Nooruz

Nooruz (pictures are posted) is the Muslim New Year. At least that is what I am told. However, Nooruz is not listed on the calendar of Muslim holidays.

The Zoroastrian religion originated in Persia (Iran) sometime between 1400 and 1200 B.C. Zoroastrians are now called Parsees (meaning “Persians”). The religion’s influence was inhibited when Persia was conquered by Alexander the Great, and later by the Arabs, who were Muslims. No Ruz, New Year’s Day, celebrates the creation of fire – symbol of righteousness – and looks forward to the final triumph of good over evil. On the Fasli (“seasonal”) calendar, one of the three used by Parsees, No Ruz falls on March 21. In Kyrgyzstan, Nooruz is March 22.

Followers of the Baha’i religion also celebrate a New Year’s holiday called Naw-Ruz. The Baha’i faith originated in the mid-nineteenth century in what is today Iran. Naw-Ruz is also celebrated in late March.

The first Muslims that settled in Kyrgyzstan must have been from Iran or descendents of those from Iran. Surprisingly enough there is no official Muslim holiday celebrated from mid-February through mid-April. It would be interesting to know how many of the countries surrounding Kyrgyzstan also celebrate Nooruz as a Muslim holiday.

**Information taken from Festivls of the World by Breuilly, O’Brien and Palmer.