85-642: Seasonal festival in Zoroastrian calendar The seasonal festivals, called gahambars (meaning "proper season"), occur six times a year. Due to the peculiarities of the Shahenshahi and Kadmi variants of the Zoroastrian calendar , in those variants the seasonal festivals are actually celebrated many months in advance and are therefore said to reflect the six "primordial creations" of Ahura Mazda , otherwise known as
170-446: A character with his face and hands covered in soot, clad in bright red clothes and a felt hat, is the companion of Amu Nowruz. He dances through the streets while singing and playing the tambourine. In the traditional songs, he introduces himself as a serf trying to cheer people whom he refers to as his lords. In the folklore of Afghanistan, Kampirak and his retinue pass village by village, distributing gathered charities among people. He
255-581: A day over the course of a cycle. As the source explains, the 2820-year cycle is erroneous and has never been used in practice. Chaharshanbe Suri ( Persian : چهارشنبهسوری , romanized : čahâr-šanbeh suri (lit. "Festive Wednesday") is a prelude to the New Year . In Iran, it is celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday before Nowruz. It is usually celebrated in the evening by performing rituals such as jumping over bonfires and lighting off firecrackers and fireworks . In Azerbaijan, where
340-629: A great festive occasion. Later Turkic and Mongol invaders did not attempt to abolish Nowruz. In 1079 CE during the Seljuq dynasty era, a group of eight scholars led by astronomer and polymath Omar Khayyam calculated and established the Jalali calendar , computing the year starting from Nowruz. The festival along with Mehregan was widely celebrated in Al-Andalus , as the Andalusians from
425-538: A matching set of leap years in 2096 CE. Nowruz Nowruz ( Persian : نوروز [noːˈɾuːz] ) is the Iranian New Year or Persian New Year . Historically, it has been observed by Persians and other Iranian peoples , but is now celebrated by many ethnicities worldwide. It is a festival based on the Northern Hemisphere spring equinox , which marks the first day of
510-755: A new year on the Solar Hijri calendar ; it usually coincides with a date between 19 March and 22 March on the Gregorian calendar . The roots of Nowruz lie in Zoroastrianism , and it has been celebrated by many peoples across West Asia , Central Asia , the Caucasus and the Black Sea Basin , the Balkans , and South Asia for over 3,000 years. In the modern era, while it is observed as
595-409: A regular pattern, but during the reign of Artaxerxes II (circa 380 BCE) astronomers utilised a 19-year cycle which required the addition of a month called Addaru II in years 3, 6, 8, 11, 14 and 19, and the month Ululu II in year 17 of the cycle. The first known intercalation is recorded for 309 BCE. The first month of the year was called Frawardin, and the first day of Frawardin
680-452: A secular holiday by most celebrants, Nowruz remains a holy day for Zoroastrians, Baháʼís , and Ismaʿili Shia Muslims . For the Northern Hemisphere , Nowruz marks the beginning of spring . Customs for the festival include various fire and water rituals, celebratory dances, gift exchanges, and poetry recitations, among others; these observances differ between the cultures of the diverse communities that celebrate it. The first day of
765-566: A throne studded with gems. He had demons raise him above the earth into the heavens; there he sat, shining like the Sun. The world's creatures gathered and scattered jewels around him and proclaimed that this was the New Day ( Now Ruz ). This was the first day of Farvardin , which is the first month of the Iranian calendar . Although it is not clear whether Proto-Indo-Iranians celebrated a feast as
850-424: A wish to find a partner. Another custom associated with Sizdah Bedar is the playing of jokes and pranks, similar to April Fools' Day . There exist various foundation myths for Nowruz in Iranian mythology . The Shahnameh credits the foundation of Nowruz to the mythical Iranian King Jamshid , who saves mankind from a winter destined to kill every living creature. To defeat the killer winter, Jamshid constructed
935-577: Is 1952063. The Julian Day Number of Nowruz, the first day, of Year Y of the Yazdegirdi Era is therefore 1952063 + ( Y − 1) × 365. 22 July AD 2000 was Nowruz and the first day of 1370 Y.Z. (or 3738 ZRE) according to the Qadimi reckoning. In the Julian year 1300 CE, 669 Y.Z. began on 1 January, and 670 Y.Z. on 31 December of
SECTION 10
