In harmony with
the rebirth of nature, the two-week Persian New Year
celebration, or Nowruz, always begins on the first day of spring
(the first day of the month of Farvardin, which refers to "the
spirits") marked by the vernal equinox, or Tahvil. On that
day-which may occur on March 20, 21, or 22 - the sun crosses the
celestial equator. Nowruz ceremonies consist of a series of
symbolic actions dating back to ancient times, including
* Cleaning of the environment, cleansing of the self, confession
of sins, the exorcising of devils, or divs, from the house and
the community.
* Forgive yourself and your enemies and a time for making up
relationships.
* Dowsing and re-lighting the fires.
* Processions to borders, seas, and rivers.
* Disruption of the normal order of things with boisterous
parties.
A few weeks before the New Year, Iranians thoroughly clean and
rearrange their homes. They make or buy new clothes, bake
pastries and germinate seeds as signs of renewal. Troubadours,
called Hadji Firuz or heralds of rebirth, disguised with makeup
and wearing red satin outfits, sing and dance through the
streets with tambourines, kettle drums, and trumpets to spread
good cheer and the news of the coming New Year. The celebration
of renewal is attributed to the Sumerian god of sacrifice,
Domuzi, who was killed at the end of each year and reborn at the
beginning of the new year. The Hadji Firuz's disguised face
represents his return from the world of the dead, his red
costume symbolizes the blood and tragic fate of the legendary
Prince Siavush and the rebirth of the god of sacrifice, while
his happiness and singing represent his joy at being reborn.
Sofreh-ye haft-sinn
In every Persian household a special cover is spread onto a carpet or on
a table. This ceremonial setting is called sofreh-ye haft-sinn
(literally "seven dishes' setting," each one beginning with the Persian
letter sinn). The number seven has been sacred in Iran since antiquity,
and the seven dishes stand for the seven angelic heralds of
life-rebirth, health, happiness, prosperity, joy, patience, and beauty.
The symbolic dishes consist of sabzeh, or sprouts, usually wheat or
lentil, representing rebirth. Samanu is a pudding in which common wheat
sprouts are transformed and given new life as a sweet, creamy pudding,
and represents the ultimate sophistication of Persian cooking. Sib means
apple and represents health and beauty. Senjed, the sweet, dry fruit of
the wild olive, represents love. It has been said that when the wild
olive is in full bloom, its fragrance and its fruit make people fall in
love and become oblivious to all else. Seer, which is garlic in Persian,
represents medicine. Somaq, sumac berries, represent the color of
sunrise; with the appearance of the sun Good conquers Evil. Serkeh, or
vinegar, represents age and patience.
To reconfirm the hopes and wishes expressed by the traditional foods,
other elements and symbols are also placed on the sofreh. Books of
tradition and wisdom are laid out: usually a copy of the holy Koran;
and/or a divan of the poems of Hafez. A few coins, representing wealth,
and a basket of painted eggs, representing fertility, are also placed on
the sofreh. A Seville orange floating in a bowl of water represents the
earth floating in space, and a goldfish in a bowl of water represents
Anahita, one of the angels of water and fertitily, which is the main
purpose of the nowruz celebration. The fish also represents life and the
end of the astral year associated with the constellation Pisces. A flask
of rose water, known for its magical cleansing power, is also included
on the sofreh. A bowl of fresh milk, representing nourishment for the
children of the world. Pussy willow branches, pomegrantes, figs, and
olives, representing time. Nearby is a brazier for burning wild rue, a
sacred herb whose smoldering fumes are said to ward off evil spirits. A
pot of flowering hyacinth or narcissus is also set on the sofreh. On
either side of a mirror are two candelabra holding a flickering candle
for each child in the family. The candles represent enlightenment and
happiness. The mirror represents the images and reflections of Creation
as we celebrate anew the ancient Persian traditions and beliefs that
creation took place on the first day of spring, or Nowruz.
On the same table many people place seven special sweets because,
according to a three-thousand-year-old legend, King Jamshid discovered
sugar on Nowruz (the word candy comes from the Persian word for sugar,
qand). These seven sweets are noghls (sugar-coated almonds); Persian
baklava, a sweet, flaky pastry filled with chopped almonds and
pistachios soaked in honey-flavored rose water; nan-e berenji (rice
cookies), made of rice flour flavored with cardamom and garnished with
poppy seeds; nan-e badami (almond cookies), made of almond flour
flavored with cardamom and rose water; nan-e nokhodchi (chick-pea
cookies), made of chick-pea flour flavored with cardamom and garnished
with pistachios; sohan asali (honey almonds), cooked with honey and
saffron and garnished with pistachios; and nan-e gerdui (walnut
cookies), made of walnut flour flavored with cardamom and garnished with
pistachio slivers.
