Google celebrates Nowruz 2024 with vibrant Doodle

NEW DELHI: Google on Tuesday celebrated 'Nowruz', the Persian new year, with a special Doodle. Nowruz means "new day" in Persian and marks the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, symbolizing renewal. The vibrant doodle has been designed by an Iranian guest artist Pendar Yousefi.

The Doodle showcased elements of Persian culture like floral designs and the Haft-sin table, set with seven items starting with "sin" in Farsi, each representing a concept for the year ahead.

According to Google, the annual festival has been around for over 3,000 years. Nowruz originated in ancient Iran to welcome the blooming season. The tradition spread along the Silk Roads to various countries and ethnic groups.

During Nowruz, families gather to display items symbolizing rejuvenation, such as wheat for good fortune, olives for love, and garlic for health. The haft-sin tradition is central to the celebration.

Nowruz is a cultural tradition that signifies the beauty of new beginnings, said the Google blog, emphasizing the festival's enduring importance and rich history.

While talking about the creative process for this doodle artwork, Pendar Yousefi said, "As someone who has celebrated Nowruz all my life, getting to work on this Doodle was a dream come true. However, as I learned more about the rich tapestry of Nowruz traditions across different communities, it became clear that capturing them all in one Doodle would be a challenge. So, my process involved a lot of research into the Nowruz customs and artistic traditions of these communities. I decided to use the visual language of illuminated manuscripts as the anchoring theme, since that's part of the artistic heritage across the regions that celebrate Nowruz. From there it was about finding a fresh, modern take on the unique geometries and patterns of that style and making sure the letterforms weren't lost."

"In constructing the scene, I've drawn from my own happy childhood memories of Nowruz, which evoke feelings of joy, togetherness, and hope. These are captured through the animal friends who have gathered in a flower-filled courtyard to ring in the coming of spring under the blossoming tree. Even in challenging times, the spirit of Nowruz - the promise of renewal and a 'new day' on the horizon - offers a beacon of hope. I can almost hear the festive songs of their ancient instruments, a reminder of resilience and the enduring strength of tradition," Yousefi added while explaining his inspiration behind the creativity and meaning of the specific elements.