India and Iran: Bird’s-eye view
The names “India and Iran”, whenever mentioned together, carry this innate feeling of brotherhood which cannot always be explained by facts and figures; it’s just there. Making it a stronger argument one can find any common Iranian in the streets of Tehran and ask him what he feels about India? To which his first expression is definitely going to be a smile on his face and then he can go on and on for hours unless you don’t stop him of course; telling you how he wants to visit a few places before he dies and India is on top of that list.
Linguistically speaking, the languages of northern, western, central and eastern regions of India belong to the same Indo-Aryan family of languages which the Iranian languages have evolved from. The word “Iran” has originated from the Avestan word “Airyanam Vaejo” meaning “expanse of the Aryans”.
Among other facts proving the common background as well as profound and deep relations among the two nations are the striking resemblances between Rig Veda (literally meaning Knowledge) and the ancient language of Persian Zoroastrian sacred text Avesta and the fact that their names have been mentioned in each other’s sacred text. According to Vendidad (chapter 1) Ariya lived in sixteen countries, one of them being “Hapta Hindu” which is the Avestan form of the Sanskrit “Sapta Sindhu” (Rig Veda) meaning “seven rivers” and referring to the North-Western region of Indian Subcontinent.
Holi and Noruz Festivals
Looking at these nations through the glasses of tradition and rituals, one of the prominent and interesting common traditions in Iran and India is the celebration of Noruz (Literally meaning-new day) and Holi. The first day of ancient Iranian month of Farvardin (coinciding with 21st of March) is the Iranian New Year day. According to ancient Iranian legends the “Faravart” or “Prakriti” as we call it, was created on this day; which in fact was also the day of birth of Kyumars (Avestan –Gayyumaretan-meaning the living one who is destined to die) -the first human being- who was given the gift of life to help Ahuramazda protect righteousness in man from the evil spirit and be the first man of Aryan race[1]. Noruz is also known as the Jamshidi Noruz; its celebrations started with “Jamshid” the legendary benevolent king of Iran who according to legends discovered fire, the cleansing and purifying element of nature; the day he sat on the throne of Iran was UrmazdRuz (the first day) of Farvardin month of Iranian calendar; and it was his order to call this day Noruz[2] which was to be followed by celebrations lasting ten days.
Holi and Noruz
Generally, Noruz more or so coincides with Holi, one of the sacred festivals of Hindu tradition. Holi is the festival of joy where singing and dancing are at the center of its celebrations. This festival is celebrated throughout India where men and women throw colors and colored water on each other and share the joy among them. The performance model of ritual studies believes that the participants of such performance-based rituals, take an active role in them and thus reinterpret the symbols connected to it, as they communicate with them.
The rituals of Holi and Noruz festivals, provide the experience of empowerment and euphoria to the masses; by not being limited to only a particular social class of society.
As we will find out later in the article, even this festival goes back to ancient times like the Iranian Noruz. It is basically the celebration of spring season or Basant as it is called in India; when farmers harvest and reap the results of their crops and show their happiness in celebrating alongside the occasion.
Noruz and its Rituals
Noruz is practically the day when the duration of Night and Day become same as each other. The festival may in fact be reminiscent of old cultural and ethnological ties between Indian and Iranian branches of Aryan tribe, as even the Indian Shaka year coincides with Iranian Solar Year. In Iran this day is celebrated in commemoration of the birth of creation and to foster goodwill, love peace and happiness among fellow human beings. The significance of such a day is further enhanced while looking from present day perspectives where wars and conflicts exist between various nations of the world.
Like Holi, the Iranian Noruz also has handful of rituals which are followed even today in Iran; such as ChahārShambe Suri, Sofre-ye-Haft Sin and Seezdah Bedar to name a few. According to Al-Biruni the festivities of Noruz start five days before the New Year and last five days after[3]; and according to the legends, it is in this period of ten days that Faravahar or “the holy aura or spirits” descend upon earth and remain here for this period.
