Saturday 22 March 2008

Festival: Nouwruz [New Year] 21st / 22nd March 2008 [West & Central Asia]


Nowrūz (Persian: نوروز, various local pronunciations and spellings) is the traditional Iranian new year holiday celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Albania, Bahrain, Armenia, Georgia, the countries of Central Asia such as Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, as well as among various other Iranian and Turkic peoples in Iraqi Kurdistan, Syria, Lebanon, Pakistan, India, Northwestern China, the Caucasus, the Crimea, and the Balkans.

Nowruz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the Iranian year and Bahá'í year. As well as being a Zoroastrian holiday, it is also a holy day for adherents of Sufism and the Bahá'í Faith. In Iran it is also referred to as an Eid festival, although it is not an Islamic feast. Alawites also celebrate Nowruz. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox (start of spring in northern hemisphere), which usually occurs on the March 21 or the previous/following day depending on where it is observed. [from: Wikipedia]

21march2008, 22march2008, festival