ImmersiveIran > About Iran > Festivals and Ceremonies > International Nowruz Day (Iranian New Year)
Nowruz (the Persian new year), meaning “new day,” marks the first day of spring, the beginning of the Persian calendar year (around March 20th or 21st), and the moment when the sun crosses the equator. To Iranians, Nowruz is not just a holiday.
It’s a time of renewal, a fresh start, and a deep connection with nature. Visiting Iran during Persian Nowruz will be a lively experience, filled with festive gatherings, delicious food, colorful traditions, and lovely nature.
“Nawrouz, Novruz, Nowrouz, Nowrouz, Nawrouz, Nauryz, Nooruz, Nowruz, Navruz, Nevruz, Nowruz, Navruz”
Nowruz is celebrated by millions across the Persianate world, including in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kurdish regions, parts of Central Asia, and among diaspora communities around the globe. In 2010, Nowruz was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, highlighting its cross-cultural importance and shared values of peace, harmony with nature, and cultural continuity.
Nowruz festival has ancient roots in Zoroastrianism, the pre-Islamic religion of Persia, where it marked the arrival of spring and the eternal struggle between light and darkness. Coinciding with the spring equinox —when day and night are equal, it honors cosmic balance and the renewal of the world.
According to tradition, Jamshid, a legendary king in Persian mythology founded Nowruz. After the arrival of Islam, Nowruz and Persian New Year traditions endured—not as a religious rite, but as a cultural celebration, its moral spirit and reverence for life embraced and preserved by generations of Iranians.
As Nowruz approaches, the streets of Iran come alive with excitement and energy. Shops bustle with people picking up special items for the new year, and street stalls overflow with vibrant displays of sabzeh, goldfish, flowers, and other Haft-Seen essentials. You’ll also see Haji Firuz performers in bright costumes, spreading cheer and singing traditional songs.
One of the most joyful rituals is Chaharshanbe Suri, or the “Festival of Fire,” held on the last Tuesday night before Nowruz festival. People light fires in the streets and jump over the flames, symbolizing the burning away of misfortune and welcoming a new beginning.
Iranian Nowruz is also a time for cleaning and decorating the home—an act known as Khaneh Tekani, similar to spring cleaning in many cultures. More than tidying up, it’s a symbolic cleansing of the soul and a preparation for the year ahead with a fresh perspective.
Another cherished Nowruz tradition is Samanu Pazan, when families and friends gather to cook samanu—a sweet, thick pudding made from wheat. The preparation is joyful and communal, with everyone taking turns stirring the big pot as the fragrant samanu slowly comes together. It symbolizes strength, patience, and the sweetness of the new year.
Haft-Seen:
The festivities of Nowruz last for thirteen days, filled with rich rituals, each carrying beautiful symbolism. Perhaps the most iconic is the Haft-Seen table, a display of seven items that begin with the Persian letter “S.” Each item holds a special meaning tied to Nowruz’s themes of life, health, prosperity, abundance, and rebirth. The Haft-Seen includes:
Sabzeh
(sprouts of wheat, barley, flixweed, or other seeds)
symbolizing rebirth and growth.
Samanu
(a sweet, sticky pudding made from sprouted wheat)
symbolizing strength and power.
Senjed
(dried oleaster fruit)
symbolizing love and compassion.
Seer
(garlic)
symbolizing medicine and health.
Seeb
(apple)
symbolizing beauty and good health.
Somāq
(sumac berries)
symbolizing the sunrise and the patience that comes with the passage of time.
Serkeh
(vinegar)
symbolizing aging, wisdom, and patience.
In addition to these, Iranians often place a mirror, candles, goldfish, coins, and a holy book (such as the Quran or another sacred text) on the table. The mirror represents reflection and the connection between past and future. The candles symbolize light and hope. The goldfish—added to the Persian New Year table in the past century—represent life and movement.
Gathering and visiting friends and family is another important ritual during Nowruz’s thirteen days. On the first day, families share a special meal featuring traditional foods, often rice with fish or rice cooked with milk, and sometimes visit the graves of loved ones to honor their memories.
Exchanging gifts, called Eidi, is a sweet part of the holiday. Children especially receive small presents or fresh banknotes. Generous families also use Eidi as a way to support service providers and those in need, brightening their Persian New Year.
The end of the Nowruz festivities is marked by Sizdah Bedar, celebrated on the thirteenth day. Families spend the day outdoors enjoying picnics, games, and nature. Traditionally, people throw the sprouts they have grown for Nowruz into running water to bring good luck.
Finally, here is a beautiful prayer, part of Muslim Iranians’ Nowruz rituals, which is often recited at the Haft-seen table:
“O Lord, thou change the mood, oh Lord, thou justify the night and the noon, oh Lord, thou change the sights and the look, change our mood to the best you would.”
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If you are in Iran around Nowruz, join the vibrant rituals and feel the atmosphere of the coming Iranian new year, when everything around, from nature to people, longs for renewal. ImmersiveIran would be delighted to guide you on this unforgettable experience.
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