Nowruz, the Persian New Year, Celebrates Renewal and Rebirth

Nowruz, the Persian New Year, began on Thursday, kicking off a celebration of life, renewal and rebirth that people in Iran and beyond have been observing for many generations.

More than 300 million people worldwide celebrate Nowruz, which means “new day” in Persian. Many of them greet one another by saying “Nowruzetan pirooz” or “Wishing you a victorious Nowruz!”

The holiday, which is tied to the spring equinox, traces its roots to the Persian Empire. People in the Balkans, the Black Sea basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Middle East have celebrated it for more than 3,000 years.

There’s a buildup to Nowruz, said Alireza Hedayati, president of the Iranian American Society of New York, a nonprofit organization based on Long Island.

Things start to heat up “as soon as it starts to warm up a little bit in late February and the beginning of March,” Mr. Hedayati said. “Everyone just gets that little bit of an excitement and the urge to do things.”

Here’s what to know about one of world’s oldest holidays:

Holiday Customs

In the lead-up to the new year, Nowruz celebrants thoroughly clean their homes. Mr. Hedayati likened it to spring cleaning.

“You’re supposed to clean out all the clutter in your house” to make sure you’re ready to start the new year fresh, he said.

The practice is known as “shaking the dust” of the past, according to the United Nations. In 2010, the U.N. General Assembly proclaimed March 21 the International Day of Nowruz.

Many people also start growing sabzeh (wheatgrass or lentil sprouts) in a dish at least 20 days before the holiday, Mr. Hedayati said.

Some Nowruz practices can differ from region to region, and family to family. But Kambiz Mofrad, the president of the Persian Parade Foundation, which organizes the annual Persian Parade in New York City, said one of the most popular dishes served on the eve of Nowruz is sabzi polo.

A fragrant rice dish cooked with fresh herbs including cilantro, parsley and dill, it is traditionally eaten with fried white fish.

Mr. Mofrad said that many families also prepare kuku sabzi, a Persian herb frittata made with cilantro, parsley, dill, walnuts and eggs. Some families add barberries or white fish roe for extra flavor, he added.

For the big day, you’re supposed to make sure you’re wearing new clothes, too, Mr. Hedayati said.

A Festival of Fire

Held on the last Tuesday before Nowruz, Chaharshanbe Suri is known as the festival of fire. On this day, many people jump over fires and say, “My yellowness to you and your redness to me,” Mr. Mofrad said.

“Yellow is a symbol of fears, hate and weakness,” he said. “You want to give that to the fire and then take the redness of the fire,” which represents happiness, bravery and health.

Symbols of Renewal and Prosperity

Every household celebrating Nowruz has a haft-seen, a table with a traditional arrangement of seven symbolic items that each start with the Persian letter “س” (sīn). Each item represents a different aspect of life, renewal and prosperity, Mr. Mofrad said.

The seven “S” items and their symbolism:

• Apple, or seeb: represents health and beauty

• Garlic, or seer: stands for protection and medicine

• Vinegar, or serkeh: represents patience and longevity

• Sumac, or somāq: stands for the sunrise and new beginnings

• Sprouts (wheat, lentil, barley), or sabzeh: represents growth and rebirth

• Dried oleaster fruit (silverberry), or senjed: stands for love and wisdom

• Sweet pudding (wheat germ paste), or samanu: represents strength and prosperity

Aside from these seven “core” items, the haft-seen can include a mirror, for reflection and truth, and a goldfish, for life and progress, among other items.

Good Luck Wishes

Observed on the 13th day of Nowruz, Sizdah Be-Dar is when people head to parks with the wheatgrass or lentil sprouts they have grown for the new year. They wish for good luck by tossing them into moving water. The festivities for Sizdah Be-Dar are large, Mr. Hedayati said. The Iranian American Society of New York is holding its celebration this year on Sunday, March 30, because the actual 13th day lands on a workday.

“It’s kind of like potluck,” he said, describing how everyone shares everything.

“If you don’t have something,” he said, “you just look over the table next to you, and they give it.”

Mr. Hedayati said that on Sizdah Be-Dar, single women tie the blades of the sabzeh into knots before tossing them into the water, not just for luck but also for the possibility of marriage within the year.

“It’s all about good fortune,” he said.