#17327767187021020-761: Is a combination of the Persian words نو ( now , meaning 'new') and روز ( ruz , 'day'). Pronunciation varies among Persian dialects, with Eastern dialects using the pronunciation [nawˈɾoːz] (as in Dari and Classical Persian, however in Tajik, it is navrūz , written наврӯз ), western dialects [nowˈɾuːz] , and Tehranis [noːˈɾuːz] . A variety of spelling variations for the word nowruz exist in English-language usage, including norooz , novruz , nowruz , navruz , nauruz and newroz . Nowruz's timing
1105-400: Is an old, bearded man wearing colorful clothes with a long hat and rosary who symbolizes beneficence and the power of nature yielding the forces of winter. The tradition is observed in central provinces, specially Bamyan and Daykundi . In Kazakhstan, Kazakhs start the new year by cooking nauryz kozhe , a traditional drink. The festival of Nowruz is celebrated by many groups of people in
1190-423: Is based on the vernal equinox . In Iran, it is the day of the new year in the Solar Hijri algorithmic calendar , which is based on precise astronomical observations, and moreover use of sophisticated intercalation system, which makes it more accurate than its European counterpart, the Gregorian calendar . Each 2820-year great grand cycle contains 2,137 normal years of 365 days and 683 leap years of 366 days, with
1275-653: Is common in every region where Nowruz is celebrated, and each area has its food and sweets. Typically, before the arrival of Nowruz, family members gather around the Haft-sin table and await the exact moment of the March equinox to celebrate the New Year. The number 7 and the letter S are related to the seven Ameshasepantas as mentioned in the Zend-Avesta. They relate to the four elements of Fire, Earth, Air, Water, and
1360-505: Is commonly done before the arrival of Nowruz. People start preparing for Nowruz with a major spring cleaning of their homes and by buying new clothes to wear for the New Year, as well as the purchase of flowers. The hyacinth and the tulip are popular and conspicuous. During the Nowruz holidays, people are expected to make short visits to the homes of family, friends and neighbors. Typically, young people will visit their elders first, and
1445-462: Is cooked. In some countries, cooking this food is associated with certain rituals. Women and girls in different parts of Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan cook Samanu in groups and sometimes during the night, and when cooking it, they sing memorable songs. Cooking other foods is also common on Nowruz. For example, sabzi polo with fish is eaten on Eid night, as are sweets such as Nan-e Nokhodchi . In general, cooking Nowruz food
1530-458: Is probable that they traditionally held festivals in both autumn and spring, to mark the major turning points of the natural year." Nowruz is partly rooted in the tradition of Iranian religions , such as Mithraism and Zoroastrianism . In Mithraism, festivals had a deep linkage with the Sun's light. The Iranian festivals such as Mehregan ( autumnal equinox ), Tirgan , and the eve of Chelle ye Zemestan ( winter solstice ) also had an origin in
1615-408: Is the traditional calendar in use since 1006 CE. In 1006 CE, the month Frawardin had returned to the correct position so that 1 Frawardin coincided with the northern vernal equinox. The religious festivals were therefore returned to their traditional months, with Nawruz once again being celebrated on 1 Frawardin. The Julian Day Number corresponding to 16 June 632 CE
1700-479: Is the traditional display of Novruz in the Republic of Azerbaijan. It consists of a big silver or copper tray, with a tray of green, sprouting wheat ( samani ) in the middle and a dyed egg for each member of the family arranged around it. The table should be with at least seven dishes. In Iran, the traditional heralds of the festival of Nowruz are Amu Nowruz and Haji Firuz , who appear in the streets to celebrate
1785-499: The Šāhnāme of Ferdowsi , or the divān of Hafez may also be included. Haft-sin's origins are not clear. The practice is believed to have been popularized over the past 100 years. In Afghanistan, people prepare Haft Mēwa ( Dari : هفت میوه , English: seven fruits ) for Nauruz, a mixture of seven different dried fruits and nuts (such as raisins , silver berry , pistachios , hazelnuts , prunes , walnut , and almonds ) served in syrup. Khoncha ( Azerbaijani : Xonça )
SECTION 20
#17327767187021870-601: The Amesha Spentas . Each of these festivals is celebrated over five days. The six festivals are: Maidyozarem Gahambar ('mid-spring' feast), April 30 – May 4 Maidyoshahem Gahambar ('mid-summer' feast), June 29 – July 3 Paitishahem Gahambar (feast of 'bringing in the harvest'), September 12 – September 16 Ayathrem Gahambar ('bringing home the herds'), October 12 – October 16 Maidyarem Gahambar ('mid-year'/winter feast), December 31 – January 4 Hamaspathmaidyem Gahambar (feast of 'all souls', literally 'coming of
