Google honored the ancient Persian New Year, Nowruz, on March 20, 2025, with a colorful doodle that celebrated this 3,000-year-old tradition. Nowruz, which is "new day" in Persian, celebrates the onset of spring and the return of longer days as a symbol of renewal, hope, and new beginnings. It is heavily influenced by Zoroastrian customs and practiced not only in Iran but in Central Asia, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Caucasus, Turkey, and certain areas of South Asia as well.
The Meaning of Nowruz
Nowruz is not just a New Year festival; it is a festival in celebration of the cycle of life in nature. It celebrates the victory of light over night, warmth over frost, a new beginning to life. The festival urges individuals to look back at the year, prepare for the future, and unite communities with goodwill. Nowruz is supported by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and fosters peace, solidarity, and cultural diversity.
Traditions and Celebrations
The Nowruz preparations start weeks earlier with Khaneh Tekani, or "house cleaning," to purify houses and souls for the new year. Families also purchase new attire and set up the Haft-Seen table, a core tradition consisting of seven symbolic items beginning with the Persian letter 'S'. They are sprouts for rebirth, wheat pudding for strength, olives for love, berries for the sunrise, vinegar for patience, apples for beauty, and garlic for health.
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On celebrations, individuals participate in activities like Chaharshanbe Suri, a fire-jumping ceremony on the last Wednesday prior to Nowruz. It is a ritual where individuals jump over bonfires, signifying the cleansing of the body and soul. Other activities during the celebrations are decorating eggs, gift-giving, and relishing traditional foods like Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi (herbed rice and fish) and Kuku Sabzi (herb frittata).
Google Doodle for Nowruz 2025
Google's Nowruz 2025 doodle was drawn by guest artist Pendar Yousefi with the purpose of instilling emotions of happiness, unity, and optimism in the design. The doodle presents the bright hues and customs of Nowruz in the form of the Haft-Seen table and other elements of the celebration. The virtual dedication is a crossroads, tying millions of people across the world to the common values and extensive cultural heritage depicted by Nowruz.
Nowruz is a feast that cuts across cultural and national lines, instilling harmony and unity among heterogeneous communities. As Google pays tribute to the ancient tradition through its doodle, it speaks to us about the value of cultural diversity as well as about the universal dimensions of renewal and hope that are encapsulated by Nowruz. Celebrated anywhere in Iran or Central Asia, or indeed worldwide, Nowruz is a moving symbol of life's cyclical nature and the possibilities of a new start.
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