iN Iran
Nowruz : Persian
New Year Celebration
Iranians consider No-Rooz as their biggest celebration of the year, before the new year, they start
cleaning their houses (Khaane Tekaani), and they buy new clothes. But a major part of New Year
rituals is setting the "Haft Seen" with seven specific items. In ancient times each of the items
corresponded to one of the seven creations and the seven holy immortals protecting them. Today they
are changed and modified but some have kept their symbolism. All the seven items start with the letter
"S"; this was not the order in ancient times. These seven things usually are: Seeb (apple), Sabze
(green grass), Serke (vinager), Samanoo (a meal made out of wheat), Senjed (a special kind of berry),
Sekke (coin), and Seer (garlic). Sometimes instead of Serke they put Somagh (sumak, an Iranian
spice). Zoroastrians today do not have the seven "S"s but they have the ritual of growing seven seeds
as a reminder that this is the seventh feast of creation, while their sprouting into new growth
symbolized resurrection and eternal life to come.
Wheat or lentil representing new growth is grown in a flat dish a few days before the New Year and is
called Sabzeh (green shoots). Decorated with colorful ribbons, it is kept until Sizdah beh dar, the 1 3th
day of the New Year, and then disposed outdoors. A few live gold fish (the most easily obtainable
animal) are placed in a fish bowl. In the old days they would be returned to the riverbanks, but today
most people will keep them. Mirrors are placed on the
spread with lit candles as a symbol of fire. Most of the
people used to place Qoran on their Sofreh (spread) in
order to bless the New Year. But some people found
another alternative to Qoran and replaced it by the
Divan-e Hafez (poetry book of Hefez), and during "Saal
Tahvil" reading some verses from it was popular.
Nowadays, a great number of Iranians are placing
Shahnameh (the Epic of Kings) of Ferdowsi on their
spread as an Iranian national book. They believe that