No-Rooz, means 'New Day'. It is the new day that starts the year, traditionally the exact astronomical moment when the Spring season begins. This exact second is called 'Saal Tahvil.' No-Rooz has been celebrated for at least 3,000 years and is deeply rooted in the rituals and traditions of the Zoroastrian (This was the religion of ancient Persia before the advent of Islam in 7th century A.D.).
The actual No-Rooz ceremonies begin on the eve of the last Wednesday before the New Year. This day is referred to as Char-Shanbe souri or 'Red Wednesday.' Bonfires are lit in public places and people leap over the flames, shouting:
(“Sorkhi-e to az man”) Give me your beautiful red color
(“Zardi-e man az to”) And take back my sickly yellow pallor!
This ritual represents enlightenment and happiness throughout the coming year.
Char-Shanbe souri has a religious background that goes back to Zoroaster who introduced fire as a cleansing and purifying element, and removes all kinds of uncleanness from the earth. Through this ceremony, people symbolically burn their old year's weaknesses, sins, bad habits, and even misfortunes with the hope of starting a new and fresh life in the coming New Year.
Iranians consider No-Rooz as their biggest celebration of the year. A few days before No-Rooz, a large table cloth is spread on the floor or table of the main room of the home, which is called the Sofreh.
A major part of New Years ritual is setting the 'Haft Seen' for the Sofreh. Haft Seen means “seven s’”, essentially, seven items that begin with the letter s in Persian. These items symbolize the hope for happiness, abundance, and health in the New Year.
The seven items usually include:
· Seeb (apple): Symbolizes health, natural beauty, fragrance
· Sabzeh (wheat or lentil, is grown on a dish before New Years): Representing rebirth
· Serkeh (vinegar): Symbolizes age and patience; wards off bitterness in life
· Samanoo (sweet pudding made from wheat germ): Symbolizes sweetness; fertility
· Senjed (dried fruit from the lotus tree): Symbolizes love
· Sekkeh (coin): Symbolizes wealth, and prosperity
· Seer (garlic): Symbolizes medicine
· Somagh (sumak, an Iranian spice): Represents the color of sunrise
· Sonbol (Hyacinth flowers): Represents sweetness; with its strong fragrance welcomes the arrival of spring
Also, placed on the Sofreh:
¨ Lighted candles: Represents the goodness and warmth that enters life with the coming of spring
¨ Orange placed in a bowl of water: Represents earth floating in space
¨ Goldfish: Represents life
¨ Mirror: Symbolizes the reflections of creation on the first day of spring
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¨ Painted eggs: Representing fertility
¨ Rosewater - thought to have magical cleansing powers
¨ Shirini - Sugar cookies and pastries
¨ Holy Book such as Qur’an (Koran), Avesta, Torah, Bible. It depends on the faith which the family belongs to. Some Iranian’s found another alternative such as Divan-e Hafez (poetry book of Hefez) or Shahnameh (the Epic of Kings) from Ferdowsi.
On No-Rooz day, Iranians dress in their new clothes to emphasize newness and freshness. And then begin the twelve-day celebrations by visiting elderly family members, and the rest of their family and finally their friends. This tradition is called Eid-de-danni, which means visiting people for season greetings.
No-Rooz officially ends on the 13th day known as ‘Seezdeh beh dar’ which means getting rid of the omen of the 13th day. At the last day of the Iranian New Years celebration, it is custom for Iranians to spend as many hours as possible outdoors. People leave their homes to go to the parks or local plains for a festive picnic.
No-rooz is a ‘Celebration of Life’
Have a wonderful New Years (No-Rooz) Celebration!
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