1955-557: The Babylonian calendar as used in the Achaemenid empire . Qadimi ("ancient") is a traditional reckoning introduced in 1006. Shahanshahi ("imperial") is a calendar reconstructed from the 10th century text Denkard . Fasli is a term for a 1906 adaptation of the 11th century Jalali calendar following a proposal by Kharshedji Rustomji Cama made in the 1860s. A number of Calendar eras are in use: The Babylonian calendar
2040-457: The Iranian calendar falls on the March equinox , the first day of spring, around 21 March. In the 11th century AD the Iranian calendar was reformed by Omar Khayyam in order to fix the beginning of the calendar year, i.e. Nowruz, at the vernal equinox. Accordingly, the definition of Nowruz given by the Iranian astronomer Tusi was the following: "the first day of the official New Year [Nowruz]
2125-556: The King of Kings . The significance of the ceremony was such that King Cambyses II 's appointment as the king of Babylon was legitimized only after his participation in the referred annual Achaemenid festival. It has been suggested that the famous Persepolis complex, or at least the palace of Apadana and the Hundred Columns Hall, were built for the specific purpose of celebrating a feast related to Nowruz. In 539 BC,
2210-527: The Solar Hejri calendar. This is strictly tied to the actual northward equinox, rather than a mathematical approximation to it. An Iranian day is reckoned to begin at midnight. Iranian time is 3.5 hours ahead of GMT . New Year's Day is defined to be the day, as reckoned by Iranian time, when the northward equinox (the precise moment in time when northern and southern hemispheres of the Earth pass through
2295-416: The spring equinox . According to Mary Boyce , "It seems a reasonable surmise that Nowruz, the holiest of them all, with deep doctrinal significance, was founded by Zoroaster himself"; although there is no clear date of origin. Between sunset on the day of the sixth Gahambar and sunrise of Nowruz, Hamaspathmaedaya (later known, in its extended form, as Frawardinegan ; and today is known as Farvardigan )
2380-538: The 9th century onwards strongly identified with many Iranian traditions despite the opposition from the Maliki jurists . Also, from the 10th century onwards the nobility, emirs and governors sponsored the celebrations and festivals. However, the jurists beginning from the 12th century started encouraging the Andalusians to celebrate Mawlid instead. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union , Iran and Afghanistan were
2465-612: The Fasili Society, and since the Iranian national calendar had also retained the Zoroastrian names of the months, it was not a big step to integrate the two. The Bastani calendar was duly accepted by many of the Zoroastrians. Many orthodox Iranian Zoroastrians, especially the Sharifabadis of Yazd , continued to use the Qadimi, however. In 1906 CE, Nawruz of 1276 Y.Z. fell on 15 August for followers of
2550-665: The Fasli calendar as Webster's online dictionary and various unreferenced sources state that the Fasli calendar follows the Gregorian, and it is shown strictly following the Gregorian calendar in the period AD 2009–2031 in the tables published by R. E. Kadva. The Gregorian calendar itself, however, will not keep 21 March as the date of the northern vernal equinox forever – it has a deviation of one day every 5025 years. The civil calendar in Iran since 31 March 1925 CE has been
2635-454: The Gatha days 15–19 March. Mareshpand Jashan is on 13 March. The leap day, 20 March, called Avardad-sal-Gah , is considered a duplication of Wahishtoisht , the fifth Gatha day, but is not reckoned as Mukhtad or Hamaspathmaidyem. 21 March 2000 CE was Nowruz and the first day of 1370 Y.Z. (or 3738 ZRE) according to the Fasli reckoning. Ali Jafarey describes
Gahambars - Misplaced Pages Continue
2720-555: The Iranian calendar, he mentions Nowruz, Sadeh , Tirgan, Mehrgan, the six Gahambars, Farvardigan, Bahmanja, Esfand Armaz and several other festivals. According to him, "It is the belief of the Iranians that Nowruz marks the first day when the universe started its motion." The Persian historian Gardizi , in his work titled Zayn al-Akhbār , under the section of the Zoroastrians festivals, mentions Nowruz (among other festivals) and specifically points out that Zoroaster highly emphasized
