Countdown to Norooz - Iranian New Year

I was talking to a relative of mine in Iran who said: Spring is in the air and despite the cold weather still in Tehran, people have already started to do “khaane tekani” meaning “spring cleaning of the house”. Preparations for Norooz or (Nowrooz or Norouz) - different English spellings, same event - are underway. My relative also told me that the biggest and happiest Norooz will be celebrated when the mullah regime is permanently gone from Iran.

I also came across this recent blog and liked the articles and memories of the blogger about Norooz and Persian/Iranian/Zoroastrian culture. I’d like you to check it out. Has several entries about Norooz and all the bigger and smaller events related to it - The Iran Blog - have a look in February and March 2007 sections.

In the past the mullahs have tried to ban Norooz and other pre-Islamic and Iranian celebrations/festivals, but the people have resisted. If the mullahs had their way, they’d completely ban these holidays. It is purely because of peoples’ resistance and love of their heritage and happy & joyful traditions that Norooz and other major pre-Islamic holidays in Iran are still celebrated, in grander fashion than any Islamic event.

More on Norooz (literally meaning new day) & Charshanbe Soori (Persian fire festival on the last Tuesday night before the New Year) closer to the time.

In 2007, according to the Iranian Solar Calendar, Norooz falls on Wednesday March 21, 03:37AM (Tehran) - Tuesday March 20, 07:07PM (New York) - Tuesday March 20, 04:07PM (Los Angeles) - Wednesday March 21, 12:07AM (London) & Wednesday March 21, 11:07AM (Sydney).

More on Norooz and Iranian Solar Calendar