Nowruz Festival

In Iran, Nowruz (or Norouz) is a jubilant and deeply rooted celebration marking the Persian New Year. Nowruz, meaning “new day” in Farsi, heralds the arrival of spring and is observed on the vernal equinox, typically around March 20th.

This ancient festival has ties to Zoroastrianism, dating back thousands of years, and holds immense cultural significance for Iranians and many other communities across the globe. Nowruz represents a time of renewal, rebirth, and the triumph of light over darkness.

Preparations for Nowruz begin weeks in advance, involving a thorough spring-cleaning of homes, symbolizing a fresh start and the removal of negativity from the past year. Families come together to set up the “Haft-Seen” table, an elaborate arrangement of seven symbolic items, each starting with the Persian letter “seen” (س), representing various aspects of life, such as rebirth, health, prosperity, and wisdom.

The Haft-Seen table typically includes items like:

• Sabzeh (wheat, barley, or lentil sprouts) symbolizes rebirth and growth.
• Samanu (a sweet pudding) represents affluence and fertility.
• Senjed (dried fruit from the oleaster tree) symbolizes love and compassion.
• Sir (garlic) represents medicine and good health.
• Sib (apples) symbolizes beauty and health.
• Serkeh (vinegar) represents aging and patience.
• Sumac (dried red berries) symbolizes the sunrise and the triumph of good over evil.