2805-590: The Iranians to develop their own spring festival into an established New Year feast, with the name Navasarda "New Year" (a name which, though first attested through Middle Persian derivatives, is attributed to the Achaemenian period)." Akitu was the Babylonian festivity held during the spring month of Nisan in which Nowruz falls. Since the communal observations of the ancient Iranians appear in general to have been seasonal ones and related to agriculture, "it
2890-612: The Jews came under Iranian rule, thus exposing both groups to each other's customs. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica , the story of Purim as told in the Book of Esther is adapted from an Iranian novella about the shrewdness of harem queens, suggesting that Purim may be an adoption of Iranian New Year. A specific novella is not identified and Encyclopedia Britannica itself notes that "no Jewish texts of this genre from
2975-514: The Middle East occurs on 1 Nisan , the new moon of the first month of spring, which usually falls within a few weeks of Nowruz. In his Shahnameh , the tenth-century poet Ferdowsi narrates a fictional account of Darius III 's death, where an injured Darius, with his head cradled on Alexander the Great ’s thigh, asks Alexander to wed Roxana , so their children might uphold Nowruz and keep
3060-417: The New Year. Amu Nowruz brings children gifts, much like his counterpart Santa Claus . He is the husband of Nane Sarma , with whom he shares a traditional love story in which they can meet each other only once a year. He is depicted as an elderly silver-haired man with a long beard carrying a walking stick, wearing a felt hat, a long cloak of blue canvas, a sash, giveh , and linen trousers. Haji Firuz,
3145-526: The Nowruz holidays last thirteen days. On the thirteenth day of the New Year, Iranians leave their houses to enjoy nature and picnic outdoors, as part of the Sizdah Bedar ceremony. The greenery grown for the Haft-sin setting is thrown away, usually into running water. It is also customary for young single people, especially young girls, to tie the leaves of the greenery before discarding it, expressing
3230-490: The Persian period are extant, so these new elements can be recognized only inferentially." Purim is celebrated the 14 of Adar , usually within a month before Nowruz (as the date of Purim is set according to the Jewish calendar , which is lunisolar ), while Nowruz occurs at the spring equinox. It is possible that the Jews and Iranians of the time may have shared or adopted similar customs for these holidays. The Lunar new year of
3315-508: The Qadimi calendar, and 14 September for those observing Shahanshahi. There was therefore a six-month gap between the Fasli and Qadimi New Year observances, and a seven-month gap to the Shahanshahi. Since there is exactly one Fasli year for every Gregorian year, then day one of the proleptic Fasli calendar would be 21 March (Gregorian) 631 CE, with Year 2 beginning on 21 March 632 CE. But Yazdegird III did not ascend
3400-512: The Qadimi reckoning. Other Parsis continued to use the reckoning which had become traditional in India, and call their calendar Shahanshahi . Arzan Lali the author of Zoroastrian Calendar Services (ZCS) website (zcserv.com) comments that "... adherents of other variants of the Zoroastrian calendar denigrate the Shenshai or Shahenshahi as 'royalist'." 21 August 2000 CE was Nawruz, and
3485-576: The Seleucids, continued the Seleucid/Hellenic tradition. In 224 CE, when the Babylonian calendar was replaced by the Zoroastrian, 1 Frawardin and the New Year celebration of Nawruz had drifted to 1 October. The older custom of counting regnal years from the monarch's coronation was reinstated. At this point the calendar was realigned with the seasons by delaying the epagemonai by eight months (so that they now preceded
Gahambars - Misplaced Pages Continue
3570-431: The Sun god ( Mithra ). Among other ideas, Zoroastrianism is the first monotheistic religion that emphasizes broad concepts such as the corresponding work of good and evil in the world, and the connection of humans to nature. Zoroastrian practices were dominant for much of the history of ancient Iran. In Zoroastrianism, the seven most important Zoroastrian festivals are the six Gahambar festivals and Nowruz, which occurs at
3655-408: The Yazdegirdi Era is therefore 1952093 + ( Y − 1) × 365. At the start of the 20th century, Khurshedji Cama , a Bombay Parsi , founded the "Zarthosti Fasili Sal Mandal", or Zoroastrian Seasonal-Year Society. In 1906, the society published its proposal for a Zoroastrian calendar which was synchronised with the seasons. This Fasli calendar, as it became known,
