Nowruz: The forgotten spring festival of subcontinent – by Shaheryar Ali
Related post: Nowruz in Parachinar, Pakistan – by Riaz Toori
If one looks at the cultural history of Muslims in India, its hard to ignore the festival of Nowruz: The spring festival of Persia and central Asia which marks the start of spring of the start of Persian New Year. For more than a thousand years Nowroz was an official festival of the imperial courts in Dehli and Agra. Later it enjoyed the support of the princely states like Awadh and Hyderabad. Most Indians may remember K.Asif’s epic Moghul e Azam , which shows Jashen e Nowruz of Moghul court.
Nowruz was not just a fashion of muslim elites of India, rather it had a multi-dimensional character. After the Arab-muslim conquest of Persia, the festival of Nowruz became the symbol of a cultural resistance against Arabization and Arab imperialism. With the alliance of the sunni clerical establishment with the Caliphate in Baghdad after the initial resistance of the great Sunni Imams like Abu-Hanifa , Imam Malik and others , the Persian metaphysics and culture came under increasing attack from the state in name of Islam.
The resistance movements in the conquered and converted lands of Arab empire took shape of an “alternative” understanding of Islam, one which was radically different from vision of Abbasids and their supporters the Sunni clerics. The converted people looked towards their traditional philosophies, mythologies and cultural symbologies to understand Islam. Result was development of mysticism and different shades of Shia Islam. It must be understood that the political movement of proto- Shia was predominantly an Arab phenomenon with no theological differences with the proto-sunnis. The theological shia emerged quite later just as the their sunni counter part as the result of looking at Islam through the rich metaphysical tradition of Persians, Coptics, Nestorians, Arians and Pagans. The constant friction between the Ismaili Fatmid and Abbasid Empire played a great role. Its easily forgotten today that what is today dismissed as “heresy” was once the official Islam of half of the Moslem world and its continuous dawa in Abbasid lands made it “people’s religion” in other. Many “sanits” or Sufis could very much be Ismaili dais. Sufism shows a great resemblance to Ismaili theology esp in its understanding of concept of “beyond”. An account of this process with the resultant dissent in Islam is explained here and here.
In this environment Nowruz, the ancient festival of Persia was re-invented by the Shia and Sufi theologians as a potent symbol of resistance against Arab cultural invasion as well as against the rigid and loyalist Islam. Since most of the resistance against Arab imperialism was surrounding one or another Alavite cause, Nowruz was linked with the Holy House of Muhammed, whose status was under attack by the Arab rulers, Against the de-mystifying attempts of Abbasid and their loyalist clerics against Muhammed and Alavites, the Sufis and Shia trends merged both of them with the ancient Gnostic metaphysics with which the conquered people were very familiar. Nowruz became the day when Ali was awarded the “wilayah” in time before Time began. It was the day of Muhammed’s declaration of prophet hood in the zone beyond time, it was the day universe was created, and the day when Mehdi will deliver humanity from tyranny
Through Sufi teaching and its accompanying Ismaili dawa the festival reached the Sunni lands of Central Asia, Afghanistan, Pakhtoonkhawa, India, Turkey, Albania and Bosnia. Kurds also adopted the day due to the esoteric mystic tradition which mostly had Ismaili relations. With formation of Pakistan and its increasing Arabaization and State sponsored Anti Shia militancy, festival of Nowruz has virtually gone into obscurity. Its not that Nowruz is not celebrated in Pakistan, it is widely celebrated but is ignored. Even Pakistan’s self pro-claimed progressives and secularists who have a mantra of tolerance and pluralism on their lips 24/7 are insensitive to an “alternative cultural expression”.
