Norooz: Persian New Year (Vision)

By Anonymous -
March 20th was Norooz, the Persian New Year, and as my father is 100% Iranian, this is a significant day every year for me and my family. A crucial part to the ceremony is the table setting in the dining room, usually my father, his parents, his three brothers and their wives and families gather together in Washington D.C. This is a very visual component to the New Year celebration, the ceremonial table is called "Sofreh-e Haft Seen" (the cloth of seven dishes). Each dish in this spread begins with the Persian letter Seen.

The ceremonial table is set usually 2-3 days prior to the New Year, with an intricately embroidered carpet or runner covering the entire table. There are seven dishes total, this number is sacred in Iran, representing the seven angelic heralds of life -rebirth, health, happiness, prosperity, joy, patience, and beauty.


The symbolic dishes are:
-Sabzeh - which are green sprouts, usually wheat or lentil. sabzeh represents rebirth.
-Samanu - pudding made from wheat sprouts which are cooked and made into a sweet and delicious pudding. it represents the highest delicacy in Persian cooking.
-Seeb - apple, representing health and beauty.
-Senjed - which is dried lotus tree fruit stands for love. It is rumored that when the lotus tree is fully blooming, the smell is emits and the fruit it bears make people fall in love and become oblivious to all else.
-Seer - garlic, representing medicine.
-Somaq - a refined powder from sumac berries, stands for the color of sunrise. The symbolism here is that with the appearance of the sun Good conquers Evil.
-Serkeh - vinegar, stands for age and patience.

The non-edible components of the decoration to reconfirm all hopes and wishes expressed by the traditional foods include:
-Sekkeh - a few coins placed on the sofreh represent prosperity and wealth
-Tokhmeh Morgh - a basket of painted eggs, standing for fertility
-a Seville orange floating in a bowl of water represents the earth floating in space
-Mahi - a goldfish in a bowl represents life
- a flask of rose water, possessing magical cleansing power
- sometimes a brazier for burning wild rue is included. rue is a sacred herb whose burning fumes ward off evil spirits.
-Sonbol - a pot of blooming hyacinth represents the spirit of spring life
-a mirror is placed at the back of the table to reflect the images of Creation as we celebrate the new year and the aged Persian traditions and beliefs that creation began on the first day of spring, bringing forth new life.
-on either side of the mirror are candlesticks holding a lit candle for each child in the family of house. the candles and their flames represent enlightenment and happiness.
-finally a book of prayer is included.

All of these elements are paramount in recreating the same multi-symbolic ceremonial table each Persian New Year. Makes me proud of my heritage and the cultural experiences I've grown up with.


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