Maharashtra: Parsis celebrate Navroz with temple visits, see pics

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 16 (ANI): The Parsi community across India is celebrating their New Year today.

Parsi New Year, which is also called Navroz or Nowruz, marks the beginning of spring and the renewal of nature. In Persian, ‘Nav’ means new, and ‘Roz’ stands for the day, this literally translates to ‘new day’.

Navroz celebration is believed to date back to the time when Prophet Zarathustra founded Zoroastrianism, one of the earliest known monotheistic religions in the world, in Persia (now Iran). It was one of the most important religions in the ancient world until the emergence of Islam in the seventh century.

During the Islamic invasion of Persia, several Persians fled to India and Pakistan. Since then, their festivals have become a part of Indian festivities and are celebrated by people from diverse cultures.

People from the Parsi community celebrate Navroz in special ways. They decorate their house with flower garlands swinging from the doors. They wear new clothes and visit the Zoroastrian fire temple.

Several members from the community were seen offering prayers at the Fire Temple in Mumbai, Maharashtra this morning. 

Take a look at the pictures

Extending greetings on Navroz, a Parsi woman told ANI, “We start Navroz by praying to God. We all should pray. We all should do good deeds. One should not get involved in any bad work.”

Though across the world, Navroz is celebrated at the time of the vernal equinox around March 21 however, Parsis in India follow the Shahenshahi calendar which does not recognise leap years. This is why the Parsi New Year in India is celebrated almost 200 days after it is celebrated across the world.