By Dr. Abdoreza Bakhtiari , Department of Linguistics, UP Diliman

Today, March 21, 2005, marks Norooz, the celebration of the first day of the Persian year.

Norooz is not an artificial social contract nor is it an imposed political one. It is the jubilation of a nation and also that of the earth, the sky and the sun. It is the “Beginning” day.

Norooz awakens the people simultaneously with the awakening of the nature. People come out of their homes in the course of this memorable festivity and relinquish themselves in the nature’s lap and in its fragrant environment. Once more they begin to feel with all of their existence alongside the tender spring rain, the sweet-smelling pennyroyal and the refreshing smell of the soil and the new blooms.

Norooz is the reminiscing of a big memory—the memory of the solidarity of man with nature. Norooz is a reason for the survival of the Iranians since it is itself the beginning of life. It conveys the joy and the secret of living to the humans with its coming.

Norooz means a new day, a new day means the experience of a new life and this life, for the Iranian people is the day of growth and of flourishing.

Norooz has been experienced not only under pleasant but also under most unpleasant conditions by our people. At the time when Alexander was setting the Persepolis on fire and Genghis and Tamerlane were putting the people of Khorassan to their swords, and during the entire of this nation’s history, Norooz was besides and for us as an undeniable institution to be cherished.

Norooz, both in the distant and near past, has been a celebration of a commendable nature. It is not a celebration of oblivion and of unawareness. It is a firm expression of existence and survival. It is a demonstration of endurance and the connection of the past to the present and their continuity.

Norooz has always been dear in the eyes of the Persians, in the eyes of the high priests of the Zoroastrians, in the eyes of Muslims and in the eyes of all those who regard this institution as their own.

Norooz is the first day of creation. It is the day in which Ahouramazda (the God of light and life in Zoroastrians Religion of the ancient Persia) began to create the world. It is for this reason that the first day of the Persian month of Farvardin (March 21) has been called “Hourmazd.” What a beautiful legend, more beautiful than reality. That day the first day of the first season (spring) of the year has been the day of growing of the blossoming of the flowers.

Let’s set alight a new the Ahura fire on this day and demonstrate the existence of history with that of our own. By participating in Norooz festivities we display our existence as a nation in the storm of times and changes.

Happy New Year!

luv4u said:

but it's not a political or religious holiday dear! It's the Persian Iranians celebrating the new year! if we made a "happy new year" thread on jan 1 2005 as Europeans Americans Canadians or others that celebrate New years then did it get moved to that forum?
[Edited 3/20/05 9:05am]

ok ... why has this thread been moved to here ? ? ?
i'll guess that easter threads will be moved to this forum too

happy new year anyways

Happy New year!

i am glad this thread has been moved back
it was rather bad judgement that it was moved to the P+R
same with the thead about the CNN journalist marrying
the jordanian prince
just because the thread topic is kinda
based on the middle east dont make it political

fishbellyblack said:

Have we dated in the past?

senik said:

i got one of those bad memories
so no comment

fishbellyblack said:

I agree!

oh yes and Happy New Year/ aid et moba rack!!! to all that recognize this holiday/traditional celebration!

Fauxie said:

lmfao

Fauxie said:

How i wish i wasn't so tired i needed to pass out last night

Happy New Year