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Afghan Nawroz Celebration
Nawroz Most Ancient Festival in Afghan culture “Nawroz” as it has been pronounced by majority of Afghans, it has many other spelling and perhaps a minor differ in pronunciation in many other South Western Asian countries. Such as Nowroz, by Kurds, Navroz by Iranians, Noroos by Turks, and Navruz by people of Turkistan Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmanistan. Nawroz is celebrated officially and widely in Afghanistan, Iran, as well as been officially celebrated in Albania, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, unofficially but widely practiced in some parts of Kashmir, Baluchistan and FATA and NWFP part of Pakistan by 8% Pashtun minority and 3% Baloch minority Nawroz is called Newai Kaal, as well as in some parts of Turkey, Iraq and Georgia.
Etymology
Nawroz is compound of two Indo-Aryan words Naw driven from Indo-European word “Naw” shared in Sanskirt as “Nawa” as well as in Latin Nowus and German Neow, and Anglo-Saxon “New”. Roz directly came from Proto-Bactrian also noted from Awesta Gathas word “Rozh” which means “moment” or “time”, sounds same in Sanskrit Rochi or “Rochan” meaning “Moments” , which means Day. Vedic notes the word “Rout” is opposite of day meaning “Night”, survived in Hindi/Urdu as Roch meaning day (Sounds very much like “Ruz” in Persian, “Roz” in Pashtu and “Ros” in Balochi) meaning day and “Rauth” night.
Beginning of New spring
Nawroz “the new day” marks the beginning of spring (Bahar) when the sun is observed to be directly over the equator of the Earth known as March equinox. In the 11th century during the rule of Oghuz Turks the Seljuk Sultan Jalal-uddin Malik Shah in March 15, 1079 introduced a calendar after contribution of many Arab, Afghan and Persian astronomers of that era marked Calendar’s its first day The Nawroz (Nowruz). That calendar today is known as Jalali calendar which was officially introduced in Afghanistan in 1919 when Afghans get their foreign independence from Great Britain, and officially legalized in 1922.
Jalali Calendar
Jalali Calendar nicknamed as “Persian Calendar” in 1950s by pro-Iranian western historian during the haydays of firendship between Iran and western powers. The fact that Persia offically did not follow this calendar until 1925, in fact it was in 1919 that Afghans already used it under their flag marking their independence day although Iranian might have had plans of introducing this calendar but no records have been found. In was in 1922 that first sign such case was presented in Iranian Parliament, up on hearing this in Iran the prime minister of Reza Khan a Turkish son of famous major general Abbas Ali Khan Dadash Beg suggested the Persian Parliament to fallow Afghanistan, however the newly Qajar parliament decline to accept. Reza Khan admirer of Ancient regional history once becoming King of Persia, made first few most important changes in Persia that still remains in symbolic to all Iran, first he called himself Shahanshah of Ariamehr (From Shahnameh meaning Kings of Kings of Aryan lands) and despite he was Turkic himself changed his last name to Pahlavi which was a death tribe of modern Turkmenistan as well known to be a dialect of Parthian language (OLD Persian). Reza Shah Pahlavi simply copied Afghanistan’s calendar in 1925 officially in all Government offices, in 1939 he also changed name of his country with Support of Britain to be called “Eran” or “Iran” not Persia anymore again in reference to Aryan people and Eran was to mean “Land of Aryans”. Since then Nawroz officially became part of Iranian celebration.
History and tradition
Historically, however, Nawroz has been celebrated on March 21 for thousands of years; in fact, it is the earliest-known New Year festival in the world's history. The History of Nawroz is deeply buried in Afghanistan; with more than 5000 years old Historical ruins confirm the existence of social life more than 20,000 years ago in present day Afghanistan. The history of Nawroz is said to be practiced by the Aryans. The Aryan race according to the European theory migrated from Europe south into the northern steppes of central Asia to the vast plains of central Asia and then later on both sides of the River Oxus. However it has been disproven by modern archaeologists and historians as well as by genetics and historical facts prove that Afghans were the Aryans and that there was no migration of Aryans into Afghanistan infect Aryans moved out of Afghanistan into northern steppes (Such as Saka) Into Caucasus (such Ossetians , Alanics, Croatians) as well as Into India and Iran.
