AMN
Parsi community is celebrating New Year i.e. Navroz today. Community members are visiting agiaries and offering prayers with friends and family members.
In Persian ‘Nav’ stands for ‘new’ while ‘Roz’ means ‘day’ which literally translates to ‘new day’. Mumbai has a sizable population of Parsi community and many agiary. Parsi community members have been offering prayers in these agiaries since morning. Their houses are decorated with rangoli and flowers. Many Parsi homes have prepared traditional delicacies like ravo and suterfeni along with others.
The Parsi community in India celebrates Navroz nearly 200 days after the rest of the world as it follows the Shahenshahi calendar. Nowruz for India falls in July or August and this year Parsi New Year will be observed on August 16 (Wednesday).
History of Navroz
Navroz is believed to be 3000 years old festival and emerged from one of world’s oldest religions Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrians believe it is the time of spiritual renewal and physical rejuvenation. People express gratitude and seek blessings for happiness, prosperity and good luck. Parsi New Year is also related to the life of Jamshid, a Persian king of mythology. In India, it is believed that souls of the dead return to earth to see their loved ones.
Significance and celebration of Navroz
Ten days before the festival, Parsis pray and remember family members and ancestors who are not around anymore. It is believed that the souls of the dead visit their family and loved ones during this time to bless them. On the day of Navroz, after taking bath, house is cleaned and decorated with beautiful rangolis, post which family members remember the departed ones and seek their blessings. Many people visit temples on this day to offer prayers. Navroz in India is mainly celebrated in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. Some of the popular Parsi dishes are Farcha, Jardaloo chicken, Patra Ni Machhi, Ravo among others.
