Haftseen
Nowrouz festivity scene
Nowrouz literally means New Day and is the biggest national occasion in Iran.
Nowrouz, the first day of the Persian New Year, marks the first day of spring. Nobody really knows who celebrated Nowrouz for the first time, but it is said that it was initiated by Zoroaster himself.
At the turn of the year, families sit around their haftseen tables in their thoroughly cleaned homes filled with the smell of spring flowers and hope for health, love, prosperity, patience and sunrise.
Haftseen could simply be described as a traditionally set table or spread including seven essential elements all starting with the letter sin in the Persian alphabet.
Each of these particular items expresses a fervent wish. The sour-tasting vinegar, for example, symbolizes patience, while wheat or barley sprouts represent rebirth. An apple is there to wish us health and beauty. Love is what the dried fruit of the oleaster tree (called senjed in Persian) is supposed to symbolize.
Sumac is believed to be connected with the colour of sunrise and the garlic is the symbol of health. Finally, ‘samanou’, a kind of pudding made from wheat, is widely believed to be a symbol of affluence.
There is also a holy book, gold fish, a mirror, candles, a few dyed or painted eggs, and some flowers to give a touch of charm to the collection.
Haftseen remains a part of the Nowrouz celebration until the 13th day of the New Year when people usually go on a picnic by a river and leave their spouts in nature by the day’s end.
Blow out the candles and make your deepest wish. Let’s wish people every happiness in the New Year.
key words:
National occasion مراسمملی
/ˈnæʃ(ə)nəl/ /əˈkeɪʒ(ə)n/
Celebrate جشن گرفتن
/ˈseləˌbreɪt/
Initiated آغاز کردن
/ɪˈnɪʃɪeɪt/
Zoroaster زرتشت
/ˈzôrōˌastər/
Prosperity سعادت
/präˈsperitē/
Fervent پرشور وشعف
/ˈfɜːrvənt/
Symbolize نماد سازی
/ˈsimbəˌlīz/
Vinegar سرکه
/ˈvinəgər/
Sprout جوانه
/ˈspraʊt/
Affluence فراوانی
/ˈæfluːəns/
