sin has evolved over time, but has kept its symbolism. Traditionally, families attempt to set as beautiful a Haft Sîn table as they can, as it is not only of traditional and spiritual value, but also noticed by visitors during Norouzi visitations and is a reflection of their good taste.

The Haft Sin items are:

1. sabzeh – wheat, barley or lentil sprouts growing in a dish – symbolizing rebirth
2. samanu – a sweet pudding made from wheat germ – symbolizing affluence
3. senjed – the dried fruit of the oleaster tree – symbolizing love
4. sîr – garlic – symbolizing medicine
5. sîb – apples – symbolizing beauty and health
6. somaq – sumac berries – symbolizing (the color of) sunrise
7. serkeh – vinegar – symbolizing age and patience

While traditionally incorrect, sometimes a missing Sin is exchanged with another item starting with an S. For example:

. sonbol – the fragrant hyacinth flower (the coming of spring)
. sekkeh – coins (prosperity and wealth)

Other items on the table may include:

traditional Iranian pastries such as baghlava, toot, naan-nokhodchi
dried nuts, berries and raisins (Aajeel)
lit candles (enlightenment and happiness)
a mirror

decorated eggs, sometimes one for each member of the family (fertility)
a bowl with goldfish (life, and the sign of Pisces which the sun is leaving)
a bowl of water with an orange in it (the earth floating in space)
rose water for its magical cleansing powers

the national colours, for a patriotic touch
the Quran
the Shahnama or the Divan of Hafez

Source: Wikipedia:Haft sin table"
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But we didn’t mistakenly exchange Serkeh with Sekkeh, we did it because I don’t like the smell of Serkeh (vinegar)

By the way, I’ve put notes on all 7 Ss and other main parts of Haft Sin table.

– License

If one looks at the cultural history of Muslims in India, its hard to ignore the festival of Nowruz: The spring festival of Persia and central Asia which marks the start of spring of the start of Persian New Year. For more than a thousand years Nowroz was an official festival of the imperial courts in Dehli and Agra. Later it enjoyed the support of the princely states like Awadh and Hyderabad. Most Indians may remember K.Asif’s epic Moghul e Azam , which shows Jashen e Nowruz of Moghul court.

Nowruz was not just a fashion of muslim elites of India, rather it had a multi-dimensional character. After the Arab-muslim conquest of Persia, the festival of Nowruz became the symbol of a cultural resistance against Arabization and Arab imperialism. With the alliance of the sunni clerical establishment with the Caliphate in Baghdad after the initial resistance of the great Sunni Imams like Abu-Hanifa , Imam Malik and others , the Persian metaphysics and culture came under increasing attack from the state in name of Islam.

The resistance movements in the conquered and converted lands of Arab empire took shape of an “alternative” understanding of Islam, one which was radically different from vision of Abbasids and their supporters the Sunni clerics. The converted people looked towards their traditional philosophies, mythologies and cultural symbologies to understand Islam. Result was development of mysticism and different shades of Shia Islam. It must be understood that the political movement of proto- Shia was predominantly an Arab phenomenon with no theological differences with the proto-sunnis. The theological shia emerged quite later just as the their sunni counter part as the result of looking at Islam through the rich metaphysical tradition of Persians, Coptics, Nestorians, Arians and Pagans. The constant friction between the Ismaili Fatmid and Abbasid Empire played a great role. Its easily forgotten today that what is today dismissed as “heresy” was once the official Islam of half of the Moslem world and its continuous dawa in Abbasid lands made it “people’s religion” in other. Many “sanits” or Sufis could very much be Ismaili dais. Sufism shows a great resemblance to Ismaili theology esp in its understanding of concept of “beyond”. An account of this process with the resultant dissent in Islam is explained here and here.