Shias make a sizeable population in Pakistan and they celebrate Nowruz as an “Eid”, special ceremonies and prayers are offered in the Imam Bargahs , sweets, fruits, perfumes, flowers usually mark the offerings of Nowruz. The Aga Khani Ismaili community also celebrates Nowruz in Pakistan. In certain Northern areas of Pakistan which have Shia and Ismaili majority Nowruz has a very potent cultural expression. All of this fails to find any representation in mainstream Pakistan, result is an average educated Urban Pakistani simply doesn’t know about Nowruz. The Pakistani intellectuals are usually busy lecturing India on tolerance and pluralism on issues like Varun Gandhi etc etc and usually don’t care about such small things. The Shia holocaust in Pakistan also goes un noticed by most of our secular-progressive-sufi- Elitist intellectuals. Thanks to them no one in Pakistan knows whats going on against Shias in Parachinar and other areas. A fellow blogger Abdul recently spoke about this criminal silence by those who have a claim to Alternative media in Pakistan. Here is the article by Abdul and other links about Anti Shia holocaust going on in Pakistan. Here , here and Here. Most of our protests on these issues are also met with the same response. Indifference
Pakistani Shias celebrated this Nowruz with an increasing awareness of Talibanization. Yet another Pakistani community celebrates Nowruz. It’s the Bahai community. Scattered through out Pakistan, the Bahai community leads life of invisibility due to “cultural holocaust and apartheid” which is order of the day in Pakistan. Bahai’s through out Pakistan celebrated Nowruz.
The Persian speaking people of Pakistan [this is yet another information for an average educated Pakistani, that there exist people in Pakistan whose mother tongue is Persian] also celebrates Nowruz. Darri speaking [Afghani Persian] Hazaras of Baluchistan also celebrate Nowruz. [Yet another victim of state sponsored holocaust]
Yet another Pakistani community which celebrates Nowruz is the Zoroastrian community commonly known as the “Parsi community”. The community is trying to preserve the ancient pre-Islamic heritage of Iran. Geographically Nowruz is celebrated with greater enthusiasm in Karachi, Quetta, Peshawer, Northern Areas of Pakistan especially Hunza valley, Gilget and Baldistan , Multan and Kashmir. In Pakistan the customs of Nowruz are different than those of Iran.
In Pakistan Nowruz is mostly celebrated as “Alam Afrouz” or the new day. People dress up and visit each other. There are special ceremonies and “aamal” and prayers in Imam Bargahs and Jamat Khanas. Hina, bangles and eidi are also part of Nowruz celebration. In villages the practice of burning wood logs and jumping over it was an established practice on Nowruz but now has almost died. Special sweets like “laddo”, ”rus malai”, ”gulab jaman” “cream rolls” and Suhan Halva are made on this day. These sweets plus roses and perfumes replace the tradition “Haft sen” of Nowruz,Since in mystic and Shia theology Nowruz is the day to celebrate the wilayah of Ali and house of Muhammed , I have selected a “Ginan”, which are the mystic lyrics wrote of Saints of Indo-Pk , many of them were Ismaili dais [as the Ismaili history is slowly being de-mystified] in praise of the Imams who were in occultation in those days. Shamas the mysterious mystic was also an Ismaili dai who introduced Rumi to “Batin”, what lies beyond the words of Quran.
This particular Ginan is being offered by none other than Queen of mystic music Abida Parveen and it speaks about the “Raj”, the Millennium when charismatic Imams, the continuation of Koranic symbology of Noor-un-ala-noor will rule the humanity. The start of this was affirmation of Ali in realm of spirits an act which is symbolized in day of Nowruz. In modern times this Ginan is specially recited on coronation of the Aga Khan the “Hazir Imams”, the continuation of Ismaili Imamat and the most philosophical rich movement in Islam whose metaphysics contributed a lot in development of mysticism. The devotion of Abida Parveen is worth seeing, a truly spiritual experience. HE Prince Karim Aga Khan, the Hazir Imam can be seen enjoying the Ginan.
Ginan by Queen of mystic music Abida Parveen
Courtesy : Sherry’s weblog
Thank you so much for posting this article. My family also attends nauroz commemorations and prayers. The Shia celebration of Nauroz has been vilified by the increasing wahabi narrative in Pakistan.
Thanks for highlighting this great festival. For your kind information this festival also been celebrated in Dera Ismail Khan.
What a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful piece of work!
Great job, very nice article, thanks shahareyar ali for sharing. i would like to suggest that the history of this festival may also be highlighted if possible.
Jashan-e-Nowruz celebrated at NUML
Our correspondent
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Islamabad
The National University of Modern Languages (NUML) Department of Persian language and literature celebrated Jashan-e-Nowruz, an Iranian festival. The festival was dedicated to Iranians especially to those living in Pakistan and students learning Persian language at NUML.
