The Celebration of Nauroz

The Nauroz (also Nawroz, Nowruz, Naw-Ruz, or Nau Ruz), the Persian New Year, was festivals of the imperial Mughal calendar, and it remains festivals of the wider Persianate world. The festival was celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox, the first day of the month of Farvardin (which usually falls on 21 March), and it marked the beginning of the new solar year in the Persian calendar. The Nauroz was originally a Zoroastrian festival, adopted by the Persian Muslims and incorporated into the imperial calendar of the Mughals, and it remains one of the principal festivals of Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kurdistan, the Central Asian republics, and the wider Persianate world. The Persian origin of the festival, the role of the Mughals in popularising it in India, the date and the astronomical significance, the rituals of the imperial court, the food of the festival, the music and entertainment, the gift-giving, the role of the emperor, the decline of the festival in the colonial period, the contemporary celebrations in Kashmir, Afghanistan, and Iran, and the cultural significance of the Nauroz in the modern period are treated in detail below.

The Persian Origin of the Festival

The Nauroz has its origin in the Zoroastrian religious tradition of ancient Persia, where it was celebrated as the day of the vernal equinox and the beginning of the new solar year. The Nauroz of the Zoroastrian tradition marked the triumph of light over darkness, of warmth over cold, of life over death, and of spring over winter, and it was one of the principal festivals of the Zoroastrian religious calendar. The Nauroz was adopted by the Sasanian Empire (224–651 CE) as one of the principal festivals of the imperial calendar, and the Nauroz of the Sasanian tradition was a major ceremonial occasion, marked by the formal durbar of the Sasanian emperor, the nazar of the principal nobles, the conferring of khil’at on the principal nobles, the firing of the artillery, the distribution of gifts, the langar of the public kitchen, and the various other elements of the imperial ceremonial.

The Nauroz was adopted by the Persian Muslims after the Arab conquest of the Sasanian Empire in the seventh century, and it became one of the principal festivals of the Persian Islamic calendar. The Nauroz of the Persian Islamic tradition was marked by the formal durbar of the caliph or the sultan, the nazar of the principal nobles, the conferring of khil’at on the principal nobles, the firing of the artillery, the distribution of gifts, the langar of the public kitchen, the formal mushaira of the poets, the formal mehfil of the musicians, the formal qasida of the qasida-khwan, and the various other elements of the imperial ceremonial. The Nauroz of the Persian Islamic tradition was particularly important in the Samanid (819–999), Ghaznavid (977–1186), Seljuk (1037–1194), Ilkhanid (1256–1335), Timurid (1370–1507), and Safavid (1501–1736) periods, and the Nauroz of these periods was a major ceremonial occasion of the imperial calendar.

The Mughal Adoption of the Festival

The Nauroz was adopted by the Mughal dynasty as one of the principal festivals of the imperial calendar, and it was festivals of the Mughal court. The Nauroz was particularly important under Akbar, who took a personal interest in the festival, and it continued to be a major ceremonial occasion under Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and the later Mughals. The Mughal adoption of the Nauroz was a major element of the dynasty’s Persianate cultural identity, and the festival was celebrated with particular elaboration at the Mughal court.

The Mughal Nauroz was marked by a number of distinct ceremonial elements. The principal ceremonial elements of the Nauroz of the Mughal court included the formal durbar of the emperor, the nazar of the principal nobles, the conferring of khil’at and other honours, the firing of the artillery, the illumination of the imperial palaces, the mehfil of poets and musicians, the shikar expeditions of the imperial household, the distribution of gifts and alms, the langar of the public kitchen, the formal qasida of the court poets, the formal mushaira of the mushaira tradition, the formal mehfil of the mehfil tradition, the Nauroz banquet, the Nauroz sweets, the Nauroz gifts, and the Nauroz ceremonial of the imperial household.

The Date and the Astronomical Significance

The Nauroz was celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox, the first day of the month of Farvardin in the Persian calendar, which usually falls on 21 March. The Nauroz of the Persian calendar was calculated on the basis of the Jalali calendar, the solar calendar established by the Sasanian Empire and continued by the Persian Muslims. The Jalali calendar is more astronomically accurate than the Gregorian calendar, and the Nauroz of the Jalali calendar marks the exact moment of the vernal equinox, when the sun crosses the celestial equator and the day and night are of approximately equal length. The Nauroz of the Mughal period was typically celebrated on 21 March, although the exact date varied according to the astronomical calculations of the period.