Haft Sen

In this environment Nowruz, the ancient festival of Persia was re-invented by the Shia and Sufi theologians as a potent symbol of resistance against Arab cultural invasion as well as against the rigid and loyalist Islam. Since most of the resistance against Arab imperialism was surrounding one or another Alavite cause, Nowruz was linked with the Holy House of Muhammed, whose status was under attack by the Arab rulers, Against the de-mystifying attempts of Abbasid and their loyalist clerics against Muhammed and Alavites, the Sufis and Shia trends merged both of them with the ancient Gnostic metaphysics with which the conquered people were very familiar. Nowruz became the day when Ali was awarded the “wilayah” in time before Time began. It was the day of Muhammed’s declaration of prophet hood in the zone beyond time, it was the day universe was created, and the day when Mehdi will deliver humanity from tyranny

Through Sufi teaching and its accompanying Ismaili dawa the festival reached the Sunni lands of Central Asia, Afghanistan, Pakhtoonkhawa, India, Turkey, Albania and Bosnia. Kurds also adopted the day due to the esoteric mystic tradition which mostly had Ismaili relations. With formation of Pakistan and its increasing Arabaization and State sponsored Anti Shia militancy, festival of Nowruz has virtually gone into obscurity. Its not that Nowruz is not celebrated in Pakistan, it is widely celebrated but is ignored. Even Pakistan’s self pro-claimed progressives and secularists who have a mantra of tolerance and pluralism on their lips 24/7 are insensitive to an “alternative cultural expression”.

Shias make a sizeable population in Pakistan and they celebrate Nowruz as an “Eid”, special ceremonies and prayers are offered in the Imam Bargahs , sweets, fruits, perfumes, flowers usually mark the offerings of Nowruz. The Aga Khani Ismaili community also celebrates Nowruz in Pakistan. In certain Northern areas of Pakistan which have Shia and Ismaili majority Nowruz has a very potent cultural expression. All of this fails to find any representation in mainstream Pakistan, result is an average educated Urban Pakistani simply doesn’t know about Nowruz. The Pakistani intellectuals are usually busy lecturing India on tolerance and pluralism on issues like Varun Gandhi etc etc and usually don’t care about such small things. The Shia holocaust in Pakistan also goes un noticed by most of our secular-progressive-sufi- Elitist intellectuals. Thanks to them no one in Pakistan knows whats going on against Shias in Parachinar and other areas. A fellow blogger Abdul recently spoke about this criminal silence by those who have a claim to Alternative media in Pakistan. Here is the article by Abdul and other links about Anti Shia holocaust going on in Pakistan. Here , here and Here. Most of our protests on these issues are also met with the same response. Indifference

Pakistani Shias celebrated this Nowruz with an increasing awareness of Talibanization. Yet another Pakistani community celebrates Nowruz. It’s the Bahai community. Scattered through out Pakistan, the Bahai community leads life of invisibility due to “cultural holocaust and apartheid” which is order of the day in Pakistan. Bahai’s through out Pakistan celebrated Nowruz.

Bahai star

The Persian speaking people of Pakistan [this is yet another information for an average educated Pakistani, that there exist people in Pakistan whose mother tongue is Persian] also celebrates Nowruz. Darri speaking [Afghani Persian] Hazaras of Baluchistan also celebrate Nowruz. [Yet another victim of state sponsored holocaust]

Yet another Pakistani community which celebrates Nowruz is the Zoroastrian community commonly known as the “Parsi community”. The community is trying to preserve the ancient pre-Islamic heritage of Iran. Geographically Nowruz is celebrated with greater enthusiasm in Karachi, Quetta, Peshawer, Northern Areas of Pakistan especially Hunza valley, Gilget and Baldistan , Multan and Kashmir. In Pakistan the customs of Nowruz are different than those of Iran.

In Pakistan Nowruz is mostly celebrated as “Alam Afrouz” or the new day. People dress up and visit each other. There are special ceremonies and “aamal” and prayers in Imam Bargahs and Jamat Khanas. Hina, bangles and eidi are also part of Nowruz celebration. In villages the practice of burning wood logs and jumping over it was an established practice on Nowruz but now has almost died. Special sweets like “laddo”, ”rus malai”, ”gulab jaman” “cream rolls” and Suhan Halva are made on this day. These sweets plus roses and perfumes replace the tradition “Haft sen” of Nowruz,

Since in mystic and Shia theology Nowruz is the day to celebrate the wilayah of Ali and house of Muhammed , I have selected a “Ginan”, which are the mystic lyrics wrote of Saints of Indo-Pk , many of them were Ismaili dais [as the Ismaili history is slowly being de-mystified] in praise of the Imams who were in occultation in those days. Shamas the mysterious mystic was also an Ismaili dai who introduced Rumi to “Batin”, what lies beyond the words of Quran.

