Navroz Greetings: Lesser Known facts about Parsi New Year

New Delhi: Imagine being surrounded by the festive atmosphere, getting a new haircut, wearing new clothes and enjoying a number of delicious foods with your friends and family! Also, buying fruits, flowers, nuts and pastries for your parents and grandparents. And don't forget the crisp money bills as a return gift from the elder. Fascinating, right? Well, this is the Parsi way of celebrating the new year and welcoming the return of spring.

The Parsi new year is called 'Navroz' or 'Nowruz' meaning 'New Day' and is celebrated on the first day of Spring or Equinox. Another interesting fact about this festival is that the day on which this is celebrated, the sun crosses the celestial equator which results in an equal length of day and night. 

Celebrated by a minority section in India, here are a few rituals observed on this day:

As mentioned above, the young people on this day bring gifts for the elder and get bills of money in return.

To bring in luck and prosperity, people keep an illuminated lamp in their homes. Some other objects that are kept are a fish in a bowl filled with water and an earthenware plate with sprouted beans or wheat on them.

To bring sweetness in relationships, some sweets are kept along with rosewater sprinkled in water bowls.

Another ritual is to keep some painted eggs in order to bring productivity.

In the Parsi culture, the number seven is a revered number as it signifies the seven elemental forces of earthly life. Therefore, a 'Half Seen' table is set up which includes seven symbolic elements, all starting with the 'S' sound. These elements are Sabzeh, Senjed, Samanu, Sir, Serkejh, Sib and Sumac. This is the most important ritual performed.