03/23/2025
Finally, after office renovations and a lecture for Tufts Alumni Association on New Year’s Eve, I was able to celebrate Nowruz just 24 hours later by making a traditional and my favourite Persian dish, Chelo Kabbab, Happy Nowruz to all.
It is appropriate to honour Omar Khayyam , the renowned Persian poet, mathematician, and astronomer, who made a significant contribution to Nowruz, the Persian New Year, through his work on calendar reform. In the 11th century, he developed the Jalali calendar, which is more accurate than the Gregorian calendar used today.
The Jalali calendar forms the basis of Iran’s modern solar Hijri calendar, which determines the exact timing of Nowruz based on astronomical calculations. Khayyam’s precise calculations ensured that Nowruz falls on the spring equinox (around March 20-21), maintaining its alignment with nature and the changing seasons.
Beyond his scientific contributions, Khayyam’s poetry also reflects themes of renewal, time, and the fleeting nature of life—ideas deeply intertwined with the spirit of Nowruz.