This particular Ginan is being offered by none other than Queen of mystic music Abida Parveen and it speaks about the “Raj”, the Millennium when charismatic Imams, the continuation of Koranic symbology of Noor-un-ala-noor will rule the humanity. The start of this was affirmation of Ali in realm of spirits an act which is symbolized in day of Nowruz. In modern times this Ginan is specially recited on coronation of the Aga Khan the “Hazir Imams”, the continuation of Ismaili Imamat and the most philosophical rich movement in Islam whose metaphysics contributed a lot in development of mysticism. The devotion of Abida Parveen is worth seeing, a truly spiritual experience. HE Prince Karim Aga Khan, the Hazir Imam can be seen enjoying the Ginan.

We are done cleaning or better say what we call in Iran “House shake” and are waiting so that about 40 minutes, we reach the equinox in local time and start the new Persian year. It is a sunny day here in The Hague and flowers have …[More..]


Tomorrow, March 20th, will be Norooz (the Persian New Year). This year, the new year will be at 4:47 A.M. (Good thing I

We are done cleaning or better say what we call in Iran “House shake” and are waiting so that about 40 minutes, we reach the equinox in local time and start the new Persian year. It is a sunny day here in The Hague and flowers have …[More..]


Tomorrow, March 20th, will be Norooz (the Persian New Year). This year, the new year will be at 4:47 A.M. (Good thing I

I would like to wish everyone out there a happy Noruz – or as most of the world knows it by: Happy Vernal Equinox.  Now which one has more of a ring to it?  Noruz is the Persian New Year and I certainly agree that the spring equinox is a much more appropriate new year than January 1sr.  Today the light and the dark are balanced and for the next 6 months t light shall grow.  Plus, spring has always been about re-birth.  So, Happy New Year and Happy Noruz!

Happy Persian New Year! Happy Noruz.

Traditionally, a haft sin table is prepared with a number of items that represent something or other. One of these items is a goldfish, and so my boyfriend and I decided to make a trip to PetSmart and purchase one. I asked the very helpful and knowledgeable sales associate to pick a “colorful and happy one” for me. For 26 cents, I recieved a vibrantly orange goldfish, and I percieved her spastic and frantic movements as “happy.”

I named this goldfish Oliver after Joe’s rabbit, and we drove to the grocery store to buy water for it. We came home, put it in a vase, and watched it. But something about this fish made me uneasy. Perhaps it was the way its food flakes would float above it, but would remain untouched until they began floating to the bottom where the goldfish ate them, if its creepily vacant and staring eyes happened to see them before they hit the bottom of the tank. Or maybe it was the fact that it would throw itself against the walls of the vase with such violence that miniature whirlpools formed on the surface of the water. Whatever it was, I ended up returning the goldfish and buying a betta fish, whom I have named Nikolai. Niko is beautiful, docile, curious, active but not hyper. He is gentle and inquisitve, everything a pet fish should be. I should note that it is NOT with sarcasm that I so lovingly describe Niko. He is perfect.

I have come to the conclusion that Oliver was, in fact, an Olivia and she was insulted that I continued to call her a boy. I never connect with my female pets with the exception of Daisy, my pet rat, who I loved completely and trained to rest on my neck and then crawl back into my arms and snuggle there like the warm, furry bundle of love that she was.

I plan on baking a cake for my friend at school for her belated birthday. Something pink, white, and sparkly.

Anahita Nasirossadat (Casa Asia) / El jueves 20 de marzo, coincidiendo con el equinoccio de primavera, comenzará el año nuevo para la República Islámica de Irán así como en todos aquellos territorios influidos por el imperio persa, es decir: los afganos, los tadjikos, los kurdos, uzbecos, parsis de la India y baluches. También lo celebran en Turquía.

NORUZ significa “nuevo día” en iraní. La forma de felicitación habitual es “saleh noh mobarak”.

La celebración del año nuevo seguramente tiene referentes de la religión zoroastrista así como representa el renacer de la naturaleza después del invierno y el culto a la fertilidad. Es sin duda la tradición más importante de Irán, sin connotaciones religiosas. Todos celebran NORUZ, sin importar el credo y la etnia de cada uno.

El conjunto de Persépolis se construyó expresamente con motivo del NORUZ, siendo lugar predilecto de los reyes Aqueménidas para celebrar la llegada del nuevo año. Pueden incluso verse unos magníficos bajorrelieves en los cuales se representan a los varios pueblos bajo influencia del imperio persa llevando ofrendas para la ocasión.

