The Parsi New Year, also called as Navroz or Nowruz, is inarguably the most awaited celebration for the Parsi or Zoroastrian community in India. This festival is a time of celebration – inviting friends and family to celebrate together. Parsis celebrate it by feasting together, exchanging gifts, and praying for a prosperous life. In 2025, the festival will be celebrated on 20th March. Here’s all that you need to know about the Parsi New Year celebrations!
Parsi New Year In India: All That You Need To Know
Parsi Community In India
The Parsis living in India today are direct descendants of the immigrants who traveled from Persia (modern-day Iran) to settle in India. Along with them, they brought over their customs, food traditions, language, and culture, which has surprisingly integrated well in the tapestry of Indian culture. Over the years, the Parsi community mainly settled in parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra. Today, even though you’ll find many Parsi people living in almost all corners of the country, some of their most prominent communities are found in Mumbai, Pune, and Surat. In fact, India is home to the largest Parsi/Zoroastrain community in the world, according to the 2011 census.
The Parsi community has made immense contributions to the cultural zeitgeist of mainly these cities. This includes a significant influence on the architecture, food, language, clothing, and overall culture here.
Navroz Celebrations In India
Even though the Parsi New Year is celebrated only for a day in India (a bank holiday), the celebrations last for about 13 days. Navroz marks the beginning of the Zoroastrian Calendar, signifying renewal, new beginnings, and good fortune.
The festival coincides with the spring equinox, when the day and the night are of the same length. It is widely celebrated across Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, and around the world. The festival has been recognized as a cultural heritage by UNESCO, as it is thought that people have been celebrating Navroz for about 3,000 years!
Haft Sin Table On Navroz
In preparation of Navroz, families clean and decorate their homes. This tradition is known as Khaneh Takani, translating to ‘house cleaning’. During Navroz, many families pray and reflect on their actions, pay homage to their deities, and make it a point to unite with their families and friends. The festival is also known for its unique tradition of setting up the ‘Haft Sin’ table. This table is symbolic of seven virtues considered holy in Zoroastrianism and begin with the Persian letter ‘S’. These main items that are placed on the table and their significance are as mentioned below:
- Sabzeh: Mainly wheat, barley, or lentil sprouts symbolizing rebirth and growth
- Seeb: Apple as a symbol of health and beauty
- Samanu: A sweet pudding made of wheat germ as a symbol of sweetness and fertility
- Senjed: Dried oleaster fruit as a symbol of love
- Seer: Garlic as a symbol of health
- Somagh: Crushed red berries as a symbol of the sunrise and new beginnings
- Serkeh: Vinegar as a symbol of age, patience, and wisdom
Besides these items, the Parsis also place a mirror on the table as a symbol of reflecting on the past year. They also keep a bowl of water with goldfish in it, symbolizing new life, as well as painted eggs for fertility, and candles to symbolize light, fire, and happiness.
Traditional Navroz Foods
A huge part of Navroz celebrations is the act of communal feasting. People invite each other at their homes to eat together, fostering a sense of togetherness. Common food items made are as follows:
- Salli Boti: A dish made by cooking tender meat pieces topped with crunchy, thin potato sticks called ‘salli’.
- Berry Pulao: A one-pot rice dish made by adding delicious berries, spices, vegetables, and sometimes meat.
- Patra Ni Macchi: A dish made by steaming marinated fish fillets that are wrapped in banana leaves.
- Custard: A sweet, hearty pie-like dish made by caramelizing sugar, cardamom, nutmeg, and other fragrant spices.
- Dhansak: A flavorful, savory, meat and lentil stew.
Navroz: A Festival Celebrating Togetherness
The festival of Navroz in its essence is a time for family and friends to come together and celebrate. By participating in activities like cooking food together, setting up decorations, dancing, singing traditional songs, and praying together, it fosters a sense of belonging, community, and joy.
Despite not having a substantial Parsi population, the people have closely held their culture and celebrations. They have preserved traditions that would have otherwise easily assimilated with the local culture in India and vanished over time.
Summing Up
Navroz is a time of gratefulness, community bonding, as well as spiritual enlightenment. The festival, usually occurring in March or April, is when the Parsi community in India comes together to celebrate and rejoice in their culture. However, many non-Parsi people too celebrate the festival with their Parsi friends. So, are you celebrating Navroz in 2025?
FAQs
Is Zoroastrianism Still Practiced?
Yes, indeed! Even though it is a minority religion in India and many parts of North America and Iran, Zoroastrianism is practiced as a religion.
What Are The 7 Things Of Navroz?
The 7 things considered auspicious during Navroz all start with the letter ‘S’ and are as mentioned below:
- sabzeh (sprouts)
- samanu (wheat germ pudding)
- senjed (oleaster)
- serkeh (vinegar)
- seeb (apple)
- seer (garlic)
- somagh (sumac).
Are Parsis Muslims?
No, Parsis are not Muslims. They are ethnically and religiously two distinct groups, though they might share a few cultural similarities.
