Persian New Year, rooted in the Zoroastrian religion and observed by millions from Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and other regions, will be celebrated at the Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum on Monday, March 20. The evening includes traditional Persian music, food, and a lecture by Touraj Daryaee, professor of ancient Persian history at California State University, Fullerton. The public portion of the event begins at 6:45 p.m. and is free, on a first-come basis.
"I think it is great that CMC is recognizing yet another holiday that many people around the world celebrate," says Austan Mogharabi '07, who was instrumental in organizing the dinner discussion. "As a Baha'i, this event holds special significance, and I'm very happy to see something like this come to the CMC community."
The Persian New Year, also called Nawruz, ("new day") has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years, particularly in countries once controlled by the Persian Empire. For members of the Baha'i Faith, the Persian New Year carries religious significance because it marks the end of their 19-day fast.
Monday's program will include a traditional Persian band and food menu, as well as a discussion led by speaker Daryaee, a native of Tehran, who specializes in the history and culture of ancient Persia. Daryaee, who was educated in Tehran and Athens, Greece, received his doctorate in history at the University of California, Los Angeles. A prolific scholar, his most recently published articles include Gayomard: King of Clay or Mountain: The Epithet of the First Man in the Zoroastrian Tradition (2003), and History, Epic, and Numismatics: On the Title of Yazdgerd! (2002). He is the editor of The International Journal of Ancient Iranian Studies and author of several books including A Middle Persian Test on Late Antique Geography, Epic, and History (Mazda Publishers, 2002) and History and Culture of the Sasanians (Qoqnoos Press, Tehran, 2003).
For more information: http://www.claremontmckenna.edu/mmca/temp_fn.asp?volumeFN=21&issueFN=07&typeFN=f#article9.