3740-453: The attention of the priests of Surat , but no consensus as to which calendar was correct was reached. Around 1740 CE, some influential priests argued that since their visitor had been from the ancient 'homeland', his version of the calendar must be correct, and their own must be wrong. On 6 June 1745 CE (Julian), a number of Parsis in and around Surat adopted the calendar which had continued in use in Iran, now to be identified as
3825-419: The average year length over the great grand cycle 365.24219852. This average is just 0.00000026 (2.6×10 ) of a day—slightly more than 1/50 of a second—shorter than Newcomb 's value for the mean tropical year of 365.24219878 days, but differs considerably more from the current average vernal equinox year of 365.242362 days, which means that the new year, intended to fall on the vernal equinox, would drift by half
3910-450: The caliphate. The Iranian Buyid ruler 'Adud al-Dawla (r. 949–983) customarily welcomed Nowruz in a majestic hall, decked with gold and silver plates and vases full of fruit and colorful flowers. The King would sit on the royal throne, and the court astronomer would come forward, kiss the ground, and congratulate him on the arrival of the New Year. The king would then summon musicians and singers, and invited his friends to gather and enjoy
3995-600: The celebration of Nowruz and Mehrgan. Although the word Nowruz is not recorded in Achaemenid inscriptions, there is a detailed account by Xenophon of a Nowruz celebration taking place in Persepolis and the continuity of this festival in the Achaemenid tradition. Nowruz was an important day during the Achaemenid Empire ( c. 550–330 BC ). Kings of the different Achaemenid nations would bring gifts to
4080-458: The elders return their visit later. Visitors are offered tea and pastries, cookies, fresh and dried fruits and mixed nuts or other snacks. Many Iranians throw large Nowruz parties as a way of dealing with the long distances between groups of friends and family. One of the most common foods cooked on the occasion of Nowruz is Samanu (Samanak, Somank, Somalek). This food is prepared using wheat germ. In most countries that celebrate Nowruz, this food
4165-495: The end of the year. New Year's Day would be kept on the northward vernal equinox , and if the leap-day was applied correctly, would not drift away from the spring. The Fasli society also claimed that their calendar was an accurate religious calendar, as opposed to the other two calendars, which they asserted were only political. The new calendar received little support from the Indian Zoroastrian community, since it
4250-615: The fire during the festival, asking the fire to take away ill-health and problems and replace them with warmth, health, and energy. Trail mix and berries are also served during the celebration. Spoon banging ( قاشق زنی , qāšoq zani ) is a tradition observed on the eve of Charshanbe Suri, similar to the Halloween custom of trick-or-treating . In Iran, people wear disguises and go door-to-door banging spoons against plates or bowls and receive packaged snacks. In Azerbaijan, children slip around to their neighbors' homes and apartments on
4335-509: The first day of 1370 Y.Z. (or 3738 ZRE) according to the Shahanshahi reckoning. Because the one-off intercalation of 30 days happened sometime before the Nawruz of 1129 CE, we can be confident that in that Julian year, 498 YZ began on 12 February by the Qadimi reckoning, but 14 March by the recently introduced Shahanshahi. The Julian Day Number of Nawruz, the first day, of all subsequent Shahanshahi years Y of
SECTION 50
#17327767187024420-400: The first day of the calendar, there are indications that Iranians may have observed the beginning of both autumn and spring, respectively related to the harvest and the sowing of seeds, for the celebration of the New Year. Mary Boyce and Frantz Grenet explain the traditions for seasonal festivals and comment: "It is possible that the splendor of the Babylonian festivities at this season, led
4505-580: The first of Farvardin began at the autumn equinox. During the reign of the Parthian dynasty, the spring festival was Mehregan , a Zoroastrian and Iranian festival celebrated in honor of Mithra . Extensive records on the celebration of Nowruz appear following the accession of Ardashir I , the founder of the Sasanian Empire (224–651 AD). Under the Sassanid emperors, Nowruz was celebrated as
