Dear Editor,
THE Baha’i community in Guyana, and the world over, would celebrate and observe the festival of Naw Ruz!

Naw-Rúz is the first day of the Bahá’í calendar year, and one of nine holy days for adherents of the Bahá’í Faith. It occurs on the vernal equinox, on or near March 21.

The Baha’i New Year, or Naw-Ruz, which means “new day” in Persian, is celebrated by Baha’is around the world each year on the date of the Spring Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. Naw-Ruz marks the end of the 19-day month of fasting, and it’s a joyous time of celebration. It’s also one of the Baha’i Holy Days on which work is to be suspended.
Naw-Ruz is also celebrated by Zoroastrians, and often in parts of countries where branches of Shiite Islam can be found – though there’s a difference between the Baha’i Holy Day of Naw-Ruz and the the Persian holiday of Naw-Ruz, the theme of celebrating a new day remains the same. The Jewish festival of Purim is also said to have been adopted from the Persian New Year, and Naw-Ruz is celebrated a lot like the Christian Easter, with many symbols indicating spring and renewal.

The most joyful time for a Naw-Ruz celebration is at sunset on the last day of the Fast. It seems almost directed by Baha’u’llah(1817-92) that it should be this way:
From Baha’i holy writings it is also stated that…

From time immemorial, this day has been consecrated, for in this there is a symbol. At this moment the sun appears at the meridian and the day and night are equal. Until today, the north pole has been in darkness. This sacred day when the sun illumines equally the whole earth is called the equinox and the equinox is the symbol of the divine messenger. The sun of truth rises on the horizon of divine mercy and sends forth its rays on all…
Among the ancient Persians this day was looked upon as the holy day of the year – a day

when hospitals and charitable institutions were founded, collections for the poor were made and every effort put forth that it might not be allowed to pass without leaving some divine trace and throughout Persia one sees these historical traces…To Baha’is, Naw-Ruz is not just a calendar event. Rather it is an opportunity to reinvigorate the powers of the spirit and to re-examine matters of the heart and conscience. It begins with the idea that the renewal in the world of nature is in fact a symbol of spiritual renewal, and an occasion for the individual to explore how to contribute to the material and spiritual welfare of others
In Guyana there are several thousand of Guyanese from all ethnic backgrounds who with their families are Baha’is and would be observing Naw RuZ as their religious Holy day!
Wishing a happy and joyous Naw-Ruz to all Guyanese!
Regards
Rooplall Dudhnath