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Parsi New Year/ Navroz Celebrations

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    World Affairs
  • Published
    17th Aug, 2022

Context

Parsi New Year (also called Navroz) is celebrated every year on August 16 by the Parsi Community. 


History

  • The beginning of Parsi New Year is believed to date back around 3,5000 years ago.
    • This was the time when Prophet Zarathustra founded Zoroastrianism in Persia, Iran. 
    • The day, as per Zoroastrian philosophy, marks the annual renewal of everything in the universe. 
  • The term Navroz finds its association with Jamshed, an ancient Sasanian king who is believed to have introduced the Parsi calendar. 
    • Thus, the festival is also called Jamshed-i-Nouroz.
    • Jamshed saved the world from an apocalypse that came in the form of winter and was destined to kill everyone.
      • According to scriptures, in the realm of King Jamshed, there was no excessive heat or cold and no premature deaths and everyone lived happily. 
  • The festival came to India courtesy of an 18th-century wealthy tradesman from Surat, Nusservanji Kohyaji, who often traveled to Iran and began celebrating Nowruz in India.

What is Zoroastrianism?

  • Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions. 
  • For 1000 years Zoroastrianism was one of the most powerful religions in the world. 
    • It was the official religion of Persia (Iran) from 600 BCE to 650 CE. 
    • It is now one of the world's smallest religions.
  • Zoroastrians believe there is one God called Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord) and He created the world.
  • The Zoroastrian book of Holy Scriptures is called The Avesta.
  • Zoroastrians are roughly split into two groups-
    • The Iranians
    • The Parsis
  • The Parsis (‘Parsi’ is Gujarati for Persian) are the largest single group in India, with an estimated 2.6 million Zoroastrians worldwide.
  • Zoroastrians (Parsis) are one of the notified minority communities.

Nowruz celebrations in India

  • In India, the festival is observed around August 16-17 by the Parsi community following the Shahenshahi calendar which does not account for leap years, which means the holiday has now moved by 200 days from its original day. 
  • It is inscribed in the list of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of India.

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