4590-462: The first years after implementation of the new Gatha days, the population had not universally adopted the new dates for religious festivals, resulting in "official" celebrations takings place five days earlier than popular celebrations. In later years the population had observed the Gatha days, but the original five day discrepancy persisted. Hormazd's reform was to link the popular and official observance dates to form continual six-day feasts. Nawruz
4675-438: The five-day festival of Hamaspathmaidyem , on the five Gatha days. The penultimate day of the twelfth month is Mareshpand Jashan . In a common year (non-leap year) of the Fasli observance, Mukhtad is observed 11–20 March, with Hamaspathmaidyem and the Gatha days 16–20 March. Mareshpand Jashan is on 14 March. In a leap year of the Fasli observance, Mukhtad is observed 10–19 March, with Hamaspathmaidyem and
4760-439: The flame of Zoroaster burning: Her mother named her Roxana the fair; The world found joy and solace in her care. ... From her, perhaps, a glorious one shall rise; Who shall renew the name of bold Esfandiyār , wise. This sacred flame of Zoroaster, he shall adorn; The Zend and Avesta scriptures, in his hands be borne. The feast of Sadeh , this auspicious rite he'll keep; The splendor of Nowruz and fire temples deep. Nowruz
4845-620: The last Tuesday prior to Novruz, knock at the doors, and leave their caps or little basket on the thresholds, hiding nearby to wait for candies, pastries and nuts. The ritual of jumping over fire has continued in Armenia in the feast of Trndez , which is a feast of purification in the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian Catholic Church , celebrated forty days after Jesus 's birth. In Iran,
4930-671: The main royal holiday during the Abbasid period. Much like their predecessors in the Sasanian period, Dehqans would offer gifts to the caliphs and local rulers at the Nowruz and Mehragan festivals. Following the demise of the caliphate and the subsequent re-emergence of Iranian dynasties such as the Samanids and Buyids , Nowruz became an even more important event. The Buyids revived the ancient traditions of Sassanian times and restored many smaller celebrations that had been eliminated by
5015-589: The most important day of the year. Most royal traditions of Nowruz, such as royal audiences with the public, cash gifts, and the pardoning of prisoners, were established during the Sassanid era and persisted unchanged until modern times. Nowruz, along with the mid-winter celebration Sadeh , survived the Muslim conquest of Persia of 650 CE. Other celebrations such as the Gahambars and Mehrgan were eventually side-lined or only observed by Zoroastrians . Nowruz became
5100-558: The northward equinox always fell at such a time that New Year's Day in Iran occurred on the day called 21 March in the Western calendar. But this equivalence was not always true before March 1960, and the exact correspondence broke down again in 1996. In 1959, and at four-year intervals back to 1927, Iranian New Year's Day fell on 22 March in the Gregorian calendar. In 1996, and subsequent Gregorian leap years, Iranian New Year's Day falls on 20 March. The pattern will shift back to
5185-668: The only countries that officially observed the ceremonies of Nowruz. When the Caucasian and Central Asian countries gained independence from the Soviets, they also declared Nowruz as a national holiday. Nowruz was added to the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. House cleaning, or shaking the house ( Persian : خانه تکانی , romanized : xāne tekāni )
SECTION 60
#17327767187025270-507: The point of the Earth's orbit when they are equally illuminated by the Sun) occurs on or before noon of that day , or during the 12 hours following the noon of the preceding day . This means that the pattern of leap years in the Iranian calendar is complex – usually following a 33-year cycle where the leap day is inserted every fourth year, but in year 33 instead of year 32, but with occasional 29 year cycles. From 1960 to 1995,
5355-552: The preparation for Novruz usually begins a month earlier, the festival is held every Tuesday during four weeks before the holiday of Novruz. Each Tuesday, people celebrate the day of one of the four elements—water, fire, earth and wind. On the holiday eve, the graves of relatives are visited and tended. Iranians sing the poetic line "my yellow is yours, your red is mine", which means "my weakness to you and your strength to me" ( Persian : سرخی تو از من، زردی من از تو , romanized : sorkhi-ye to az man, zardi-ye man az to ) to
5440-405: The reign of Yazdegird III (632–651 CE), the religious celebrations were again somewhat adrift with respect to their proper seasons. The calendar had continued to slip against the Julian calendar since the previous reform at the rate of one day every four years. Therefore, in 632, the new year was celebrated on 16 June. By the 9th century, the Zoroastrian theologian Zadspram had noted that
