Navroz: Parsi New Year
Why in News
Navroj was celebrated in India on 16th August 2020.
- Globally Navroz is celebrated on 21st March, however, in India it is celebrated on 16th August because of the Shahenshahi calendar that is followed by Parsis in India.
- The Shahenshahi calendar doesn’t account for leap years.
Key Points
- Navroz is also known as Parsi New Year. In Persian, ‘Nav’ stands for new, and ‘Roz’ stands for the day, which literally translates to ‘new day’.
- It is celebrated to mark the beginning of the Iranian (Persian) calendar.
- The tradition is observed by Iranians and the Parsi community around the world.
- In India Navroz is also known as Jamshed-i-Navroz, after the Persian King, Jamshed. The king Jamshed is credited with having created the Shahenshahi calendar.
- Navroj is inscribed in the list of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of India.
Traditional New Year Festivals in India |
Name |
Features |
Chaitra Shukla Pratipada |
- It marks the beginning of the new year of the Vikram Samvat also known as the Vedic (Hindu) calendar.
- Vikram Samvat is based on the day when the emperor Vikramaditya defeated Sakas, invaded Ujjain and called for a new era.
|
Gudi Padwa and Ugadi |
- Celebrated in the month of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada as per the Hindu Lunar Calendar.
- Deccan region including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
|
Navreh |
- It is the lunar New Year that is celebrated in Kashmir. It falls on the very first day of the Chaitra Navratras.
|
Sajibu Cheiraoba |
- It is celebrated by Meiteis (an ethnic group in Manipur) which is observed on the first day of Manipur lunar month Shajibu, which falls in the month of April every year.
|
Cheti Chand |
- It is celebrated by Sindhi community. Chaitra month is called 'Chet' in Sindhi.
- The day commemorates the birth anniversary of Ishta Deva Uderolal/Jhulelal, the patron saint of Sindhis.
|
Bihu |
- It is celebrated three times a year.
- Rongali or Bohag Bihu is observed in April. Kongali or Kati Bihu observed in October and Bhogali or Magh Bihu observed in January.
- Rongali or Bohag Bihu is the Assamese new year and spring festival.
- The Rongali Bihu coincides with Sikh New Year- Baisakhi.
|
Baisakhi |
- It is celebrated as the Indian thanksgiving day by farmers.
- It also has religious significance for the Sikhs community as the foundation of the Khalsa Panth was laid on this day by Guru Gobind Singh.
|
Losoong |
- Losoong also known as Namsoong is the Sikkimese New Year.
- It is usually the time when the farmers rejoice and celebrate their harvest.
- It is mostly celebrated in the month of December every year with traditional gaiety and colour both by the Lepchas and Bhutias.
|
Source: PIB