What Time Is Nowruz (1403-2024) in Iran

Nowruz is one of Persian’s most wonderful and important holidays as it celebrates the arrival of spring and new days to come. Whether within borders or otherwise, Persians celebrate Nowruz anywhere they are, as it is a significant part of their collective cultural identity. Nowruz comes with so many remarkable traditions and colors. The time is ticking, and we’re getting close to springtime and the first day of the new year. If you would like to know more about Nowruz and the exact time you can expect it this year, do not miss the rest of the article.

Nowruz is coming

Winter days are coming to the end of their snowy performance, and now it’s almost time for the greenest time of the year, which is Spring! Persians commemorate the arrival of this glorious season, which is also the beginning of their new year, with the traditional Nowruz celebration. Right now, Iran is filled with excitement as people are shopping for new clothes, confectionery, and presents for the guests who will visit during the holidays.

The anticipation is rising as there are only a few days left till the end of this year. While it is now the year 1445 in the lunar calendar of other Muslim countries, the new year will be 1403 in the solar Jalali calendar, Iran’s unique calendar introduced in 1079 AD. Iran’s calendar seamlessly combines Islamic and ancient Iranian elements, as with many other things in its history.

This year, Nowruz Saal Tahveel time (the announced moment that the new year begins) is said to occur on Wednesday, March 20, at 06:36:26 AM (Tehran Time). So, it’s an excellent time to set your clocks and prepare your Haft Sin (the traditional tabletop arrangement). If you wish to learn more, carry on reading the article!

What is Nowruz

The word “Nowruz” means new day, and it is a festival celebrating the new year. The celebration lasts for 13 days, an opportunity to reflect on the past and set resolutions for the future. Under the Zoroastrian tradition, Nowruz marks the return of the spirit banished underground during the colder winter months. More particularly, Rapithwina, the spirit of Noon, was driven underground by the Spirit of Winter during the cold months. However, he was welcomed back at noon on the day of Nowruz with celebrations. Nowruz is a symbol that represents the triumph of good over evil and joy over sorrow.

Consequently, it was considered to be a spiritual holiday. Of course, in the course of history, Nowruz obtained a variety of associations and significance. For instance, some strongly believe that King Jamshid added Nowruz to the solar calendar as the New Year celebration.

Is Nowruz a religious holiday

Nowruz has secular roots as people in different countries with different religious backgrounds celebrate this holiday. However, as mentioned before, based on the Zoroastrian traditions and myths, Nowruz is also considered a Spiritual celebration. Zoroastrianism was practiced in ancient Persia, predating Christianity and Islam. Hence, it was possible to consider it a religious holiday. But that’s a story for the past, not the present.

Keep in mind that this celebration goes beyond religious ideas and borders. In fact, it is universal. Interestingly, Nowruz is not culturally bound to Iran or the Persians. There are many countries that celebrate this festival with significant Persian cultural influences, including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, India, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Consequently, Nowruz is celebrated every year by people with different religious backgrounds

Nowruz traditions

This exciting holiday comes with a number of remarkable traditions that people follow annually. Of course, there are a few customs that people do before Nowruz starts. For instance, at the end of the year, people go shopping to buy new clothes and shoes as a symbol of putting the past behind them and starting anew. Another outstanding tradition is the celebration of Chaharshanbe Suri, which occurs on the last Wednesday of each year. During this celebration, people light a bonfire and jump over it to bring good fortune and luck in the new year. Fun, right?

Well, there are many traditions that follow the Nowruz Holiday as well. The following are among the most notable ones:

• Haft Sin Table
  This traditional tabletop arrangement is the primary symbol of Nowruz worldwide. It consists of seven specific items whose names start with the letter “س” or “S-” in the Persian language. Each year, families dedicate their time to decorating the Haft SIn Table, as it is an important part of this holiday. These seven items are the primary ingredients. You can see these items and what they stand for in the table below.

• Family gatherings and gift giving
  It is customary for Persians to go to a lot of family gatherings and visit their family members and relatives. This tradition was meant to strengthen the bond and companionship between the members and remind everyone that you should be aware of the well-being of others. People also give each other gifts or money, such as “Eidi,” which is specific to this holiday. Persians believe that this Eidi brings their loved ones good fortune and prosperity.
• Sizdah Be Dar
  Now, one of the most important parts of the celebration occurs on the last day of the holiday, which is the 13th day, and it is called Sizdah Be Dar. Because the number thirteen is considered unfortunate in Persian culture, on this day, every family across the country goes on a picnic to escape bad luck! They believe that if they stay home, bad luck will find them and stay with them the whole year! As a result, people go to parks and nature, spend time together, play different games, and say hello to a fresh new beginning!

Saal Tahveel time

Only a few days are left to Saal Tahveel, which is the starting point of Nowruz. In Tehran time, it occurs on Wednesday, March 20, at 06:36:26 AM. What about other countries? Here’s the Saal Tahveel time in other cities and countries:

As you can see, the Saal Tahveel time is slightly different in various cities across the world. Of course, the table above does not contain all cities everywhere. If you are looking for a city that is not listed above, you should search that specific city for more info.

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