Google Doodle celebrates Nowruz 2024: All you need to know ...
Nowruz 2024: Google celebrated ‘International Nowruz Day 2024’ on Tuesday with a specially designed Google Doodle created by the talented Iranian guest artist, Pendar Yousefi, who aimed to capture the essence of his joyful childhood experiences in Nowruz to welcome the arrival of spring through his artwork.
Nowruz, the Farsi word for “new day,” also known as the Iranian or Persian New Year, is a festival celebrated widely by over 300 million people around the world. An ancient festival with roots in Zoroastrianism, Nowruz marks the beginning of the Iranian Solar Hijri calendar and falls on or around the spring equinox, typically between March 19th and March 21st.
The festival is generally observed in countries along the Silk Roads, including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Here’s all you need about Nowruz, a.k.a. Persian New Year 2024. Nowruz 2024: Date and TimingsNowruz, also spelt Norooz or Nowrooz, is the Iranian New Year, marking the beginning of the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. This year, it will be celebrated on March 20, 2024, Wednesday, with the exact moment of the vernal equinox occurring at 6:36 AM in Tehran, Iran. However, the United Nations recognises March 21st as the International Day of Nowruz, emphasising its global observance and cultural significance.
As the celebration of Nowruz transcends borders and time, here are some specific timings for Nowruz 2024 in different locations:
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan: March 20, 2024, at 9:06 AM Ashgabat, Turkmenistan: March 20, 2024, at 8:06 AM Tirana, Albania: March 20, 2024, at 4:06 AM Tbilisi, Georgia: March 20, 2024, at 7:06 AM Baghdad, Iraq: March 20, 2024, at 7:06 AM Damascus, Syria: March 20, 2024, at 6:06 AM In India, Nowruz 2024 will be celebrated on two dates due to different calendar traditions. The first celebration will take place on March 20, 2024, aligning with the global observance of Nowruz during the spring equinox, following the Solar Hijri calendar.
The second celebration is scheduled for August 15, 2024, following the Shahenshahi calendar, which does not account for leap years, leading to the unique tradition of two New Year celebrations among the Parsi community in India.
Nowruz 2024: History and SignificanceThe Persian New Year, or Nowruz, celebrated on the spring equinox, has been observed for over 3,000 years, originating from Zoroastrianism in ancient Iran, known as Persia. Significant across countries in Western Asia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Black Sea Basin, the Balkans, and South Asia, Nowruz is widely celebrated by 300 million individuals globally.
It’s a day that symbolises the renewal of nature and the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. As per UNESCO, it’s the festival that marks the arrival of spring and harbours profound spiritual essence, symbolising the victory of goodness over evil and joy over sadness.
The celebration is known for its emphasis on peace, solidarity, and respect for different cultures, aiming to bring people closer together. In 2010, the United Nations officially recognised the International Day of Nowruz, further solidifying its role in promoting global unity and cultural exchange.
Traditional customs include rituals involving fire and water, dances, exchanging gifts, and more. Central to the festivities is the haft-sin tradition, where families meticulously arrange seven symbolic items representing renewal and vitality.
Here’s wishing all our readers Nowruz Mobarak!