The interesting part about one of the rituals of Noruz which has come a long way from ancient times is “throwing water on each other” and bathing on the New Year day; and the reason cited for this act is as follows: there were no deaths at all during Ancient Iranian King Jamshid’s reign, following this the world was filled with animals and thus God increased the area covered by land three times and it was at that time Ahuramazda ordered people to bath with water to wash away their sins[4]. Another theory is that because this day belongs to the Angel of Water “Haruza”or Haurvatāt (Hordād), people wash themselves at dawn[5]; because it is whose day it is and whose creation is water[6].
The same practice of “throwing water on each other” was preserved and Islamicized when Iranians converted to Islam and the water was replaced by a more Islamic option i.e. rose water. Likewise, on the Indian front, basically the most important part of Holi celebrations is throwing color and water on each other.
Among other rituals of Noruz are: wearing new clothes on the occasion; arranging a table of Haft-Sin; Sowing seven types of seeds in a container and see which one grows best and eventually indicate which crop will be favored and shall be sown this year; ritual of Seezdah-Bedar and the list goes on encompassing various activities and rituals which were added throughout the centuries this festivals has travelled to reach this generation.
Sofre-ye-Haft-Sin
Another important ritual of Noruz is to arrange a table of Haft-Sin; where a table cloth is spread in one corner of the house and seven things starting with letter “S” or “س” are arranged on it; like Serkeh (Vinegar), Sib (Apple), Sabze (Green herbs), Somagh (Sumac), Samanoo (Green wheat sweet dish), Sekkeh (Coins), and Seer (Garlic). Mostly ancient legends are reason behind such traditions and in this case as ancient Iranian following Zoroastrian religion used to consider AhuraMazda as the symbol of purity and Ahriman as the symbol of impurity; they also used to believe that there are a number of Amshaspandan (Angels) surrounding AhuraMazda at all times; and each one of them symbolize a specific ideal characteristic such as Light, Truthfulness, Beneficence, Pleasure, Wealth, Honesty and Respect; interestingly they are “seven” in number and moreover their names start with “S”; hence seven things were kept on the table as the symbol of each one of those Angels.
ChaharShambe Suri
Starting from the very first Ritual of Noruz one cannot overlook the importance of Chaharshambe-Suri as the pioneer of Noruz celebrations; technically it was the 360th day of the year when this ritual was organized as there was no concept of weeks in ancient times.
On the Wednesday preceding Noruz when bonfires are lit in every house and society or locality in modern times and people Jump over these fires chanting a specific Persian phrase which goes like this:
Sorxi-e-To Az Man Zardi-e-Man Az To
Meaning: May your redness (positive energy of the fire) be mine (to have) and May my Yellowness (negative aspects of my life) be yours (to burn). This specific ritual of jumping over the fire is important and interesting from the perspective of this article as similarly in our Indian tradition and culture, bonfires are lit everywhere during the rituals of HolikaDahan as earlier mentioned and people (or priests to be specific) jump over these fires[7].
Hence, the jumping over fire flames or passing through fire as ancient people may call it, symbolizes the purification of that individual as he asks the fire to take away the negative and evil factors of his soul and burn them, while giving its qualities to them in return and as he jumps through or over the fire, he emerges purified with new hopes and aspirations for the coming year. It is certain that Chaharshambe-Suri and HolikaDahan are ancient Aryan traditions which are practiced till today and the fact of giving such importance to Fire and light proves the point more effectively.
Conclusion
It is hoped that constantly aiming and finding more common tunes among the two families of India and Iran will hopefully bring these two families together and closer to each other and eventually will set an example for the rest of the families of this Global Village to follow.
From the perspective of ritual studies and comparative culture and religion; it is hoped that this article has shed more light on the common elements and markers of these two festivals; i.e. the seasonal occurrence, the presence of purifying elements such as fire and water being central to these festivals as well as their close connection on various levels of cultural and ritual studies.
The author is a scholar of Persian Language & Literature and a Former Fellow of IIAS-Shimla.
[1] Further reading – Ja’far Yahaghi, A dictionary of legends and legendary tales in Persian Literature, P713
[2] A dictionary of legends and legendary tales in Persian Literature, P292
[3] A dictionary of legends and legendary tales in Persian Literature, P834
[4] ibid, P835
[5] ibid, P835
[6] Encyclopedia Iranica, “Nowruz”
[7] Popular religion and folklore of North India, P317
