Page 33 - English Class 04

The Persians in India have a long and colourful history. Navroz or Nowruz is
their most celebrated event. Read on to find out what it means to them.

The Persians people came to India from Persia, now Iran, hundreds of years

ago. Jamshed-E-Navroz is the first day of the first month of their calendar year. It
is the most auspicious Parsi festival. Navroz is celebrated on 21st March every

year. This day is also the first day of spring, marking the end of winter and the

start of summer. The word Navroz means ‘New Day’.

The celebrations began thousands of years ago, during the rule of the
legendary Persian king, Jamshedji, who came to the throne on the day of

‘Navroz’. On this day, the king used to get gifts from all his Iranian people as well
as from people of other kingdoms.

Before the Parsis celebrate Navroz, they dust and clean their houses. In the
past, they even painted the whole house. Another practice is to put water in

mud pots that are full of grains so that the grains sprout

before Navroz. Parsis buy and keep a few new
clothes ready for the whole family, and

decorate their homes and windows legendary : very famous
with many strings of roses and sacred : holy

jasmine. Powdered colours
are used to create colourful

patterns called Rangoli on

the steps of their houses.

In the house, a table is
laid in a traditional way

using a white cloth on the
eve of Navroz. The sacred

book, Avesta a picture of the

prophet Zoroaster (pronou-
nced Zo-ro-az-ter), a mirror,

candles, a bowl of water with
goldfish in it, the sprouted

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