Norooz not only signifies renewal and growth as marked by the start of spring season, but also serves as a vital source of cultural identity for millions of people in at least eleven countries (e.g., Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Khazakhistan, etc.) that once were part of the Greater Iran. Regardless of the variations in spelling or pronunciation (e.g. Nowruz, Navruz, etc.), Norooz continues to bring hope and joy to people and provides a unique opportunity for old grudges to be forgiven and broken ties rebuilt.
The anticipation for Norooz starts with the house cleaning and shopping for clothes, sweets, and other necessities. Regardless of the many variations in preparing for and celebrating Norooz, family time is at the core of this ancient festival while being thankful for the many bounties the earth continues to offer all living things. When people meet, they greet each other by saying: Noroozetoon Mobaarak, Eidetoon Mobaarak, or Noroozetoon Peerooz.
Have you ever wondered, what is the significance of saying “Noroozetoon Peerooz!”? To answer this question, we need to examine the legend of King Jamsheed in Shahnaameh Ferdowsi. King Tahmoores was a righteous man who earned the Divine Blessing (Farreh Eezadee فره ایزدی) and ruled for 30 years. During his reign, birds were domesticated, wicked tribes that harassed the people were defeated, and about 30 new languages were learned by Iranians. These languages included Hindi, Chinese, Roman, Pahlavi, and others. In short, a new era of enlightenment had begun. After his passing, his son Jamsheed became the new king and continued to rule for 70 years.
King Jamsheed proved himself to be a man of vision and many skills. He was an inventor of many civilian and military tools. He also organized society based on these four main groups: farmers, warriors, merchants, and priests. During his rule, he continued his father’s path of innovation and public welfare. For the first time in human history, he managed to conquer the sky and fly around while sitting on his bird-powered throne. Four tall poles were attached to his throne and raw meats were hung from each pole. Strong eagles were tied to each pole, and as the birds reached for the meats, they carried him and his throne upward. In short, he managed to fly and see the world. King Jamsheed celebrated this auspicious accomplishment on the first day of spring. During his reign, nobody died of diseases and everybody was enjoying a prosperous and happy life.
Over time, he became arrogant and claimed a stature equal to God. Consequently, his arrogance led to the Divine Blessing leaving him. Thus, began his downfall which brought Azhidahaak/Zah-haak (اژی دهاک – ضحاک) the tyrant to rule over Iran for nearly 1000 years.
Here lies the secret to the mystery of “Noroozetoon Peerooz” wish that we hear during this time of the year. Noroozetoon Peerooz means may you be victorious in this New Day. May you accomplish great things by advancing the boundaries of knowledge in the service of humanity. Also, may you overcome your ego and keep your inner arrogance in check, because if you don’t, you’ll end up like King Jamsheed.
In the Zoroastrian families, when guests arrive during Norooz, they are shown a mirror and their hands are sprinkled with a few drops of rose water, saying: Cheshm-e delet roshan (چشم دلت روشن) before being offered a white sweet candy. The symbolism involved here is worthy of unpacking. By looking into the mirror, the person is invited to be true to himself/herself and use the symbolic rose water to wash away all the crud that has been accumulated inside his/her heart. By having a clear vision to serve humanity, hopefully, everyone, including our political leaders, would take this opportunity to look into the mirror of their soul and work to advance the causes of prosperity, liberty, and justice for all.
Noroozetoon Peerooz! نوروزتان پیروز
To listen to the songs associated with the monthly Iranian festivals, visit Central Washington University digital archives: http://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/kaviani/