The true Aryan tradition
The Aryan homeland was mark from south of Oxus river up to Indus river and from dry deserts of Iran to modern Himalayas and that was modern Afghanistan as being the center. These Aryans were also among the first who tamed animals and planted food, their oldest and first built the first city was called Bakhthi (Balkh) and it had tall towers, water canal system the Arab historians called it the mother of cities. Slowly from 3000BCE-1500 BCE the Aryans moved to settle and expanded much larger areas. Urban Aryan comforts 1500-1000BCE let them cherish cultural achievements in the form of a religion founded by one of its, Prophet Spenta Zarathustra and was first celebrated in Afghanistan about 5000 years ago in Northern Afghanistan. It is said that when Indo-Aryan King Yama of ancient Bacteria (Balkh) established the solar calendar, he named the first day Nawroz (new day), during the week of Lala Zaar (Tulips). Long before the advent of Islam, Zoroaster's religion preached faith in a single God, Ahuramzda, the creator of the universe, and belief in the eternity of the soul. Its jingles of good thought, good deed were the very first social rules for its followers. Fire and light were sacred and since the source of the light, the Sun, was the origin of time, their solar calendar began with the first day of spring.
The solar year, with 365 days and six hours, was divided into twelve thirty-day months. There were five days left at the end of the year and before the advent of the New Year which were allotted for preparation of the celebration. During these days, the Aryans cleaned their homes, prepared new clothes and gathered the best of food and fruits to be offered to the visiting souls of the ancestors. A special drink brewed from the purest herb roots and called Soma was also prepared for the occasion. The Aryans were well versed in music and dance and thus they would come out from the winter to meet the spring, and the New Year with joy, happiness, songs and dances. So it was for centuries and generations.
Coming of Islam
The advent of Islam and its expansion eastward into Afghanistan and beyond deeply affected every aspect of life in the conquered lands. Military domination was replaced by cultural influence. Islamic culture, language and ways of life struggled to replace those in the conquered countries with 100 years. But the tradition of Now Roz, the new day, continued to exist. After Islam was established in Afghanistan, Nawroz was given a religious aspect (Just like fire worshipper dance of Attan). It was dedicated to celebrate the day when the Commander of faithful Imam Ali (a) became the fourth Caliph. Thousands of people at the eve of New Year travel to Mazar-e Sharif to view the spectacular site of tulips and to visit the famous mosque, Zeharat-i-Sakhi , where Hadrat Ali (a) is believed by Sunni Afghan tribes to be entombed. This mixed the celebration of Nawroz at least at two cities in Afghanistan, Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif, with the hoisting of the banner at Hadrat Ali's shrines (Jand-e-Ali) is a symbolic sign. Even then, the ancient tradition of Nawroz and the upholding of the status of the farmer overshadowed the religious significance belatedly attached to this day. This had many reasons. For one thing, throughout history, Afghans have valued their age old traditions so much so that many of the invaders and conquerors were forced to adapt to the country's culture rather than purely imposing their own. Perhaps needless to say but it’s a fact that many historians agree that Nawroz is an Afghan invention, the 21st of March, the first day of spring in Afghanistan hemisphere, speaks for itself. On this day you can feel, smell, hear, see and touch the spring in many parts of Afghanistan. The vast pastures of southern and northern Afghanistan seem to be covered by a colourful carpet of wild trees and flowers. Wild tulips and poppies and daisies and violets sprout out among the green grass to proudly and colourfully announce the advent of spring. The whitest of snow melts down from the mountains forming rivulets of crystal clear water flowing down toward the valleys.
Conflict of belief towards Nawroz with neighbouring Iran
It is believed by Iranians that Nawroz acknowledged officially and named "Nawroz" by a mythical Persian emperor, Jamshid which would be the Afghan king of Aryana King Yama. Others have credited the Achaemenid Dynasty (6th B.C.) for introducing the Nawroz festival, when they came in power in modern Pars province. From Iranian prospective it is hard to suggest the exact history of Nawroz, due to much confusion played by nationalists and Iranian politicians. The connection between Nawroz and Zoroastrians is in the Gathas, the scripture of Zoroastrians is one that really makes evidence that Afghans did play a role in creating Nawroz which is mostly disagreed with Iranians. It consists of seven attributes called the Amesha Spentas meaning "Bounteous Immortals" and to this day seven has remained a very significant number in the festival of Nawroz: The seven dried fruits Afghans call it Haft Meiwa, the Persian have simplified into "Haft-Seen" Haft Seen is a mix of seven different foods that the names are started with a letter Seen “C”. Haft Meiwa is the mix of seven different dry fruits that are found all over Afghanistan 7 dried fruits are: Raisin, Sinjed (Seed of oleaster tree), Pistachio, Hazelnut, Prune (dry Apricot), Walnut and whether Almond or another species of Plum fruit. A Special Afghan dish is prepared by young unmarried Afghan girls called Samanak which is also found common among Iranians in some parts of Iran. Afghans also play many games as well as game of Tukhum Jangi (Color egg wars) common mainly in city of Ghazni, Khost, and Kandahar. Needless to say but the Iranian Nawroz celebration has changed through time because of various political and social events such as the Greek invasion, the Mongols destruction, and the spread of Islam. But most of historical festivities and customs for celebrating of Nawroz as New Day for love to land and labour have been kept untouched by people.
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