The astronomical significance of the Nauroz was substantial, and the festival was closely tied to the astronomical traditions of the Persian and Indian worlds. The zij (astronomical tables) of the Mughal period, including the Zij-i-Shah Jahani of Shah Jahan’s reign, the Zij-i-Jadid-i-Muhammadi of Ulugh Beg, and the various regional zij of the period, were used to calculate the exact date of the Nauroz and the other astronomical events of the imperial calendar. The muwaqqit (astronomer) of the imperial household was an important office, and the muwaqqit was responsible for the calculation of the dates of the principal festivals of the imperial calendar.

The Rituals of the Imperial Court

The Nauroz of the Mughal court was marked by a number of distinct rituals. The principal rituals of the Nauroz of the imperial court included:

The Julus-i-Nauroz (the imperial procession of the Nauroz), the formal procession of the imperial household to the Nauroz location, typically a garden or a palace, where the formal durbar of the Nauroz was held. The Julus-i-Nauroz was a major ceremonial occasion, marked by the procession of the emperor, the imperial family, the mansabdari nobles, the bandagan, the qasid, the farrash, the bawarchi khana, the naqqar khana, the shahin khana, and the various other elements of the imperial household.
The Durbar-i-Nauroz (the Nauroz durbar), the formal durbar of the Nauroz, held in the principal imperial palace of the period (Delhi, Agra, Lahore, Fatehpur Sikri, or Shahjahanabad). The Durbar-i-Nauroz was a major ceremonial occasion, marked by the formal assembly of the emperor, the imperial family, the mansabdari nobles, the ulama, the mashayikh, the qasida-khwan, the mehfil musicians, the shikar parties, and the various other participants of the imperial ceremonial.
The Nazar-i-Nauroz (the Nauroz gift-offering), the formal nazar of the principal nobles of the empire, the regional rulers, the foreign embassies, the ulama, the mashayikh, and the various other recipients of the imperial favour. The Nazar-i-Nauroz was a major ceremonial occasion, marked by the formal presentation of gifts, the formal nazar of the family elders, and the formal khil’at of the principal nobles.
The Khil’at-i-Nauroz (the Nauroz dress of honour), the formal conferring of khil’at (dress of honour) on the principal nobles of the empire, the regional rulers, the foreign embassies, the ulama, the mashayikh, and the various other recipients of the imperial favour. The Khil’at-i-Nauroz was a major ceremonial occasion, marked by the formal presentation of jama, pagri, patka, doshala, kamarband, sarpech, bazuband, and the various other personal ornaments of the imperial wardrobe.
The Tuladan-i-Nauroz (the Nauroz weighing ceremony), the formal tuladan of the Nauroz, the imperial weighing ceremony in which the emperor was weighed against gold, silver, precious stones, grain, salt, and other commodities, and the commodities were then distributed to the poor, the religious establishments, and the courtiers. The Tuladan-i-Nauroz was a major ceremonial occasion, marked by the formal weighing of the emperor, the formal distribution of the commodities, and the formal nazar of the family elders.

The Food of the Festival

The Nauroz of the Mughal court was a major food event, and the bawarchi khana (kitchen) of the Nauroz was a major institution. The Nauroz banquet of the imperial court was marked by a number of distinct dishes, each of which had a particular symbolic significance for the festival. The principal dishes of the Nauroz banquet included:

