We alt allied media know how to target each and every small medium and large Persian event that holds a tremendous amount or Iranians. The oldest of Iranian traditions, Nowruz (also referred to as eyd-i sar-i sal and eyd-i sal-i now) recalls the cosmological and mythological times of Iran.
The word "Nowruz" is a compound of two Persian words, "now" which has the same etymology as the English word "new" and means new, and the word "ruz" which means both "day" and "time." Literally meaning the "new day," nowruz is usually translated as "new year." The Persian Nowruz begins on the first day of spring (usually the 21st of March). The 21st of March, therefore, is equal to the 1st day of Farvardin of the Islamic solar calendar.

Known as the traditional herald of the Nowruz, Haji Firuz is a black-faced character clad in bright red clothes and a felt hat playing a tambourine and singing, "haji firuze, sali ye ruze." (It is Haji Firuz time. It happens one day a year!). People of all ages gather around him and his troupe of musicians and listen to them play the drum, saz or kamancheh and dance. Those who are impressed with the troupe's performance shower it with coins and paper money.
Tehrangeles is a portmanteau deriving from the combination of Tehran, the capital of Iran, and Los Angeles. It is used when referring to the large number (est. 600,000) of former Iranian nationals and their descendants residing in Los Angeles. In common usage, it usually refers to the proportionally larger Persian-American subset of Iranian immigrants, many of whom are 2nd generation citizens.
The Persian community in the L.A. area originally centered in the Westwood neighborhood of west Los Angeles, particularly Westwood Boulevard between Pico Boulevard and the UCLA campus. Immigration to the area increased several-fold due to the events surrounding the 1979 Iranian Revolution, especially by former-monarchists and Persian Jews. Westwood Boulevard became known for its many Persian shops and restaurants; and the Persian expatriate community of Los Angeles entered all forms of media including magazines, newspapers, radio and television stations.
As the population grew, many Persians have moved all over Los Angeles, with other large neighborhoods forming in the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Woodland Hills and Encino and the city of Irvine. |