5525-473: The same year. The Shahanshahi calendar (also Shahenshahi, Shahenshai ) or "imperial" calendar is the system described in Denkard , a 9th-century Zoroastrian text. It explicitly acknowledged several methods of intercalation: 1,461 Zoroastrian years equal 1,460 Julian years. The Denkard then states: The Denkard – which was not Zoroastrian scripture but a religious manual – therefore favoured
5610-441: The six-day festivals were compressed to five days. The major feasts, or gahambars , of contemporary Zoroastrian practice, are still kept as five-day observances today. The Bundahishn , a pseudo-Avestan treatise written in the early Islamic period (8th or 9th century) replaces the "Age of Alexander" with an "Ageo of Zoroaster", placed "258 years before Alexander" (consistent with the date given by Ammianus Marcellinus ). By
5695-650: The solution of a leap-month once every 120 years, with a fall-back of adding 5 months after 600 years if this were missed. This practice was not, however, adopted by Zoroastrians living in Islamic Persia. The Parsis had knowledge of The Denkard's proposal: at some point between 1125 and 1129, the Parsi-Zoroastrians of the Indian subcontinent inserted such an embolismic month , named Aspandarmad vahizak (the month of Aspandarmad but with
5780-429: The start of the ninth month) and adjusting the dates of the gahanbar (farming festivals) accordingly. This caused confusion, since the new year now fell five days earlier than before, and some people continued to observe the old date. After 46 years (226–272 CE), with 1 Frawardin now on 19 September, another calendar reform was implemented by Ardashir's grandson Hormazd I (272–273 CE). During
5865-459: The state of affairs was less than optimal, and estimated that at the time of Final Judgement the two systems would be out of sync by four years. The current mainstream Zoroastrian reckoning of years' start date is on 16 June 632 CE. Yazdegird III was the last monarch of the Sasanian dynasty , and since the custom at that time was to count regnal years since the monarch ascended
5950-468: The suffix vahizak ). That month would also be the last month intercalated: subsequent generations of Parsis neglected to insert a thirteenth month. Around 1720 CE, an Iranian Zoroastrian priest named Jamasp Peshotan Velati travelled from Iran to India. Upon his arrival, he discovered that there was a difference of a month between the Parsi calendar and his own calendar. Velati brought this discrepancy to
6035-465: The three life forms of Humans, Animals and Plants. In modern times, the explanation was simplified to mean that the Haft-sin ( Persian : هفتسین , seven things beginning with the letter sin (س)) are: The Haft-sin table may also include a mirror, candles, painted eggs , a bowl of water, goldfish , coins, hyacinth , and traditional confectioneries. A "book of wisdom" such as the Quran , Bible , Avesta ,
6120-459: The throne until 19 June 632 CE (Gregorian), leading to the curious quirk that the base date for the reckoning of years ends up in Year ;2 of the Fasli calendar. The Zoroastrian year, in Qadimi and Shahanshahi observance, concludes with ten days in memory of departed souls: five Mukhtad days on the last 5 days of the 12th month, and five more Mukhtad days, which are also
6205-455: The throne, the reckoning of years was continued, in the absence of a Zoroastrian monarch, under Islamic rule. Zoroastrian dates are distinguished by the suffix Y.Z. for "Yazdegirdi Era". The usage "AY" is also found. Isolated pockets of Asia Minor use an alternative reckoning of years which predates the Yazdegirdi Era, being based on a supposed date of the birth of Zoroaster on 3 March 389 BC. On this calendar, 22 July 2000 CE
6290-761: The whole group'), March 16 – March 20 See also [ edit ] Zoroastrian festivals Nowruz Sadeh References [ edit ] ^ Gahambar, Building & Celebrating Community , heritageinstitute.com, Zoroastrian Heritage, Author: K. E. Eduljee Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gahambars&oldid=1156141967 " Category : Zoroastrian festivals Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description matches Wikidata Zoroastrian calendar Adherents of Zoroastrianism use three distinct versions of traditional calendars for liturgical purposes . Those all derive from medieval Iranian calendars and ultimately are based on