The Sabz-i-Nauroz (the Nauroz greens), the seven herbs, vegetables, and sprouts that were traditionally served at the Nauroz banquet. The Sabz-i-Nauroz of the Persian tradition typically included wheat, barley, lentil, mung bean, rice, and the various other grains and legumes of the Persian kitchen, sprouted for the Nauroz banquet. The Sabz-i-Nauroz symbolised the renewal of life, the triumph of spring over winter, and the abundance of the new year, and it was a major ceremonial element of the Nauroz banquet.
The Kuku-i-Nauroz (the Nauroz omelette), the herb omelette of the Nauroz banquet, made with the Sabz-i-Nauroz and the Sabz-i-Nauroz herbs. The Kuku-i-Nauroz of the Persian tradition was a substantial omelette, made with the Sabz-i-Nauroz herbs, the eggs of the imperial household, the ghee of the imperial kitchen, and the various other ingredients of the imperial bawarchi khana.
The Reshteh-i-Nauroz (the Nauroz noodles), the noodle dish of the Nauroz banquet. The Reshteh-i-Nauroz of the Persian tradition symbolised the untying of the knots of misfortune and the tying of the knots of good fortune, and it was a major ceremonial element of the Nauroz banquet. The Reshteh-i-Nauroz was typically prepared with the Sabz-i-Nauroz herbs, the khidri (a local bean) of the Persian kitchen, and the various other ingredients of the imperial bawarchi khana.
The Aash-i-Nauroz (the Nauroz soup), the soup of the Nauroz banquet. The Aash-i-Nauroz of the Persian tradition was a substantial soup, made with the Sabz-i-Nauroz herbs, the meat of the imperial hunt, the noodles of the imperial kitchen, the khidri of the Persian kitchen, and the various other ingredients of the imperial bawarchi khana.
The Shirin-i-Nauroz (the Nauroz sweets), the sweets of the Nauroz banquet. The Shirin-i-Nauroz of the Persian tradition typically included the sheer khurma (the vermicelli pudding), the birishta (the saffron-flavoured rice pudding), the gulab jamun (the rose-berry sweet), the jalebi (the pretzel-shaped sweet), the barfi (the milk-based sweet), and the various other sweets of the imperial kitchen.
The Sharbat-i-Nauroz (the Nauroz drink), the drink of the Nauroz banquet. The Sharbat-i-Nauroz of the Persian tradition typically included the sherbet-i-khas (the special sherbet), the rooh afza (the rose-flavoured drink), the kewra sharbat (the kewra-flavoured drink), the rose sharbat (the rose-flavoured drink), the sandalwood sharbat (the sandalwood-flavoured drink), the thandai (the thandai-flavoured drink), the kashmiri kahwa (the Kashmiri green tea), and the various other drinks of the imperial kitchen.

The Music, the Gift-Giving, and the Role of the Emperor

The Nauroz of the Mughal court was a major music and entertainment event, and the mehfil of the Nauroz was a major ceremonial occasion. The principal musicians of the Nauroz mehfil were drawn from the mehfil tradition of the imperial court, and the principal gharanas of the period were typically represented at the Nauroz mehfil. The Nauroz mushaira, the formal poetry gathering, was a major ceremonial occasion, and the qasida and ghazal of the mushaira were major literary events of the Nauroz.

The Nauroz of the Mughal court was a major gift-giving event, and the gift-giving was a major ceremonial element of the festival. The principal gifts of the Nauroz of the imperial court included the nazar of the principal nobles, the khil’at of the principal nobles, the sar-o-pa of the principal nobles, the sarpech of the principal nobles, the bazuband of the principal nobles, the haar of the principal nobles, the kamarband of the principal nobles, the qaddi of the principal nobles, the tah-mala of the principal nobles, the jewelry of the principal nobles, the textiles of the principal nobles, the horses of the principal nobles, the elephants of the principal nobles, the falcons of the principal nobles, the cheetahs of the principal nobles, and the various other gifts of the principal nobles of the imperial ceremonial.

The role of the emperor at the Nauroz of the Mughal court was central, and the Nauroz was a major ceremonial occasion of the imperial household. The emperor typically presided over the Durbar-i-Nauroz, received the Nazar-i-Nauroz of the principal nobles, conferred the Khil’at-i-Nauroz on the principal nobles, presided over the Tuladan-i-Nauroz of the imperial household, presided over the Julus-i-Nauroz of the imperial household, presided over the mehfil of the Nauroz banquet, presided over the mushaira of the Nauroz banquet, presided over the shikar expedition of the Nauroz banquet, presided over the langar of the Nauroz banquet, presided over the mazar visit of the Nauroz banquet, and presided over the various other elements of the Nauroz ceremonial of the imperial household.

The Decline of the Festival in the Colonial Period

The Nauroz of the Mughal court underwent a substantial decline in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, as the imperial court contracted and the regional courts took over the ceremonial. The decline of the Nauroz was a complex process, involving a number of distinct developments: the political decline of the Mughal dynasty, the rise of the regional successor states, the colonial intervention, the British promotion of the European calendar, the decline of the imperial karkhanas, the decline of the imperial naqqar khana, the decline of the imperial mushaira, the decline of the imperial mehfil, and the broader social and economic changes of the colonial period.

