The Tabarian New Year, or Neowrez, occurs in the ''pintek'' days of the Tabarian Calendar. In the

Mazandarani language Mazandarani (), or Tabari (), is an Iranian language of the Northwestern branch spoken by the Mazandarani people. , there were over 5,320,000 native speakers. As a member of the Northwestern branch (the northern branch of Western Iranian), etym ...

of Iran, "pintek" means "pentad"; in the Mazanderani calendar, the year is divided into 12 thirty-day months and one pentad of days, often beginning on March 21. Neowrez Khani is one of the strongest and most popular traditions of the Mazanderani people. The last Wednesday of the old winter is known as "Kal Char Shenba". On this day, every family builds a fire in front of their house, and every member of the family jumps over it while saying ''"Burea Qa o Biyea Shadi"'', bidding sadness to go and joy to stay. Households also prepare a soup called ''Ach'' and offer it to their neighbors. As a sign of kindness to one another, the ''Ach'' dish is not washed. About fifteen days before spring arrives, groups of singers are formed, and they go from house to house. In return, it is customary for the householders to give them gifts or to offer them sweets, candies, eggs, peas, and other foods. In Mazanderani culture, it is disrespectful to offer them money. One song includes the lyrics: which translates as: On the thirteenth day of spring, women of each village, with their relatives and friends from neighbouring villages, gather to spend time and have fun together. Elsewhere in the village, men hold a wrestling competition that lasts from morning until evening.

References

* Dr. Sadeq Kia, 1937, Tabarian Calendars and Festivals (Gahshomari va Jashnaye Tabari -Persian-) {{New Year by Calendar Mazandarani culture

See also

References