En cuanto a las tradiciones a llevar a cabo, destacar que un mes antes se disponen de semillas de trigo o de lentejas para que germinen, llamado “sabzeh”. Es el símbolo del renacer de la naturaleza, como si tuviéramos un pedacito de césped en cada casa.

Asimismo, se prepara, unas horas antes de la entrada del nuevo año, una mesa “haft sin” que significa mesa con siete eses, ya que se colocan siete objetos cuyo nombre empieza con la letra ese en persa, cada uno de los cuales simboliza algo: 1) SABZÉ (trigo o lentejas germinadas adornadas con una cinta roja). 2) SIB (manzana), el deseo y la belleza. 3) SIR (ajo), la salud. 4) SOMAG (zumaque) una especie que proviene del árbol del paraíso. 5) SERKÉ (vinagre), la madurez y la paciencia ante las dificultades de la vida. 6) SOMBOL (jacinto), llegada de la primavera y 7) SEKKE (monedas de oro), prosperidad y riqueza.

En la misma mesa se coloca también un Corán, un espejo y una pecera con peces de colores, para atraer la suerte.

En el momento del cambio de año, la familia, con ropa nueva como manda la tradición, se sitúa alrededor de la mesa, felicitándose la llegada del año nuevo.

Durante los días siguientes, se visita a los demás familiares y amigos cercanos. Al 13º día tras el año nuevo “sisdeh bedar”, todas las familias salen a pasar el día fuera, para ahuyentar la mala suerte del número 13. Las semillas germinadas deben echarse a un río o arroyo, haciendo pequeños nudos con las hebras, pidiendo deseos de año nuevo, por ejemplo que sea el año de su boda. Para la comunidad iraní que vive lejos de su país es un momento especialmente importante, cargado de emotividad y esperanza para el nuevo año.

Más información en Casa Persia.

A Haft sin table in Tehran.

Nowruz 1388 in Google

Watch: Iranian new year with traditional dances of diffrent peoples of Iran with a short folkloric music

About Nowruz:

Nowrūz Persian نوروز /Kurdish نه‌ورۆز /noʊruz/ ↔ [noʊɾuːz]; with various local pronunciations and spellings, meaning ‘New Day’)/Turkish Nevruz is the traditional new year holiday celebrated by Iranian peoples, having its roots in Ancient Iran. Apart from the Iranian cultural continent (Greater Iran), the celebration has spread in many other parts of the world, including parts of Central Asia, South Asia, Northwestern China, the Crimea, and some ethnic groups in Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo and the Republic of Macedonia.

Nowruz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the Iranian year and is a secular holiday. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs on March 21 or the previous/following day depending on where it is observed. As well as being a Zoroastrian holiday and having significance amongst the Zoroastrian ancestors of modern Iranians. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the Jewish festival of Purim, is probably adopted from the Persian New Year.

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.

source

also see:

Nowruz 1387, Persian New Year

Google’s Logo for Persian New Year 1387

Norouz; Declaration of Iranians’ Livelihood, Eternity By: Dr Ali Shariati

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]]> http://tonbak.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/happy-persian-new-year/ Fri, 20 Mar 2009 05:40:39 +0000 tonbak http://tonbak.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/happy-persian-new-year/

Happy Spring and Noruz

Happy New Year!

Nowruz, la gran fiesta del Antiguo Irán

Nowruz o Norouz, escrito نوروز en persa, es el año nuevo tradicional en Irán.

Noruz es el festival del (primer día de la) Primavera y el prinicpio del Año iraní.

Noruz se ha celebrado durante al menos 3000 años y está fuertemente arraigado en los rituales y tradiciones del zoroastrismo.Noruz es la fiesta más grande que se celebra en Irán, cuyas raíces se extienden incluso al culto en Mesopotamia de Tamuz, dios de la fertilidad que moría y resucitaba.

Noruz, la fiesta iraní, ha sido la celebración primaveral más grandiosa del mundo. La fiesta, que comienza  el primer día de Farvardin (primer mes de la primavera, 20 marzo- 20 abril, según el calendario persa), es un remanente antiquísimo que recuerda a los antepasados de los actuales iraníes.

Según ellos durante cinco noches, el alma de los difuntos regresaba a la tierra para visitar su casa y familiares. Si la casa se encontraba limpia y la familia feliz, el alma se alegraba, pero si no era así, regresaba triste hasta el año siguiente.

