Nowruz, the Persian word for “new day,” coincides with the vernal equinox and the first day of spring. Rooted in Zoroastrianism, the religion of Iran before the founding of Islam, Nowruz was celebrated in much of the ancient Near East as early as 3000 BCE. Today, people in many countries—from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Albania, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan to India and Pakistan—participate in the thirteen days of Nowruz festivities with their own local variations.
The centerpiece of the Nowruz celebration is the Haft sin table. It includes at least seven (haft) items that refer to new life and renewal. Although the custom has regional variations, in Iran each of the seven items begins with the letter s (pronounced seen in Persian).
- sib (apples): fertility and beauty
- sonbol (hyacinth): fragrance
- serkeh (wine vinegar): immortality and eternity
- senjed (wild olives): fertility and love
- sabzeh (wheat, barley, or lentil sprouts growing in a dish): rebirth
- samanu (wheat sprout pudding): sweetness
- sekkeh (coins): wealth
Other symbols of good luck can also be placed on the table, such as:
- A mirror, to reflect the light of wisdom and creation
- A book of poetry by the fourteenth-century writer Hafiz or a copy of the Qur’an
- An orange floating in a bowl of water, to represent Earth floating in space
- Candles, to symbolize holy fire
- Decorated eggs, to represent fertility
Join us Saturday for a scaled-down version of our annual Nowruz celebration!
