Nowruz marks the renewal of life and the rebirth of nature, but for a long time, poetry has been a deep ship to express these very themes: growth, transformation, and the passage of time.
This year, Knowles also coincides with the sacred night (Leirat Alkador) of Kador (Leirat Alkador), one of the most sacred nights in Islamic tradition. This overlap brings a unique atmosphere. This is a fusion of joy and contemplation, and the joy of the New Year encounters a deep spiritual reflection.
Nowruz: Renewal and Traditional Celebrations
Nowruz, meaning “new day” in Persian, is an ancient festival that has been celebrated for over three,000 years in parts of Iran, Central Asia, the Caucasus and parts of the Middle East. The festival begins precisely at the moment of the vernal equinox, where spring and night are equal, marking the official arrival of spring.
Nowruz is not a celebration of time, but a deeply symbolic ritual of cleansing and renewal. These are some of the most important traditions:
1. Khaneh-Tekani (Spring Cleaning)
Before Knowles, the family took on the Hane Tekani and “shake the house.” This deep cleaning represents purification. It’s about shaking misfortune and negativity in order to create space for a new start. Old or broken items will be discarded and new clothes will be purchased to mark the occasion.
2. Haft visible table: symbol of prosperity
An important part of Nowruz is setting up Haft-Seen. This is a table with seven items starting with the letters of Persian letters, each representing various aspects of life and renewal.
Sabzeh (Buds) – Regeneration and Growth
Samanu (sweet pudding) – Strength and strength
Senjed (Oleaster Fruit) – Love and Wisdom
Seeler (garlic) – Health and protection
Seeb (Apple) – Beauty and fertility
Somaq (Sumac Berries) – Sunrise and Patience
Serkeh (Vinegar) – Wisdom and Aging
Other elements include a bowl of water with mirrors (reflections), candles (light), painted eggs (fertility), and goldfish (life and movement).
3. Chaharshambhe Sri: Fire Festival
On Tuesday night before the Knowles, Iranians celebrate Chaharshanbe Suri, an ancient firefighter. People light a bonfire, jump over the flames, and chant:
Love Dollar, Love Similarity
“Take my illness and give me your warmth and energy.”
This ritual symbolizes the cleansing and the fall of misfortune before the start of the New Year.
4. Eid Visit and Eydi (New Year’s Gift)
During Nowruz, family and friends visit each other in a custom called Did-O-Bazdid. Elders often give young families eddie, small gifts and money as a New Year’s blessing.
The Connection Between Nowruz and the Poetry
Throughout history, Persian poets have taken inspiration from the arrival of spring, the beauty of nature, and the renewals that knowles represent. The themes of hope, rebirth, and fleeting nature of time are woven into some of the most famous poems of Persian literature.
In a sense, Nowruz itself is a poetic, rhythmic return, a fresh stanza of the poem of ongoing existence. It is not surprising that some of the great Iranian poets immortalized Spring and Knowles in poetry.
Knowles and the Persian Poet in Spring
Saadi (1210–1291): Poets of Mankind
In his Bastan and Golestan, Saadi frequently uses Spring Spring as a spiritual and moral awakening rationale. His poems capture the joy and renewal of Knowles:
Wee ∗مبا Cooperative Law ¹ح Year’s achievements /come
“The morning breeze arrives with the scent of nowruz.
Hafez (1315–1390): Master of Love and Mysticism
Hafez, the greatest master of Persian gazar, intertwines the themes of love and destiny with the beauty of spring. His lines reflect both celebration and contemplation:
زک Geometry
“Nowruz Breeze runs from my beloved lane.
Nowruz and the Night of Qadr: time of reflection
This year, Nowruz coincides with Laylat Al-Qadr, the holiest night of Islam, and is considered the night the Quran was revealed. It is time to pray, forgiveness and seek spiritual remorse. Nowruz is a celebration of ground renewal, but Laylat Al-Qadr highlights spiritual renewal and makes this year’s opportunity particularly deep.
The eternal cycle of renewal
Knowles and Persian poetry, like nature, reminds us of the movement of human life in cycles, ending and beginning, joy and sorrow, loss and rebirth. As Hafez beautifully says:
Meeting place
“A man who awakens his heart with love will never die.
This brings us all around us the harmony of renewal that spring brings, whether we read timeless poems to celebrate with our loved ones or accept the spiritual depths of the night of Qadr.
Report by Mohaddeseh Pakravan