6375-585: The year 3738 ZRE began in 2000 CE. The Zoroastrian community, both in Iran and in diaspora, have also been said to have accepted it, the former doing so in 1993 CE. A briefing paper from the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe indicates that they recognise this usage to have been pragmatically adopted by Zoroastrians in Iran, while the diaspora continues to use the YZ system. The Qadimi (also Qadmi, Kadimi, Kudmi ) or "ancient" calendar
6460-686: Was always the day on which the sun entered Aries before noon." Nowruz is the first day of Farvardin , the first month of the Iranian solar calendar , which is the official calendar in use in Iran , and formerly in Afghanistan . The United Nations officially recognized the "International Day of Nowruz" with the adoption of Resolution 64/253 by the United Nations General Assembly in February 2010. The word Nowruz
6545-583: Was an exception: the first and the sixth days of the month were celebrated as different occasions. Lesser Nawruz was observed on 1 Frawardin. 6 Frawardin became Greater Nawruz , a day of special festivity. Around the 10th century CE, the Greater Nawruz was associated with the return of the legendary king, Jamsed; in contemporary practice it is kept as the symbolic observance of Zoroaster's birthday, or Khordad Sal . Mary Boyce has argued that sometime between 399 CE and 518 CE
6630-558: Was based on the Jalali calendar introduced in 1079 during the reign of the Seljuk Malik Shah and which had been well received in agrarian communities. The Fasli proposal had two useful features: a leap-day once every four years, and harmony with the tropical year. The leap-day, called Avardad-sal-Gah (or in Pahlavi: Ruzevahizak ), would be inserted, when required, after the five existing Gatha days at
6715-515: Was celebrated. This and the Gahambars are the only festivals named in the surviving text of the Avesta . The 10th-century scholar Biruni , in his work Kitab al-Tafhim li Awa'il Sina'at al-Tanjim , provides a description of the calendars of various nations. Besides the Iranian calendar, various festivals of Greeks, Jews, Arabs, Sabians, and other nations are mentioned in the book. In the section on
6800-719: Was considered to contradict the injunctions expressed in the Denkard. In Iran, however, the Fasli calendar gained momentum following a campaign in 1930 to persuade the Iranian Zoroastrians to adopt it, under the title of the Bastani (traditional) calendar. In AD 1925, the Iranian Parliament had introduced a new Iranian calendar , which (independent of the Fasli movement) incorporated both points proposed by
6885-571: Was in fact preceded by a 360-day calendar of Zoroastrian observances. Following Alexander's invasion of Persia in 330 BCE, the Seleucid (312–248 BCE) instituted the Hellenic practice of counting years from the start of a fixed era , as opposed using regnal years . The regnal era of Alexander is now referred to as the Seleucid era . The Parthians (150–224 CE), who succeeded
6970-470: Was the 'New Year's Day' or Nawruz , from which all other religious observances were reckoned – this day being, in theory, the day of the northern vernal equinox . A 365-day calendar, with months largely identical to the Egyptian calendar , was introduced shortly after the conquest of Egypt by the Achaemenid ruler Cambyses ( c. 525 BCE). Scholars are divided on whether this 365 day calendar
7055-570: Was the first day of Zoroastrian year 2390. Yet another form of reckoning is the Zarathushtrian (Zoroastrian) Religious Era (Z.E.R./ZRE), adopted in 1990 CE by the Zarathushtrian Assembly of California. This is based on the putative association of the mission of Zoroaster with the dawn of the astrological Age of Aries , calculated for this purpose to have been the northern vernal equinox of 1738 BCE. Hence
7140-578: Was the holiday of Parthian dynastic empires who ruled Iran (248 BC–224 AD) and the other areas ruled by the Arsacid dynasties outside of Parthia (such as the Arsacid dynasties of Armenia and Iberia ). There are specific references to the celebration of Nowruz during the reign of Vologases I (51–78 AD), but these include no details. Before Sassanians established their power in Western Asia around 300 AD, Parthians celebrated Nowruz in autumn, and
7225-522: Was used in the Achaemenid Empire by the 4th century BCE for civil purposes. The earliest Zoroastrian calendar (also misleadingly called " Avestan calendar" ) follows the Babylonian in relating the seventh and other days of the month to Ahura Mazda . Like all ancient calendars, the Babylonian calendar was lunisolar . It used an intercalary month roughly once every six years. In the civil calendar, intercalations did not always follow
#701298