آموزش زبان انگلیسی

NOROUZ 

There is an old Persian proverb that when translated says, “A good new year is identified by its spring” .  This proverb relates directly to the practice of Norouz.  Norouz, (also called Persian New Year) is the Iranian celebration of the first day of the spring, or the vernal equinox.  The word Norouz literally means “new day.” As part of the celebration people traditionally buy new cloths, clean out their houses, and get rid of their bad deeds to start anew.  Norouz is associated with the bringing of good luck, good fortune, and fertility to the New Year.  The celebration of Norouz is composed of many small celebrations, with each one emphasizing the major theme of Norouz in a different way.  In these celebrations, money manifests itself through the theme of: new beginnings, rebirth, fertility and good fortune. While money is not the central focus of the celebration, its role is a powerful and symbolic item in most of the Norouz celebrations.

The origin of Norouz is an event that has been celebrated for at least 3,000 years.  It precedes the birth of both Christianity and Islam.  Its roots date back to the beginning of the Zoroastrian religion . One thing that is very interesting about Norouz is that it has appeared and reappeared multiple times in the history of the Persian Empire.  During the Sassanid Empire (226-650 A.D.) the celebration of Norouz flourished. This era celebrated Norouz by holding special rituals and ceremonies in the court where the “King handed out precious gifts to the treasury and distributed other gifts among the audience” .In the Sassanid Empire, Norouz was considered the most important day of the year
The Arab invasion (650-1219), which brought Islam to the Persian Empire, halted the celebration of Norouz for nearly two centuries due to civil and political unrest.  However, the Arabs later decided to bring back Norouz because the eidee gifts stimulated the economy.  Norouz flourished in the Persian Empire until the Mongol invasion in 1219-1500, in which time Norouz disappeared again.  It was not until the Mongols left and the Safavid Dynasty emerged that Norouz slowly returned to become the national tradition it once was
In 1979 the Pahlavi Dynasty (1925-1979) fell and the present Islamic fundamentalist took over Iran.  Their leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, deemed that Norouz was an un-Islamic practice. Thus for a short period Norouz was halted, but soon re-emerged, due to protest by many Iranian citizens.  One man interviewed believed that Norouz was too powerful of a celebration for the government to make illegal .    
Thus, over time, the Norouz ritual has evolved and diversified into many different interpretations of the celebration.  The reappearance of Norouz throughout the history of the Persian Empire shows that the idea of celebrating the coming of spring is a theme that is central to those living in the Middle East.  Norouz has come to be an important and integral part of Persian culture, integrating different aspects of life into one celebration and bringing together all those who belong to this celebration.  Norouz transcends religious boundaries, and brings people together based on the idea of nationality.  Whether it is in the home country of its origin, or it is oversees, people come together to find solidarity in the ancient ritual that is Norouz.