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NOWRUZ TABLE
Every house gets a thorough cleaning almost a month
before. Wheat, barley, lentils, and other vegetable seeds
are soaked to grow on china plates and round earthenware
vessels some ten days in advance, so that the sprouts are
three to four inches in height by Nowruz.
Today, the ceremony has been simplified. A table is laid.
It has a copy of the sacred book (the Gathas for
Zarathushtrians), picture of Zarathushtra (or a Saint's
picture by other creeds), a mirror, candles, incense
burner, bowl of water with live gold fish, the plates and
vessels with green sprouts, flowers, fruits, coins, bread,
sugar cone, various grains, colorfully painted boiled eggs
like "Easter eggs," and above all, seven articles with
their names beginning in Persian with the letter "S" (seen)
or "SH" (sheen). The usual things with "S" are
vinegar (serkeh), sumac (somâgh), garlic (sîr),
samanu (consistency of germinating wheat), apple (sîb),
sorb (senjed), and sabzi (herbs).
Those with an initial letter "SH" include wine (sharâb),
sugar (shakar), syrup (shîreh), honey (shahd),
candy (shîrîni), milk (shîr), and rice
pudding (shîr-berenj). The seven articles are
prominently exhibited in small bowls or plates on the
table.
The table is laid with a white cloth. White represents
spotless purity.
Let me repeat the brief play put up by young members of
the Zarathushtrian Assembly to define the significance of
the seven plates of "S" and seven plates of "SH." The
youngsters, dressed in tune with what they represent, tell
us by themselves their own significance. Those with "S"
inform us:
First Plate: I am SERKEH, the vinegar. I am sour but I am
a good preservative. I add taste to the things you want to
preserve and relish. I symbolize tasty preservation.
Second Plate: I am SUMAC, exotic in my own way, I make
your favourite kabobs have a tangy taste, a taste you
relish. I symbolize taste.
Third Plate: I am SIR, garlic. Some may not like my aroma
and others love it. I lower blood pressure. I pacify. I
symbolize peace.
Fourth Plate: I am SAMANU, a sweetish paste, a kind of
halwa, made from germinating wheat. I symbolize the
sprouting spring, the time for happy growth.
Fifth Plate: I am SIB, apple. I symbolize the fruits of
our world, both literally and allegorically.
Sixth Plate: I am SENJED, the tasteless berry of the sorb
tree. I am the fruit of a tree which provides shade in
summer. I symbolize the shelter and security you need when
you want a rest.
Seventh Plate: I am SABZI, fresh green herbs. I come from
green fields. I symbolize prosperity.
The seven plates with "SH" tell us:
First Plate: I am SHARAB, the wine. I am the nectar. I
symbolize health and happiness, of course, if taken in
moderation! To your health!
Second Plate: I am SHAKAR, sugar. I give your favorite
foods their sweetness. I symbolize sweetness.
Third Plate: I am SHIR, milk, the first food one tastes in
this world. I symbolize nourishing food.
Fourth Plate: I am SHIREH, syrup. I am the sap, the fluid
essential for life, health and vigor. I symbolize vigorous
health.
Fifth Plate: I SHAHD, honey. I am the sweet produce of the
cooperative bees. I symbolize the sweet result of
teamwork.
Sixth Plate: I am SHIRINI, candy, loved by those who have
a sweet tooth. I simply symbolize sweetness with no sign
of bitterness.
Seventh Plate: I am SHIR-BERENJ, rice pudding, and a tasty
food. I symbolize food for taste and health.
The copy of the Gathas symbolizes guidance for a good
life. The picture of Asho Zarathushtra reminds us of the
author of the Gathas, the founder of the Good Religion and
the Conveyer of the Divine Message. The mirror reflects
our past and shows us our present so that we thoughtfully
plan our future. The candles are light, warmth, and energy
to lead a righteous life that would, in turn, radiate
light, give warmth, and provide energy for others. The
incense burner gives the fragrance we need to meditate,
pray to God, and ask for help and guidance. The gold fish
symbolizes a happy life, full of activity and movement.
The plates of green sprouts represent creativity and
productivity, and so do the colourfully painted eggs.
As you see, the whole table is beautifully laid. It
symbolizes the Message and the Messenger, light,
reflection, warmth, life, love, joy, production,
prosperity, and nature. It is, in fact, a very elaborate
thanksgiving table for all the good and beautiful things
bestowed by God.
Family members, all dressed in their best, sit around the
table and eagerly await the announcement of the exact time
of vernal equinox over radio or television. The head of
the family recites the Nowruz prayers, and after the time
is announced, each member kisses the other and wishes a
Happy Nowruz. Elders give gifts to younger members. Next,
the rounds of visits to neighbours, relatives, and friends
begin. Each visit is reciprocated.
Zarathushtra's Birthday and Nowruz festival are celebrated
by Zarathushtrians at social canters on about 6 Farvardin
(26 March).
Singing and dancing is, more or less for the first two
weeks, a daily routine. The festivity continues for 12
days, and on the 13th morning, the mass picnic to
countryside begins. It is called SIZDEH-BE-DAR, meaning
"thirteen-in-the-outdoors." Cities and villages turn into
ghost towns with almost all the inhabitants gone to enjoy
the day in woods and mountains along streams and
riversides. People sing, dance, and make merry. Girls of
marriageable age tie wild grass tops into knots and make a
wish that the following Nowruz may find them married and
carrying their bonny babies!
* * * * * *
THE PRECISE TIME OF NOWRUZ
Date & Time in Iran's time: 04 hr 03 min 00 sec PM Tehran
time on Sunday, 30 Esfand 3742 ZRE = 1383 official Iranian
solar year [Khorshidi] =
March 20, 2005
Conversions:
Greenwich Meantime: 12:33:00 PM, Sunday March 20, 2005
North American Eastern Time: 07:33:00 AM, Sunday March 20,
2005
North American Central Time: 06:33:00 AM, Sunday March 20,
2005
North American Mountain Time: 05:33:00 AM, Sunday March
20, 2005
North American Pacific Time: 04:33:00 AM, Sunday March 20,
2005
Afghanistan: 05:03 PM
Australia/New Zealand: 11:33 PM
Brazil: 09:33 AM
Central Asia: 05:33 PM
China: 08:33 PM
Europe: 01:33 PM
India: 06:03 PM
Near East: 02:33 PM
Pakistan: 05:33 PM
Persian Gulf (upper): 03:33 PM
Persian Gulf (lower): 04:33 PM
Turkey: 02:33 PM
The New Year begins: Monday, 1st Farvardin 3743 ZRE = 1384
Khorshidi = 21 March 2005 CE
* * * * * *
Ali A. Jafarey
Buena Park, Orange County California |