Pero hay otras anécdotas que explican el origen del Noruz. Dicen que en este día, Jamshid, un antiguo rey de la mitología irania, descubrió una caña de tallo leñoso, de tejido esponjoso y dulce, del que extrajo azúcar que regaló en grandes cantidades a todo el mundo. Por eso llamaron a este día Nuevo (noruz; no, nuevo – ruz, día en persa)

También se dice que Ahriman –el dios maligno del Zoroastrismo- provocó una gran sequía y hambruna en la Tierra, pero Jamshid luchó con Ahriman, le derrotó y eliminó la sequía y el hambre. La tierra y los árboles reverdecieron nuevamente y la gente llamó a este día Noruz y plantaron cebada, costumbre que ha perdurado hasta nuestros días.Como parte de la celebración del Noruz, en Irán ponen a germinar trigo o cebada; esto recuerda en el caso de los cristianos, el Altar de Dolores, donde se disponen cereales de este tipo. Al parecer este rito tiene su origen precisamente en el Noruz.

Este acto de la germinación se remonta a la religión antigua de los persas, el Zoroastrismo, que fue de las pocas cosas que permanecieron a pesar del Islam y que continúa hasta hoy en día. El Noruz está propuesto por ese país ante la UNESCO para formar parte del Patrimonio Intangible de la Humanidad.

Este festival, sin embargo, no sólo tiene efecto en Irán sino en todos los lugares donde tuvo importancia el imperio persa, es decir, en los actuales países –particularmente de Asia central– de Afganistán, India, Azerbaiyán, Albania, Turkmenistán, Tajiskistán, Uzbekistán, Kirjistán, y en especial entre los kurdos,Otra de las costumbres es la realización de fogatas en las calles y brincan sobre ellas.

Al final de estos, el cielo y la tierra se colapsaban y se volvía un caos.Por eso, la festividad se prolonga por doce días y el 13 representa el tiempo del caos, cuando las familias dejan el orden a un lado y evitan la mala suerte asociada con el número 13, debido a eso salen a la calle y realizan días de campo o fiestas.

شرمنده که دیر شد اما در هر صورت سال نو مبارک.

پروردگارا، در آستانه ی سال نو دست نیایش به بارگاه بزرگواریت بلند دارم و به نیایش آستان پر مهرت پردازم.
پروردگارا، بخشش های دیرینت را سپاسگزارم و به داد و جهش و مهرت امیدوار.

سر نیاز به درگاه بی نیازت فرود آورم و از آستان بزرگی ات خواستارم تا مهری فرمایی که اندوه های دیرین را از یاد ببرم، بی مهری مردمان را ببخشایم، چشم از بدی ها بردارم و زیبایی ها و نیکی های جهان را ببینم. دل به آب و گل به اندازه بدارم و از فزونی جویی دست بردارم تا غم و اندوهم کم شود.

خدایا، دلی مهربانترم ده و روانی روشنتر تا به مهر و مردمی پردازم و دلهای مردمان را شاد سازم.

خدایا، فرزانه ترم کن تا جهانبینی بیاموزم و اندیشه های والاتر بدارم. توانایی ام ده تا لبی خندان و گفتاری شیرین بدارم و ناامیدان را امیدوار سازم.

پروردگارا، مرا یاری کن تا همیاری و همنوایی و همدلی بیاموزم و بزرگواری ده تا دستی باز بدارم و به سوی آنان که ندارند دراز کنم.

خدایا، مرا از بیدادگران و رشک بران نگه دار و همراهی ام کن تا بیدادگری نکنم و رشک نبرم، از کسی بد نگویم و به سخن بدگویان گوش ندهم و آنچه بر خود نمی پسندم بر دیگران روا ندارم.

خدایا، مرا از خودخواهی و خودرایی و خودبینی برهان تا در آتش دوزخ خود نسوزم.

خداوندا، خردمندم فرما تا تو را بشناسم و بندگانت را دوست بدارم. تنی سالم و دلی شاد عطا فرما تا گشایشی در زندگی بدارم و به ستایش و نیایشت پردازم و به یاری تو به دیگران مهر ورزم.

پروردگارا، خداوندا، ایران زمین را که زادگاه من و پدران من است، آزاد و آباد و سرافراز بدار.

اگر در این یک سال خوبی دیدید دعا کنید و اگر بدی دیدید به بزرگی دلتون ببخشید .

نیایش برگرفته از مامبو فارسی