written by Fariborz Rahnamoon

NOWRUZ, the Iranian New Year, is the only scientific New Year celebrated today. It is celebrated precisely at the moment when the Vernal Equinox takes place. Nowruz has crossed all religious and national boundaries, and everyone who once formed the great Persian Empire celebrates it. Religions originating in Iran after the Islamic invasion, namely the Bahia faith and the Ismaili Muslims, have incorporated Now Ruz into their religion.

According to the Avesta and the Shahnameh, Nowruz dates back some 12,000 years to the last Ice Age when Shah Jamshid celebrates the first spring after the ice age.

Zarathushtra coined the word Nowruz, meaning New Day, and Nim-Ruz, meaning Mid-Day, to record two natural phenomena. Nowruz has become a proper name and lost its significance. It comprises two Persian words, NOW meaning New and RUZ meaning Day. In the Avesta, Mehr Yasht 102-104, we are told of the location of the Natural Meridian of the earth at NIM-RUZ 1 (63 degrees longitude), from where the Mid-Day Sun shines over the entire hemisphere, from Japan and Australia (153 degrees longitude) to Africa and Europe (-27 degrees longitude).

The coining of the word Nowruz the New Day goes back to 1725 BCE, thirteen years after King Vistasp accepted the teachings of Zarathushtra. After that, Zarathushtra settled on the banks of Lake Hamoun in Sistan, Balkh. While engaged in astronomy, he calculated that on the New Year of 1725 BCE, the Vernal Equinox and the Sunrise would coincide in the Kingdom of Balkh. He informed King Vistasp of the phenomenon, who proclaimed the New Year (Saal-e-Now) of 1725 BCE as the New Day, Now Ruz. The coinciding of Sunrise with Equinox happens every year at different locations. It is a once-in-a-lifetime event at a location. It was recognized with a special celebration whenever it occurred in the Persian Empire.

There is archaeological evidence of such a celebration by King Darius in 487 BCE in his Apadana Palace at Persepolis, where they erected a stone pillar. The first rays of the rising sun fell on this pillar at the exact moment that the Vernal Equinox occurred. The Bas Relief surrounding the palace depicts the celebration of the Now Ruz of 487 BCE. The pedestal still exists, and every year on Now Ruz, people gather at Persepolis to see the sunrise, but it has never again coincided with the Equinox at that location.
This astronomical phenomenon of 487 BCE and 1725 BCE is verifiable.

Pedastal of the pillar at Persepolis (covered by wooden plank to avoid damage) 

NOWRUZ of 2024

Just like the Nowruz of 487 BCE, at Persepolis The Sunrise will coincide with the Equinox at MAKU in Iran, West Azerbaijan province, at 6.36 AM local time ERBIL in Kurdistan, Iraq, at 6.06 AM local time
YEREVAN, Armenia, at 7.06 local time

It is customary in Kurdistan to light a torch and go up the mountain to welcome the New Day, and for the first time in modern history, we can be welcoming the Sunrise – New Day precisely at the time of the Equinox. Just like Daryush celebrated it in 487 BCE and Zarathustra celebrated it in 1725 BCE.

CELEBRATION 

In ancient times, they celebrated Nowruz for 21 days. Today, in Iran, it is celebrated for 13 days. People visit each other, and on the last day, everyone picnics out in the open field for the whole day. The main feature of the celebration is the Now Rooz Table (Sofreh Nowruzi). This table is arranged differently in the different countries, but all have a common theme. They are all arranged to indicate Seven (HAFT) parts. In Afghanistan, they place seven bowls of different dry fruits on their table. They call it “Haft Mewa”. 

Among the Zarathushtis in the past, it used to be Seven Trays “HAFT SEENEE”. The Seven Trays represented the SEVEN ETERNAL LAWS OF NATURE as propounded in Gathas. ² In each tray were placed numerous items of individual choice like coloured eggs, pomegranates, a live fish in a bowl, a mirror, needle and thread, a small broom, a source of light, various fruits and dry fruits, confectionery, bread and honey, a pot of flowers, sprouted grain, the Avesta and many more items of individual choice. They served the Guests with the fruits and sweets from the table and replenished them as consumed. What was important was the “Seven Trays” – “Haft Seenee” representing the Seven Eternal Laws. 

1. Good Mind (BAHMAN- VohuMana) Use your Good Mind to inquire and learn the 
2. Ultimate Truth (ORDIBEHST-Asha Vahista) the Laws of Nature- the Secrets in Nature -Use them to make 
3. Good Rules (SHAHRIVAR- Khash Atra Variya) Good Laws- Good Products – Which will lead to 
4. Lawful Desire (ESPAND- Spanta Armaity) Righteousness – that will pave the way toward 
5. Wholeness (KHORDAD- Hurvatata) Mental, Physical and Spiritual – which will lead to 
6. Immortality (AMORDAD)- (a) Being remembered for your good work for generations 
7. (b) Losing the fear of Death –resulting in oneness with 
8. Ahura Mazda- The Creator of Wisdom KHOD-AH – KHOD = Self AH = to come. 
9. To Realize God through Self Realization. 
10. Among the Iranians forced to convert to Islam, the “Seenee” was replaced by the Arabic alphabet س 
11. “SEEN”. They place Seven individual items whose names start with the Arabic letter SEEN in small bowls or trays on the table. Unable to assign the noble philosophical values of the Gathas, they devised some mediocre qualities like SERKEH The Vinegar; I am sour, but I am a good preservative; I symbolize preservation. I am SUMAC, exotic in my way; I make your Kebabs have a tangy taste and symbolize taste. I am SEER Garlic. I lower blood pressure; I Pacify; I symbolize Peace. I am SENJED, the tasteless berry of the sorb tree. I am the fruit of a tree that provides shade in summer; I symbolize the shelter and security you need when you want to rest. Etc. A huge contrast, but they had no choice if they wanted to preserve their culture in a hostile environment. 
12. Zoroastrians and Iranians in the West should revert to the “Haft Seenee”, the correct form of the Now Ruz table, and demonstrate to the world the true teachings of Zarathushtra embodied in it. These very teachings were gifted to Baby Jesus by the Magi. Who mastered it ³ and realized the final stage – Khod- Ah – and said, “I and the Father are one”. ⁴ 
13. Jesus was stoned by the people and crucified by the Romans for promoting the Way of Life ⁵ of their rival, the Persians. Let us help the world shed the Roman Way of Life, that of using only one of our senses, the sense of Hearing. Of Believing what we Hear ⁶ without questioning if it is true; instead, let us adopt the MazdaYasni way of life, of not only USING ALL OUR SENSES BUT OF USING THEM WITH WISDOM.⁷ 
14. FARKHONDEH NOW RUZ KHOJASTEH BAAD  
15. ¹ (63 degrees longitude in Balkh Afghanistan) http://ahura.homestead.com/files/NouRouz/NIM_ROOZ_MAP.doc 
16. ² Gathas Yasna 28.3 and 28.10 http://gathas.ca/ 
17. ³ Bible Mathew 4. & Luke 4. Jesus is tested for the first three Laws Vohuman Asha Vahista and Khas Atra Variya. 
18. ⁴ Bible John 10. 
19. ⁵ Jesus in his sermons has mentioned all the Laws but misunderstood like-e.g: The one who does what is right is righteous (Espand) (John3:7) Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.’ (Hurvatata)(Matthew 5:1-48) I give them eternal life, and they will never perish.(Amordad) John 10:28 
20. ⁶ Angles, thooth faries, goblets, flying reindeers, bountiful immortals, etc. 
21. ⁷ Gathas Ha 44.18 http://gathas.ca/