Google Doodle Honors 3500 Years Old This is Nowruz 2024, the Persian New Year
For the Persian New Year in 2024, the Google Doodle included colorful parts of Persian culture. Traditional calligraphy and intricate flower patterns.
Nowruz is here, the 13-day holiday that marks the start of spring every year from the old Persian Empire are celebrating all over the world.
Nowruz, which means “new day” in Persian, happens at the same time as the spring equinox. This is when the lengths of day and night are about equal. In the Northern Hemisphere, it signifies the start of spring and the promise of new life.
The Google Doodle had colorful Persian culture features in it. There were intricate flower patterns, traditional calligraphy, and symbolic items like the Haft-sin table on hand. The haft-sin is a special table setting with seven things whose names start with the letter “sin” in Farsi. Each item represents a key idea for the coming year.
The Google blog says that the event has been going on for over 3,000 years. Nowruz has its roots in ancient Iran, which was then called Persia. It took place on the spring equinox to mark the beginning of the flower season. Over time, many countries and ethnic groups that lived along the Silk Roads began to follow suit.
The haft-sin is the most important custom during Nowruz. Families get together and set out seven things, each of which stands for renewal and rebirth. Wheat bread is believed to bring life and good luck, while olives symbolize love, berries symbolize sunrises, vinegar symbolizes age and patience, apples symbolize beauty, and garlic symbolizes health.
Pendar Yousefi, an Iranian guest artist, created this doodle
Mr. Yousefi talked about the sketch and said, “In making the scene, I drew from my own happy childhood memories of Nowruz, which make me feel joy, togetherness, and hope.” The animal friends, gathered in a flower-filled courtyard under a blooming tree to welcome spring, captured those moments. The spirit of Nowruz, which means rebirth and the promise of a “new day” on the horizon, can bring hope even when things are hard. It’s almost like I can hear the happy tunes of their old instruments, which are a reminder of how strong custom is.
Persia, which is now Iran, used to cover a huge area that went from Afghanistan and Pakistan in the east to Egypt and the Balkan Peninsula in the west. It left behind a rich cultural legacy that includes this lively party. Nowruz has been around for 3,500 years, but people who celebrate it think that its lessons, like starting over every year, loving family, and connecting with nature during a dangerous time, are more important than ever.
Zoroaster, an ancient monotheistic faith, initiated Nowruz as a holiday around 500 BCE. The leaders of all the countries that were part of the Persian Empire, which lasted from about 559 to 331 BCE, gathered at Nowruz to bring gifts, and honor the king at Persepolis. The Iranian city of Shiraz still boasts the ruins of Persepolis. The kings could show their ancestors that they were doing well in this way, which is still an important part of the holiday.
Zoroastrianism was the official faith of the Persian Empire for many hundreds of years, until the Arabs took it over in 632 CE. After that, it became Muslim. But Nowruz was firmly established, and it stayed that way even when Islam took over. Over time, it became a holiday that people of all faiths, including Christians, Jews, and Muslims, enjoyed.
Today, people in Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and other countries that used to be ruled by the Persians celebrate Nowruz. So do Iranians who live in North America, Europe, and other places.
Nowruz has become more popular in the West as these customs have spread. Disney put out a video of Mickey Mouse talking about Nowruz last year. Big American magazines and newspapers often have food stories and recipes for Nowruz. And this year, the traveling dance party Disco Tehran will throw Nowruz parties in Berlin, Paris, and London. This is because it was so popular in Los Angeles and New York.
Nowruz, whose name means “new day” in Persian, begins when the sun crosses the equator on its way north at the spring equinox. This year, it starts in New York at 23:06 on March 19 and in Tehran at 06:36 on March 20. On March 19, it starts at 03:06 in London.
Different parts of the world have their own unique Nowruz traditions. Afghans consume mewa, a sweet dish consisting of seven types of dried fruits and nuts soaked in syrup. In Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, people place boats around their houses and fill them with water before the new year begins. Afghanistan’s national sport is buzkashi, which is like polo but uses a goat’s body instead of a ball. People on horses participate in the game.
It’s not just a way to celebrate the new year; it’s what all Iranians do together
Haleh Esfandiari is the founding head of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. She says that the holiday’s longevity comes from the fact that it is open to everyone. “Because it is a national celebration and not a religious one, it helps bring all Iranians together. It’s more than just a celebration of the new year.” Iranians of all religions, races, and tribes celebrate Nowruz, she said.
