Nowruz: Millions celebrate Persian New Year around the world

21 March 2021

Two Iranian medical personnel wearing protective suits pose for a photograph as they stand next to a Haft-Seen (Seven-S) table, The historical symbol for the Iranian New Year, in a COVID-19 ward in Firoozabadi hospital in Shahr-e-Rey neighborhood in the south of Tehran on the day of Nowruz

Millions of people around the world have celebrated Nowruz - a festival that marks the Persian New Year and the official beginning of spring.

Nowruz begins at the spring equinox, when the sun crosses the equator and day and night are equal length.

It is mainly celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, the Kurdish regions of Iraq and Turkey as well as by Parsis in India and diaspora communities around the rest of the world.

This year - which in the Persian calendar is the year 1400 - celebrations in many places have had to take place amid coronavirus restrictions.

In this Covid-19 ward in Firoozabadi hospital, Tehran, healthcare workers celebrated with their patients by setting up a ceremonial table covered with symbolic food items.

An Iranian medical personnel wearing a protective suit places a mirror on a Haft-Seen (Seven-S) table, The historical symbol for the Iranian New Year, in a COVID-19 ward in Firoozabadi hospital in Shahr-e-Rey neighborhood in the south of Tehran on the day of Nowruz — Image caption,
Healthcare workers in Tehran have been trying to help their Covid patients celebrate Nowruz

In Tajrish Square, one of the busiest parts of Tehran, people bought food and other items from the market.

Unripe almonds are displayed for sale as Iranian people get ready for Persian New Year — Image caption,
Unripe almonds are sold in preparation for the day

Traditionally in Iran, people decorate a Nowruz table with - among other things - goldfish, wheat grass, candles and mirrors.

Goldfish await purchase in Tajrish Square to celebrate Nowruz as Iranian people get ready for Persian New Year — Image caption,
Goldfish are used to decorate ceremonial tables on Nowruz

In Turkey, thousands of Kurdish people celebrated in Istanbul with music and dancing.

A man seen drumming during the celebration of the Kurdish new year at Istanbul — Image caption,
Thousands of Kurdish people in Turkey celebrated in Istanbul

Kurdish woman poses for a photo during the Newroz festival in Istanbul — Image caption,
The day was marked with music and dancing on the streets

India's Parsi community marked the day by going to Zoroastrian fire temples. Here, a father takes his son to a temple in Mumbai's Tardeo neighbourhood.

Parsi community people celebrating Jamshedi Navroz by visiting the fire temple and offering prayers, at Tardeo — Image caption,
A father and son visit a Zoroastrian fire temple in Mumbai

In Srinagar, in Indian-administered Kashmir, people had leech treatment. Every year on Nowruz, Kashmiri healers apply leeches which they say can suck impure blood out of people with health conditions.