The event has showcased Iranian art and a display of ‘Haft Seen’ with seven specific items starting with ‘SEEN’ like Saib (apple), Sabze (green grass), Serke (vinegar), Samanoo (a meal made out of wheat), Senjed (a special kind of berry), Sekke (coin), and Seer (garlic) that demonstrated the Iranian culture.
An interesting part of ritual was the FAAL-E-HAFIZ, Fortune telling based on Hafiz Shirazi’s poems in which teachers, students of the varsity asked many questions about their fortune. A large number of students and teachers from all departments of the varsity enjoyed the event.
Iranian Cultural Counsellor Ali Noori along with his representatives visited the university and observed the event with festivities. Noori appreciated the efforts and devotion of department of Persian language and literature of the university and said that it has promoted Persian culture by celebrating Nowruz that is one of the longest and most important national festivals of Iran, being celebrated in the exact beginning of the spring as a start of the Iranian New Year. Nowruz has a cultural background in life of Iranian people, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Rector of the university, Professor Dr Aziz Ahmad Khan, said that cultural orientation plays a major role in the language learning process and this is the reason for celebrating such cultural events to provide the students better language learning opportunities, facilities and atmosphere.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=36568&Cat=6&dt=3/17/2011
Nowruz, Persian day of rebirth
Sun Mar 20, 2011 6:14PM
By Tamara Ebrahimpour
Iranians set the Haft Seen to welcome Nowruz, the Persian New Year
Spring is considered by many nations as a symbol of rebirth when flowers bloom and nature casts a green spell of fresh vitality.
In Iran and many other countries people welcome spring with the ancient Nowruz (new day) celebrations which coincides with the astronomical Vernal Equinox Day or the first day of spring.
According to master of Persian epic poetry Ferdowsi, Nowruz festivities date back to the time of mythological Iranian king Jamshid who saved mankind from a killer winter that was destined to kill every living creature.
Shahnameh (The Book of Kings) has it that Jamshid built a throne studded with gems and had demons raise him above the earth into the heavens where he sat on his throne like the sun shining in the sky.
The creatures of the world, who were awed by him gathered about him in wonder, scattered jewels and called the day the New Day or Nowruz.
The day was the first of Farvardin, the first month on the Persian calendar which falls on March 21.
Now people in Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan mark the Persian New Year on the same day with various types of festivities such as games, songs and dances.
In Iran people prepare to welcome the New Year days before by spring cleaning and buying new clothes.
The night before the last Wednesday of the year is celebrated in Iran as Chahar Shanbeh Suri or the Wednesday Festival.
The Iranian festival of fire is the reminiscence of the Suri festival held by ancient Iranians to welcome visiting spirits and angels who they believed descended before the New Year came.
Ancient Persians used to light bonfires on rooftops to inform the visiting spirits that they were ready to receive them.
Iranians now follow the tradition by holding the festival of fire as a celebration of light (the good) winning over darkness (the evil).
People make bonfires in public and jump over the flames saying ‘my yellowness is yours, your redness is mine,’ telling the fire to take their pain, sickness and give them its strength and health.
Children re-enact the visits by spirits by wrapping themselves in shrouds and running through streets banging on pots and pans with spoons, trick or treating from door to door.
The ritual is known as Ghashogh Zani (spoon beating) and symbolizes the beating out of the last unlucky Wednesday of the year.
People also serve different kinds of pastry, and Ajil-e Moshkel-Gosha (problem-solving nuts) as a symbolic way of showing gratitude for the previous year’s health and happiness.
Some break earthen jars which symbolically hold one’s bad fortune and some entertain themselves performing the ritual of Fal-Gush inferring one’s future from the conversations of those passing by.
Gereh-goshai is another ritual of the Wednesday Festival in which people make a knot in the corner of a handkerchief or garment and ask the first passerby to unravel it in order to remove ones misfortune.
After celebrating the festival of fire, Iranians start preparing the Haft Seen, a table with seven items starting with the letter ‘S,’ which is set to welcome the Persian New Year.
The items usually include Sabzeh (freshly grown greens), Samanu (sweet wheat paste), Senjed (jujube), Seeb (apple), Seer (garlic), Somagh (sumac) and Serkeh (vinegar).
