New Year, Iranian Style

Nowruz is the oldest festival that exists in the world, and dates back to more than 3,000 years ago. It is celebrated by over 300 million people all over the world including: Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikstan, Europe, North America and other places in the world. Nowruz is the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, and marks the beginning of spring in the Northern hemisphere. It usually occurs on March 21st or the previous/following day, depending on where it is observed. Nowruz is the festival of spring, the beginning of Iranian new year and the celebration of nature. During this festival, which lasts more than 2 weeks, friends and family gather to celebrate, read poetry, play music and eat lots of food!The traditional food that you eat the night of the new year is “sabzi polo mahi” rice made with fresh herbs and fish. As usual my role is to prepare the sabzi polo mahi, this year the fish I selected was a delicious sea bass, which you can see my guests vigorously photographing below

What you see in the pictures below is the “Haft-Seen,” which is a  tabletop (sofreh) arrangement of seven items that begin with the letter “S” or seen (س) in the Persian alphabet.Traditionally, the Haft-Seen table is setup before the Nowruz holiday and stays for the duration of the two week new year’s celebrations.  displayed at norooz. The Haft-Seen table includes seven symbolic items:

1. Sabzeh(wheat, barley, lentil or sprouts that are grown): symbolizing rebirth
2. Samanu (sweet pudding made from wheat germ): symbolizing affluence
3. Senjed (dried oleaster or Wild Olive fruit): symbolizing love
4. Seer (garlic): symbolizing medicine and health
5. Seeb (apple): symbolizing beauty
6. Somaq (sumac, the spice): symbolizing the color of the sunrise, and the birth of a new day (Nowruz)
7. Serkeh (vinegar): old age and patience

Each Haft-Seen item is also a symbol of an ancient Persian holy spirit, 5 of these spirits correspond to months in the Iranian calendar. For example, Serkeh, vinegar above, is the symbol for the spirit of Mordad (the 5th month of the Iranian calendar) who is the symbol of immortality. There are other items that are traditional on the sofreh table as ornaments such as: mirrors which represent reflection into the past, goldfish for the astrological year, candles for each member of the family, painted eggs, and flowers, especially Sombol or the Hyacinth flower.

And of course, another important item of the sofreh is the book of the Persian poet Hafez. Traditionally, you take the book of Hafez and make a wish and open the book of Hafez with your family. The poem that you receive is supposed to be an omen of the year to come.

Over the course of the next two weeks, you visit the elders and other members of your family and spend time together. These two weeks are a holiday period back in Iran and in many other countries where Nowruz is celebrated. The celebration ends on the 13th day of the new year known as “13 bedar.” Traditionally, you spend the day outside of your home picnicking in nature with family and friends, eating dancing and celebrating the new year.