This ancient festival is a celebration of springtime—and a brand new year

Marking the beginning of a new year, Nowruz traces its origins back to ancient Persia. Today, the holiday is widely celebrated across the Iranian diaspora—including these Iranian-Americans dancing at the 2016 Nowruz Festival in downtown Chicago.For the Northern Hemisphere, March 19 is the first day of spring. But for 300 million people around the world, it’s the beginning of a new year, too.

Nowruz has been celebrated in Iran and the Persian diaspora for more than 3,000 years. Its roots are as a feast day in, a religion practiced in ancient Persia that viewed the arrival of spring as a victory over darkness. The holiday survived the Islamic conquest of Persia in the seventh century and the decline of Zoroastrianism’s popularity, and it spread across the globe through theTraditionally celebrated on the vernal equinox, many begin preparations for Nowruz weeks in advance.

On the last Wednesday before Nowruz, many celebrate Charshanbe Suri, a night in which they jump over fire or go to doors banging spoons to scare away bad luck. People also visit cemeteries and bring offerings for the dead, whom some believe visit before the spring rite begins. The spring festival’s focus is fertility and new life, so it’s appropriate that many revelers celebrate with seeds and eggs. Households set up tables covered with seven symbolic items they callseed sprouts , senjed , garlic , apple , sumac , vinegar , and samanu, a pudding made of sprouted wheat . The table also can include a Koran, eggs, mirrors, and poetry.At Nowruz celebrations—like this one in Los Angeles, California—people jump over small fires to bring good luck in the new year.

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