The festival marks the beginning of spring
Google Doodle on Tuesday, March 21 is celebrating the Iranian or Persian New Year, popularly referred to as Nowruz. The doodle which represents the Nowruz theme features spring flowers like tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, and bee orchids.
It is celebrated around the time when the days start getting longer, a phenomenon known as the vernal equinox. Geographically, the festival marks the arrival of spring in the northern hemisphere and usually occurs around March 21.
''As winter fades, and the northern hemisphere begins to thaw, it's time to celebrate Nowruz. Today's Doodle highlights this ancient holiday that marks the beginning of spring. More than 300 million people gather around the world on this day each year to celebrate the season of rebirth,'' Google wrote.
The Google Doodle page also mentioned that the United Nations has declared the festival an international holiday.
"Did you know the United Nations recognizes Nowruz as an international holiday? That's because families celebrate this joyful festival across the Middle East, the South Caucasus, the Black Sea Basin, and Northern, Western, Central, and South Asia,'' the page read.
In India, it is considered to be a joyous and holy occasion in the Parsi community as well. For most people, common traditions include house cleaning, visiting friends and neighbours, and preparing traditional dishes such as special desserts, herb rice, and fried fish.
''In many cultures, Nowruz also marks the beginning of a new year — a time to reflect on the past, set intentions for the future, and strengthen relationships with loved ones. Some common traditions include: Decorating eggs to honor new life, tidying up your home to prepare for a fresh start, and feasting on spring vegetables and herbs.
"Happy Nowruz to all who celebrate! May your new year be filled with love, peace, and renewed hope", it added.