2 weeks ago
What's Cooking for Navroz: Salli Gosht, Parsi Patio and Lagan-nu-Custard
Navroz is the Parsi New Year, a special day when Parsi families in India celebrate with prayers and big meals.
Families wear traditional clothes, clean and decorate their homes with flowers, and visit the Agiary, the fire temple.
The food is a very important part of the celebration.
People cook dishes like Salli Gosht (mutton curry), Patra ni Machi (fish wrapped in banana leaves) and Lagan-nu-Custard for dessert.
This year, Navroz falls on August 15.
A long time ago it used to happen in March, but the Parsi calendar doesn't add leap days, so the date drifted nearly 200 days.
Before the New Year, there are 10 Gatha days when families remember loved ones who have passed away.
The last day is called Pateti, when people apologise for their mistakes.
Families also draw pretty patterns called chowk outside their homes, like rangoli.
Navroz, the Parsi New Year, will be celebrated on August 15 with traditional feasts and prayers at the Agiary fire temple.
Signature Navroz dishes include Salli Gosht, Patra ni Machi, Pulao Dal, Parsi Patio and Lagan-nu-Custard.
Home chef Firozi Kiranjia is hosting a Navroz pop-up called 'Bhoole Bisre' at Varq, Taj Mahal in New Delhi.
Navroz falls in August because the Shahenshahi calendar does not adjust for leap years, drifting the date nearly 200 days from March.
The community observes 10 Gatha days of remembrance before Navroz, ending with Pateti, a day of repentance.
- Who
- India's Parsi community, including home chefs Firozi Kiranjia and Benaifer C Bagli, and Adil Nargolwala, president of the Delhi Parsi Anjuman.
- What
- The celebration of Navroz, the Parsi New Year, marked by traditional feasts, prayer at the Agiary fire temple, home decoration and wearing traditional clothes.
- Where
- Delhi, where the Delhi Parsi Anjuman hosts a community feast and a pop-up is held at Taj Mahal, New Delhi; also involving caterers in Gurgaon and memories of celebrations in Mumbai.
- When
- August 15, following 10 Gatha days of remembrance that end with Pateti on the 10th day.
- Why
- Navroz marks the start of the Parsi New Year under the Shahenshahi calendar, which does not adjust for leap years, causing the date to drift nearly 200 days from its original March position.
Key facts
- Festival
- Navroz (Parsi New Year)
- Date
- August 15
- Signature dishes
- Salli Gosht, Patra ni Machi, Pulao Dal, Parsi Patio, Lagan-nu-Custard
- Other festival
- Jamshedi Navroz on March 21 (spring equinox)
- Pre-festival observance
- 10 Gatha days of remembrance; 10th day is Pateti (repentance)
- Special event
- 'Bhoole Bisre' pop-up at Varq, Taj Mahal, New Delhi
- Community body
- Delhi Parsi Anjuman
- Calendar
- Shahenshahi calendar (no leap year adjustment)
Quotes
Firozi Kiranjia
Home chef hosting Navroz celebrations in Delhi
“Parsi New Year would ideally start with Sagan ni Sev with Mithu Dahi – made of vermicelli, flavoured with cardamom, nutmeg and served with chilled sweet yogurt. Or we cook Parsi Ravo, a sweet semolina pudding.”
indianexpress.com
“We make something similar to Rangoli, called chowk.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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