Sabzeh symbolizes rebirth and prosperity, while Samanu is believed to bring strength and fertility. Some maintain that Samanu replaced Haoma, a scared herbal drink known for its healing properties.
Senjed is a symbol of love and some believe that when the tree is in full bloom, the fruit and fragrance makes people fall in love. The tree also symbolizes shelter and security.
Seeb was known as a fertility treatment in ancient Persia and is a symbol of beauty and health in many cultures.
Fresh garlic was used to ward off evil omens and Iranians put it on their Haft Seen table as a symbol of peace and serenity.
Sumac is known by some as the spice of life and its color brings to mind the color of sunrise and victory of light over darkness which ancient Persians associate with the victory of good over evil.
Serkeh is a symbol of patience and old age as it starts out as grapes and undergoes many transformations before it finally turns into a taste improver.
Apart from the main Haft Seen items, people also put the holy Qur’an tin hopes of being blessed by God in the coming year.
Ayneh (mirror), Mahi (goldfish), Tokhm-e Morgh (egg), Ajil (dried nuts and fruits), Sham’ (candle), Sekkeh (coin), Sonbol (hyacinth) and Sheer (milk) are also among the items Iranians include in their Haft Seen.
The whole table is a thanksgiving table for all the good bestowed by God, and symbolizes light, warmth, life, love, joy, production, prosperity, and nature.
When the last hour of the old year is coming to an end all members of the family wear new clothes or their best outfits and sit around the Haft Seen listening to the head of the family recite the Nowruz prayers.
Once the New Year is announced, people exchange presents known as Eydi, sweets are passed around and wild rue is burned to keep the evil eye away. Families then eat a special rice dish served with fish and herb.
The first few days of the New Year are usually spent visiting elders, relatives and friends.
Zoroastrians celebrate the birth anniversary of Prophet Zoroaster on the sixth day of Nowruz holidays which falls on March 26.
Nowruz festivities continue for 12 days and on the 13th day people attend picnics or parties in a tradition called Sizdah Bedar or ‘thirteen-in-the-outdoors.’
On this day families enjoy the final day of their New Year holidays in the woods, mountains or along streams and rivers to avoid the bad luck associated with the number thirteen.
People throw their Sabzeh, which has symbolically collected all the sickness and bad luck, into running water and young girls tie wild grass tops and wish for a happy marriage in the coming year.
Iranians believe an individual’s conduct in Nowruz will affect their lives throughout the year; therefore, they abstain from fights and disagreements to ensure a good year.
The International Day of Nowruz was registered on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on February 23, 2010, and the festivities are now celebrated in many countries as far as the US and Canada.
The United Nations also promotes Nowruz by holding celebrations and introducing the tradition as a representation of peace and solidarity between generations and within families as well as reconciliation and neighborliness among peoples and different communities.
TE/HGH
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/170949.html
Obama’s message on Nowruz
Obama sends message of solidarity to Iran’s youth
Sun Mar 20, 2011 11:08pm GMT Print | Single Page [-] Text [+]
* Obama to Iran’s youth: ‘I am with you’
* Says the young not bound by past relations
WASHINGTON, March 20 (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama marked the Persian New Year, Nowruz, by reaching out to Iranian youth, saying the future of their country is in their hands and that he supports them.
“The future of Iran belongs to the young people — the youth who will determine their own destiny,” Obama said on Sunday in a video posted on the White House web site.
“Your talent, your hopes and your choices will shape the future of Iran, and help light the world. And though times may seem dark, I want you to know that I am with you,” Obama said.
As popular revolts sweep the Middle East, the United States has expressed solidarity with pro democracy activists in Iran. But Tehran has so far not seen the kind of major demonstrations taking place in other countries in the Mideast and Africa.
When he first took office, Obama signaled an openness to engaging diplomatically with Iran’s government.
But tensions between Washington and the Islamic Republic have remained high amid a standoff over Iran’s nuclear program and Western sanctions on Tehran.
http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFN2026762820110320
Khamenei’s Response to Obama’s Nowruz Message
via Riza Toori
Jashn-e-Nowruz in Parachinar
NovRuz Mubarak: Prayers, promises and hope spring forth for a better new year
Published: March 21, 2011
Traditionally, Nauroz is celebrated with the setting of a Nauroz table, which is both ritualistic and customary. PHOTO COURTESY TOXY COWASJEE
For some families, the parties started Sunday night, with a dance at Beach Luxury Hotel, and the celebrations and thanksgiving will continue into today, Monday, that marks, as March 21, the advent of spring or NovRuz.
