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Recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, the UN has also marked 21 March as International Nowruz Day, commemorating a festival observed by millions worldwide
Nowruz, which means ‘new day’ in Persian, is traditionally based on the idea of balance, the moment when day and night are equal, symbolising the triumph of light over darkness. (Image: Canva)
Nowruz, the Persian New Year, is a 3,000-year-old spring celebration rooted in Zoroastrianism, marked by the arrival of the spring equinox. But in 2026, the festival unfolded against a backdrop of heightened tensions and uncertainty. What is usually a time of celebration, family gatherings and renewal is, for many this year, tempered by concern, disrupted routines and a sense of unease.
Nowruz, which means ‘new day’ in Persian, is traditionally based on the idea of balance, the moment when day and night are equal, symbolising the triumph of light over darkness.
This Zoroastrian new year falls on the first day of the Persian calendar, timed to the spring equinox, and is celebrated across a vast cultural sphere from Iran to Central Asia and diaspora communities worldwide.
What Is Nowruz?
Recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, the United Nations has also marked 21 March as International Nowruz Day, commemorating a festival observed by millions worldwide through food, music, dance and the ritual of spring cleaning homes from top to bottom.
Nowruz is about balance and renewal, celebrated for over 3,000 years, it predates modern nation-states and is rooted instead in a shared cultural understanding of nature’s cycles which follows no border.
The arrival of Nowruz signals the end of winter’s stillness and the beginning of growth. It is a moment that encourages reflection what to leave behind, what to carry forward. Simply put, it is not just the start of a new year, but an invitation to begin again.
Even after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, when hardliners tried to diminish its pre-Islamic character, ordinary Iranians persisted. Today the Persian festival coexists uneasily but enduringly with Islamic observances, embodying Iran’s layered, resilient identity.
How Is Nowruz Celebrated By Persian Communities?
Nowruz is celebrated and experienced through rituals that are both symbolic and sensory. At the centre of Nowruz rituals is a decorative setting (sofreh), in homes, families prepare the Haft-Seen table — a carefully arranged display of seven items, each beginning with the Persian letter ‘S’ or ‘seen’, representing elements like rebirth, health, patience and prosperity.
They form a quiet manifesto of hope:
- Sabzeh (sprouted wheat or lentils) – renewal
- Seeb (apple) – beauty and health
- Serkeh (vinegar) – patience through sour times
- Samanu (sweet wheat pudding) – affluence and sweetness
- Senjed (dried berry) – love
- Sekkeh (coin) – prosperity
- Seer (garlic) – protection
The sabzeh grass, representing new growth, is typically grown in a flat dish, then placed outside on the 13th day of the Nowruz. A mirror reflects light, candles burn for illumination, painted eggs symbolise fertility, goldfish dart in bowls for life’s flow, and a volume of Hafez or the Quran offers guidance. The table is not mere decoration; it is a deliberate act of faith that spring will prevail.
There is also khaneh tekani, ‘shaking the house’, the practice of spring cleaning, which goes beyond tidying a home. It reflects a desire to clear emotional and psychological space as well.
In the days leading up to Nowruz, many observe Chaharshanbe Suri, a fire-jumping Zoroastrian rite of purification ritual symbolising the release of negativity and the welcoming of warmth and energy. Food, too, plays a central role, with dishes prepared not just for nourishment but as expressions of continuity and identity.
Food carries another important aspect of the Nowruz festival with Iranian tables featuring herb-rich kookoo sabzi (frittata glowing emerald), fragrant sabzi polo ba mahi (dill-laced rice with fish), and noodle-studded reshteh polo.
Azerbaijani spreads include kebabs, stuffed vine leaves, baklava, and crescent shekerbura. Afghans serve spinach-lamb sabzi challow and syrupy haft mewa compote. Uzbek sumalak simmers in cauldrons; Kazakh nauryz kozhe blends barley, meat, and milk. Each dish whispers the same insistence- we endure, we share, we feed one another.
Nowruz Celebrations in Iran in 2026
The Iran-Israel-US war, now in its fourth week has killed thousands, including civilians, and wrecked infrastructure. Preceding economic woes from sanctions, inflation, and last December’s protests (met with brutal crackdowns) already made basics unaffordable; Nowruz staples like fresh herbs, fish, and flowers feel like extravagances.
Markets in Tajrish bustle defiantly, but enthusiasm is muted. The regime stages parallel displays of strength, yet Nowruz remains the people’s festival, crossing divides in silent refusal to surrender joy.
Reports and accounts from within Iran and across its diaspora suggest a more subdued atmosphere. Celebrations, while still present, are now quieter, shaped by concern for safety, political tensions and the strain of uncertainty.
Families separated by distance or circumstance are marking the new year with incomplete gatherings. For some, the rituals remain intact but the mood has shifted. What would typically be a time of ease now carries an undercurrent of worry.
The Iranian New Year this time also coincides with the closing days of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, adding another layer of complexity to an already tense moment. The government is expected to hold state prayers to mark the end of the holy month, projecting a message of unity and strength even as the country faces mounting pressure. For many, this overlap of sacred observance and cultural celebration underscores a striking contrast between official displays of resilience and the quieter, more personal ways in which people are navigating fear, fatigue and uncertainty.
What does a ‘new day’ mean in uncertain times? It is a quiet act of hope. The Nowruz focus on regrowth and regeneration looks beyond destruction towards renewal, health and life, ‘Nowruz Khosh Amad’- welcome Nowruz, arriving with a gentle insistence on joy.
March 21, 2026, 13:58 IST
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