Chahar Shanbeh Suri
On the eve of the last Wednesday of the year (Shab-e chahar shanbeh sury,
literally "the eve of Red Wednesday" or "the eve of celebration"),
bonfires are lit in public places and people leap over the flames,
shouting, "Sorkhi-e to az man o zardi-e man az to!" (Give me your
beautiful red color and take back my sickly pallor!). With the help of
fire and light, symbols of good, celebrants pass through this unlucky
night-the End of the Year-and into the arrival of spring's longer days.
Tradition holds that the living are visited by the spirits of their
ancestors on the last days of the year. Many people, especially
children, wrap themselves in shrouds to symbolically reenact the visits.
By the light of the bonfire, they run through the streets, banging on
pots and pans with spoons and knocking on doors to ask for treats. This
ritual is called qashogh-zany and reenacts the beating out of the last
unlucky Wednesday of the year.
In order to make wishes come true, it is customary to prepare special
foods and distribute them on this night: Ash-e reshteh-ye nazri (Noodle
Soup); a filled Persian delight, Baslogh, and special snacks called ajil-e
chahar shanbeh soury and ajil-e moshkel gosha. The last, literally
meaning unraveler of difficulties, is made by mixing seven dried nuts
and fruits-pistachios, roasted chick-peas, almonds, hazelnuts, peaches,
apricots, and raisins.
A few hours prior to the transition to the New Year, family and friends
sit around the sofreh-ye haft-sinn. Everyone sings traditional songs,
and poems of Hafez and verses from the Koran are recited. Then
traditionally the oldest person present begins the well-wishing by
standing up and giving out sweets, pastries, coins, and hugs. Calm,
happiness, sweetness, and perfumed odors are very important on this day
of rebirth, since the mood on this day is said to continue throughout
the year. An old saying goes, "Good thought, good word, good deed-to the
year end, happy indeed."
The New Year celebration continues for twelve days after the equinox
occurs. Traditionally, during the first few days, it is the younger
members of the family who visit their older relatives and friends in
order to show their respect. Sweet pastries and delicious frosty drinks
are served to visitors, and there is a general air of festivity all
around. The children receive gifts. In the remaining days, the elders
return the visits of the younger members of the family.
According to the ancients, each of the twelve constellations in the
zodiac governed one of the months of the year, and each would rule the
earth for a thousand years, after which the sky and the earth would
collapse into each other. The Nowruz celebrations, therefore, lasted
twelve days, plus a thirteenth day (representing the time of chaos)
celebrated by going outdoors, putting order aside and having parties. On
this thirteenth day, called Sizdeh bedar or outdoor thirteen, entire
families leave their homes to carry trays of sprouted seeds in a
procession to go picnic in a cool, grassy place. Far from home, they
throw the sprouts into the water, which is thought to exorcise the divs
and evil eyes from the house and the household. Wishing to get married
by the next year, unmarried girls tie blades of grass together. There is
much singing, dancing, eating, and drinking. With this, the Nowruz
celebrations are completed.
Some 12 centuries later, in 487 BCE, Darius the Great of the Achaemenian
dynasty (700 to 330 BCE) celebrated the Nowruz at his newly built
Persepolis in Iran. It was a special day as on that day, the first rays
of the rising sun fell on the observatory in the great hall of audience
at 06-30 a.m., an event that repeats itself once every 1400-1 years. It
also happened to coincide with the Babylonian and Jewish new years. It
was, therefore, a highly auspicious occasion for the ancient peoples.
The Persepolis was the place the Achaemenian king received, on Nowruz,
his peoples from all over the vast empire. The walls of the great royal
palace depict the scenes of the celebrations.
We know the Parthians (250 BCE to 224 CE) celebrated the occasion but we
do not know the details. It should have, more or less, followed the
Achaemenian pattern. During the Sassanian time (224 to 652 CE),
preparations began at least 25 days before Nowruz. Twelve pillars of mud
bricks, each dedicated to one month of the year, were erected in the
royal court. Various vegetable seeds; wheat, barley, lentils, beans, and
others were sown on top of the pillars. They grew into luxurious greens
by the New Year Day.
The great king held his public audience and the High Priest of the
empire was the first to greet him. Other priests and government
officials followed next. Each person offered a gift and received a
present. The audience lasted for five days, each day for the people of a
certain profession. Then on the sixth day, called the Greater Nowruz,
the king held his special audience. He received members of the Royal
family and courtiers. Also a general amnesty was declared for convicts
of minor crimes. The pillars were removed on the 16th day and the
festival came to a close. The occasion was celebrated, on a lower level,
by all peoples throughout the empire.
Since then, the peoples of the Iranian culture, whether Zarathushtrians,
Jews, Christians, Muslims, Baha'is, or others, have, under Arab, Turk,
Mongol, and Iranian rulers, celebrated Nowruz precisely at the time of
vernal equinox, the first day of the first month, on about March 21.