“We go to the Fire Temple in the morning to pray for shukarana,” explained Fareshteh Gati-Aslam, while talking to The Express Tribune. “As it’s the new year, it means new clothes [too].” When asked about the famous dances on NovRuz, as the Parsis spell it, she quipped, “They are mostly for young people.”
The Parsis refer to it as Jamshedi NovRuz, as the day also celebrates the crowning of the legendary king Shah Jamsheed and his glorious golden rule in Iran. Traditionally, NovRuz (new day) is celebrated with the setting of a NovRuz table, which is both ritualistic and customary. Haft sheen, or the seven items on the table, start with the Persian letter ‘sh’. They are sabzeh (wheat sprouts, symbolising rebirth), samanu (a wheat-germ pudding, symbolising affluence), senjed (dried fruit, symbolising love), sir (garlic, symbolising medicine), sib (apples, symbolising beauty and health), somaq (berries, symbolising sunrise) and serkeh (vinegar symbolising, age and patience). In the present day, the common items found on a Haft sheen table include sheeshah (mirror), shilooneh (jujube), shiir (milk), shirini (sweets such as white and pink fondants), sherbet (falooda) and shaanin (candles). The mirror on the table represents an old saying that, ‘In life, shine out like a mirror and be sweet smelling like a rose’. People look into the mirror and make wishes.
“NovRuz celebrations have become considerably less hectic as the Zoroastrian population in Pakistan dwindles,” said one Parsi, who did not want to be named. “Nevertheless, there is the obligatory family lunch followed by a visit to the Agiyari. The evenings are spent going to the houses of friends and relatives who still remain in Karachi and put up their traditional NovRuz tables. Meanwhile, a flurry of SMSs and emails go back and forth all day with NovRuz greetings as we wish our friends and family around the world.”
Sohrab Anklesaria, who is currently abroad at college, will not be in Karachi to celebrate with family and friends. But he remembered fondly that the day was “a celebration of the New Year and was all about spending time with family, friends and just appreciating life in general.”
Modern-day NovRuz has come a long way from the six-day feast that was customary among Persian kings. Now the special day includes dhandar, a special yellow lentil, which is cooked with rice and patia, a prawn sherbet.
Ismailis too celebrate NovRuz with prayers and new-year resolutions, starting as early as 4 am. “We go to the Jamaat Khana for namaz that ends at around 6 am,” described Ali Jiwani while talking to The Express Tribune. “Nauroz is the new year, which means new promises and new hopes. It is literally celebrating the arrival at spring because the season officially begins on March 21.”
At night, dinners called Sagridham in Gujrati, are held, followed by a dance. As Ismailis have a Gujrati background, they perform the daandia and garba – also called the Rasura. “We have our own orchestras too,” said Jiwani, adding that for them, dinner includes boiled eggs which are specially served as they denote the start of a new life.
Published n The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2011.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/135507/novruz-mubarak-prayers-promises-and-hope-spring-forth-for-a-better-new-year/
That was probably one of the most in-depth and sagacious articles I came across lately -the antithesis of all those wasteful writings published in/at our print and web media- beautifully bringing the forgotten history of this cultural cum religious festival to the fore. The collective schizophrenic state of our people is the direct result of all the myths and tall-tales fed to them in the name of ‘our history’ through schools, mosques and media (print and electronic). In this regard the role of our bankrupt intelligentsia is not less than despicable -hell bent to narrate the falsified dogmas of nationhood based on Ummah- who have miserably failed to address the real issues and historical narratives related to this land and people. Amidst all this arid environment the write-up came as breath of fresh air.
Thank-you LUBP. We owe you.
Thanks to Shaheryar Ali!
Thank you, Suleman, for very kind words.
Really like most of these retros. They are stylish where you can exceptional cozy match. They’re wonderful which has a pair of trousers for almost any specific night out out.
Hey there,
Do you spell check your site?
I encountered 18 spelling mistakes.
Warm regards,
Jenn