Nauroz celebration: Zorastrian new year heralded with promise of stability

Nauroz was celebrated at a ceremony organised at Afghanistan Consulate General in the city on Friday afternoon.

Originally a Zoroastrian festival, Nauroz is celebrated to mark the beginning of the New Year and vernal equinox or spring.

A large number of politicians as well as Afghan diplomats attended the occasion. A large number of Afghan nationals living in Peshawar and other adjoining areas also participated in the celebrations.

Strong ties

Through a series of evocative speeches, politicians shed light on the importance of strengthening ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan and pressed politicians to prioritise peace in a time of violence and instability.

In the past, Nauroz celebrations were held at the venue every year. However, the event has not been taking place for the last few years because of ongoing tensions in Afghanistan.

The function began with the national anthem of Afghanistan and was followed by a traditional Nauroz song. On the occasion, a student of an Afghan school sang a song on girls education and another requesting militants to not bomb schools, kill children and destroy books.

Global celebration

At the event, Afghan Consul General in Peshawar Dr Abdullah Poyan said the day is not only celebrated in Afghanistan, but holds significance for people in other countries, including Pakistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.

Similar views were expressed by Iranian Consul General in Peshawar Muhammad Baqar Baigi. Both of them also spoke about the views of Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi regarding Nauroz. The Iranian consul general said Nauroz started to be celebrated when Hazrat Ibrahim defeated the enemies.

On such grounds, he called Nauraz “an Islamic celebration”.

“Therefore it is celebrated on one day throughout the region,” Both, Poyan and Baigi, prayed for the coming year to bring peace in the region.

From the region

Speaking on the occasion, Awami National Party leaders Mian Iftikhar Hussain and Afrasiab Khattak congratulated Afghans and Iranians on the eve of Nauroz. They said people of the region, particularly Afghans from both Pakistan and Afghanistan, have suffered a lot and now they deserve peace.

“Not only Pukhtuns or Afghans are targets of terrorists, but people of all three regional countries —Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan— are under threat,” Mian Iftikhar said. He added all three countries need to be united against militants.