The Nauroz of the regional courts of the empire — the Nauroz of the Nizams of Hyderabad, the Nauroz of the Nawabs of Awadh, the Nauroz of the Nawabs of Bengal, the Nauroz of the Rajput courts, the Nauroz of the Maratha courts, the Nauroz of the Sikh court, and the Nauroz of the various other regional courts — continued to be celebrated with some elaboration well into the nineteenth century, but the Nauroz of the imperial Mughal court itself declined substantially in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

The Contemporary Celebrations in Kashmir, Afghanistan, and Iran

The Nauroz remains one of the principal festivals of the wider Persianate world, and the contemporary celebrations of the Nauroz in Kashmir, Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, and the various other Persianate regions of the world are major cultural events.

The contemporary Nauroz of Kashmir, known locally as the Navreh (or Navroz), is a major cultural event of the Kashmiri Muslim and Kashmiri Pandit traditions. The Navreh of the Kashmiri tradition is celebrated on 21 March, and it is marked by the preparation of the thali (the festive platter) of the Kashmiri kitchen, the application of the tilak of the Kashmiri tradition, the puja of the Kashmiri Pandit tradition, the namaz of the Kashmiri Muslim tradition, the mela of the Mughal Gardens of the Kashmiri tradition, the shikar of the shikar tradition, the mushaira of the mushaira tradition, the mehfil of the mehfil tradition, and the various other elements of the Navreh ceremonial. The Navreh of Kashmir is contemporary celebrations of the Nauroz in South Asia, and it remains a major element of the cultural identity of the Kashmiri community.

The contemporary Nauroz of Afghanistan is a major national festival, marked by the Jashn-i-Nauroz (the Nauroz celebration) of the Afghan tradition, the mela of the Mela-i-Nauroz (the Nauroz fair), the buzkashi of the Nauroz games, the music of the Afghan musical tradition, the dancing of the Attan of the Afghan tradition, the food of the Afghan kitchen, the gift-giving of the Afghan tradition, and the various other elements of the Nauroz ceremonial. The Nauroz of Afghanistan is contemporary celebrations of the Nauroz in the wider Persianate world, and it remains a major element of the cultural identity of the Afghan community.

The contemporary Nauroz of Iran, known locally as the Nowruz, is the principal national festival of the Iranian calendar, and it is celebrated throughout the Iranian world. The Nowruz of the Iranian tradition is marked by the Haft-sin (the seven symbolic items of the Nowruz table), the Chaharshanbe Suri (the Wednesday fire festival of the Iranian tradition), the Sizdah Bedar (the thirteenth day of the Iranian new year), the mushaira of the mushaira tradition, the mehfil of the mehfil tradition, the food of the Iranian kitchen, the gift-giving of the Iranian tradition, and the various other elements of the Nowruz ceremonial. The Nowruz of Iran is contemporary celebrations of the Nauroz in the world, and it has been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The Cultural Significance of the Nauroz in the Modern Period

The Nauroz remains a major element of the cultural identity of the Persianate communities of the world, and it has become a major element of the cultural diplomacy of the Persianate states. The Nauroz of the modern period is celebrated throughout the Persianate world, and the Nauroz celebrations of Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, and the various other Persianate regions are major cultural events. The Nauroz of the modern period is also celebrated in the diaspora communities of the Persianate world, including the Iranian, Afghan, Kurdish, and Tajik diaspora communities of Europe, North America, and Australia.

The Nauroz of the modern period has also become a major element of the cultural diplomacy of the international community. The United Nations has recognised 21 March as the International Day of Nowruz, and the Nowruz celebrations of the Iranian, Afghan, Tajik, Kurdish, Azerbaijani, and other Persianate communities are major cultural events of the international community. The Nowruz of the modern period is and most widely celebrated festivals of the modern world, and it remains a major element of the cultural identity of the Persianate communities of the world.

Sources

Muzaffar Alam, The Mughals and the Sufis (2012), on the court calendar.

For the broader context of the festival and entertainment tradition, see the Mughal festivals and entertainment page. The food tradition of the Nauroz banquet is treated on the Mughal cuisine page, in Mughal sweets and desserts, and in Mughal cuisine techniques. The music and entertainment of the Nauroz mehfil is treated in Mughal music and musicians. The historical context of the festival, including the Persian origin of the Nauroz and the Mughal adoption of the festival, is treated in the entries on Akbar, under whose reign the Nauroz was celebrated with particular elaboration, and on the Mughal culture overview. The diplomatic context of the Nauroz, including the gift-giving and the nazar of the principal nobles, is treated in the Mughal administration overview and the Mughal diplomacy pages. The cultural context of the Nauroz, including the Persianate cultural identity of the Mughal court, is treated in the Mughal literature and languages and Persian literature at the Mughal court pages.