The festival of Navroz is as old as our beautiful Zoroastrian legacy. We as Persians celebrated the Spring Equinox, for the quintessential meaning that it stood for. With the advent of Navroz, the spring festival was celebrated by our agrarian forefathers, to welcome the onset of a bountiful harvest and a prosperous year, full of abundance, joy and prosperity. Thus, the practice went, and thus the custom followed.

It is often said, in ancient Iran, it was customary to form close bonds within local communities, which would in turn help and benefit the larger section of society as a whole. That’s pretty much what us Parsis try to follow to this day! Our ancestors were predominantly farmers, cattle grazers and harvesters, and revered mother earth and all its elements. The sense of community and kinship predates to even before the birth of Zoroaster. The common sentiment amongst them was that when a group of people look after one another, serving the community becomes part of their everyday existence.

It was said that the origins of this practice were rooted in hard times, when farmers would get together to share practices and methods to best improve and cope with meagre harvests. They also contributed towards a monthly donation set aside for the community. The payment allowed them to participate in meetings, galas, dinners and games. The funds thus collected were used for activities but the surplus let over was distributed to the ones in need. Thus, the entire community was looked after.

This practice did much to boost morale within the group and in turn offered financial and emotional support to all. The feeling of belonging and support gave each individual a sense of security and helped increase life expectancy exponentially. (now we realize the co-relation between being Parsis and longevity).

Navroz marks the advent of the New Year – a time of celebration and joyous beginnings. All of Nature and the universe come together to proclaim this is a time for rebirth, renewal and resurgence. Winter has passed and Spring is in the air. Fruits and flowers, hills and valleys resound with the voice of new beginnings and new adventures. And much as we Parsis love life, we love to eat and drink too, a bit in excess, a bit much. There is a common saying in Japan, “Hara hachibu,” which is repeated before and after eating and literally means, “Fill your belly to 80 per cent. Our ancestors’ ancient wisdom propagated diet, exercise and finding a purpose in life as the keys to longevity… a practice we seem to have forgotten or have complete disregard for.

Members of our community lived in harmony with nature and each other, having broad circle of friends and good family relationships. They harboured empathy and love towards all. The extension of a helping hand went out to all. Times are different now. It’s all about ‘my’ family, ‘my’ friend, ‘me’ and ‘myself’. Maybe our values and code of morality shifted or maybe this dog-eat-dog world encourages our youth today to just live in the moment and live for themselves.

A false sense of entitlement and success has led to a decay in human perception. Now, it’s all about surviving a faster future in an increasingly unpredictable world, moving rapidly, even a detailed map to navigate would land you deep in the woods of uncertainties, paying an unnecessarily high cost. A good compass, though, will always guide you and take you where you need to go.

Navroz is a time of reflection – not speculation or celebration. We need to renew our growth in every area and aspect of our lives. It’s not enough to simply indulge, masquerade and mask our sole purpose in life. We begot this world to live in harmony, benefit ourselves and the world, with its generous bounty. So, it’s time we learn or teach ourself how to give back. Give and you will receive twofold. Life is pure imperfection, and in being so it creates room for beauty.

The passage of time teaches us that everything is fleeting, moments, time, love, relationships, people, passions, feelings. We need to cultivate a keen sense of adapting and adopting every moment, as though it holds every possibility. And in doing that, it may seem to stretch longer and feel almost like we have an eternity in the palm of our hand. To live each moment as though it’s your last does not give you a free reign, to eat, drink and be merry without any sense of responsibility or care.  To live each moment as your last, means to finally acknowledge, find and live the real purpose of your being and journey here.

Navroz embodies this principle of resilience and regrowth. Just as everything in Nature bounces back to regain its glory, our lives too need to be built back with resilience without the fear and setbacks of adversity. Embrace change, embrace challenges, as an opportunity for growth. Find meaning and happiness in your purpose. There is no single, right strategy, to connecting with our inner light. Life is not always a problem that needs solving. This New Year, just remember to do, say and be kind to yourself and the world. Because, all life is about is being loved and loving back! Jamshedi Navroz Mubarak!