Google Doodle celebrates Nowruz in 2024: Everything you should know about the Persian New Year

The gifted Iranian guest artist Pendar Yousefi developed a specially designed Google Doodle for Google to commemorate "International Nowruz Day 2024" on Tuesday. Pendar's goal was to use his artwork to greet the arrival of spring by capturing the essence of his happy childhood Nowruz experiences.

Over 300 million people worldwide celebrate Nowruz, which is the Farsi term for "new day" and is sometimes referred to as the Iranian or Persian New Year. Nowruz, an ancient celebration with Zoroastrian roots, comes on or around the spring equinox, usually between March 19 and March 21. It also marks the start of the Iranian solar hijri calendar.

The Silk Road nations of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are among those that typically celebrate the holiday.

Nowruz 2024: Date and Timings

The Persian New Year, known as Nowruz (also spelt Norooz or Nowrooz), falls on the first day of the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. This year, it will fall on a Wednesday, March 20, 2024, with Tehran, Iran, marking the precise time of the vernal equinox at 6:36 AM. Nonetheless, the United Nations emphasizes the cultural significance and widespread observance of Nowruz by designating March 21st as the International Day of Nowruz.

Given that Nowruz is a global holiday celebrated throughout the year, the following are the precise times for Nowruz 2024 in various locations:

• Kyrgyzstan,Bishkek: March 20, 2024, at 9:06 AM
• Turkmenistan,Ashgabat: March 20, 2024, at 8:06 AM
• Albania, Tirana: March 20, 2024, at 4:06 AM
• Georgia, Tbilisi: March 20, 2024, at 7:06 AM
• Iraq, Baghdad: March 20, 2024, at 7:06 AM
• Syria, Damascus: March 20, 2024, at 6:06 AM

Owing to divergent calendar customs, India will celebrate Nowruz on two dates in 2024. On March 20, 2024, the first celebration will occur in accordance with the solar Hijri calendar, which observes Nowruz on the occasion of the spring equinox worldwide.

According to the Shahanshahi calendar, which does not recognize leap years, the second celebration is set for August 15, 2024. This will initiate a distinctive custom of celebrating two new years among the Parsi community in India.

Nowruz 2024: Significance and History 

With its origins in Zoroastrianism in ancient Iran, also known as Persia, the Persian New Year, or Nowruz, is celebrated on the spring equinox and has been honoured for almost 3,000 years. Three hundred million people worldwide celebrate Nowruz, a holiday that is significant throughout Western Asia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Black Sea Basin, the Balkans, and South Asia.

This day marks the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the rebirth of the natural world. According to UNESCO, this event heralds the entrance of spring and carries deep spiritual significance, signifying the triumph of good over evil and happiness over sorrow.

The festival, which aims to unite people, is well-known for emphasizing peace, solidarity, and respect for many cultures. The International Day of Nowruz was formally recognized by the UN in 2010, which strengthened the UN's position as a catalyst for cross-cultural dialogue and world peace.

Customs that date back centuries include dancing, gift exchanging, fire-and-water ceremonies, and more. The haft-sin custom, in which families painstakingly arrange seven symbolic objects signifying rebirth and vigor, is the focal point of the celebrations.