Zoroastrianism · Bahá’í · Islam

Nowruz

When is Nowruz in 2027, the Persian New Year at the spring equinox: its Zoroastrian roots, the haft-sin table, fire-jumping and spring cleaning, and the Bahá’í Naw-Rúz.

Next date

Sunday, 21 March 2027

The equinox falls late on 20 March in Iran, so Nowruz and the Bahá’í Naw-Rúz are on 21 March.

In brief

I.Nowruz, “new day”, is the Persian New Year, beginning at the spring equinox.
II.It has roots in Zoroastrian tradition and is celebrated by people of all faiths in Iran, Central Asia, the Caucasus and beyond.
III.Families set a haft-sin table of seven items beginning with the letter s.
IV.For Bahá’ís, Naw-Rúz is a holy day ending the nineteen-day fast.

Chapter I

What it celebrates

Nowruz greets the moment when day and night are equal and spring begins. In Zoroastrian tradition it celebrates the victory of light and the renewal of creation, and the festival of the dead, Farvardigan, falls just before it.

The Bahá’í Faith made Naw-Rúz the first day of its own calendar and a holy day, marking the end of the month of fasting.

Chapter II

How it is kept

Weeks before, houses are cleaned from top to bottom, and wheat or lentil sprouts are grown in dishes. On the last Wednesday evening of the year, Chaharshanbe Suri, people jump over bonfires, saying “give me your red colour, take my pallor”. The family gathers around the haft-sin at the moment of the equinox, then visits elders. On the thirteenth day everyone goes outdoors for a picnic and throws the sprouts into running water.

Chapter III

Around the world

Nowruz is a public holiday in Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and other countries, and is celebrated by Kurds, Parsis in India and diaspora communities everywhere. Bahá’ís celebrate Naw-Rúz with prayers and festive gatherings.

Questions people ask

What is on the haft-sin table?

Seven items whose Persian names begin with s, such as sabzeh (sprouts), sib (apple), sir (garlic), serkeh (vinegar), senjed (oleaster), samanu (wheat pudding) and somaq (sumac), with a mirror, candles, painted eggs, goldfish and often a book of poetry or holy text.

Is Nowruz an official world day?

Yes. UNESCO inscribed Nowruz as intangible cultural heritage, and the United Nations recognised 21 March as International Day of Nowruz in 2010.

Sources and further reading

Toronto Metropolitan University, “2027 Calendar of Religious, Indigenous and Spiritual Observances”
Wikipedia, “Baháʼí Naw-Rúz” (table of dates)
Mary Boyce, Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (Routledge, 1979)
Peter Smith, An Introduction to the Baha’i Faith (Cambridge University Press, 2008)

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