Sofreh Haft Seen
Happy Persian New Year, March 20, 2007
Norouz (new day) has been celebrated for at least 3000 years
and has its beginnings in the rituals and traditions
of the Zoroastrian religion.
Today, the festival of Norouz is celebrated
in many countries that were
territories of, or influenced by, the Persian Empire: Persia (Iran), Iraq,
Afghanistan, parts of the Middle East,
as
well as in the former Soviet
republics of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan,
and Kyrgyzstan.
In Iran, preparations for Norouz begin in Esfand (or Espand), the
last month of winter in the Persian
solar calendar. Persians, Afghans
and other groups start preparing
for the Norouz with a major spring
cleaning of their houses called “Khaneh Takanee”, the purchase of new
clothes to wear for the new year
and the purchase of flowers
(in particular the hyacinth and the tulip are
popular and conspicuous).
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Typically, on the first day of Norouz, family members gather around the “sofreh Haft Seen” or set next to it, and await the exact day and moment of the arrival of spring. Haft Seen literally translates into “the seven S” referring to seven items on the table or table cloth that begin with the word “S.” Prior to the influence of Islam haft seen was called “Haft Sheen” which means “seven items that start with “sh”.”
Although not traditional, if one or more of the items listed above cannot be found or are not available, “seeb” or apples and “somagh” or sumac have been substituted instead. In addition to the seven “s” other items placed on the sofreh haft seen are, candles (at least two) a bowl containing live gold fish, a mirror, eggs, and sweets. After the spread of Islam into Persia, it is also tradition to place the holy Koran on the sofreh. The items placed on the sofreh haft seen represent health, fertility, prosperity, good luck, happiness, strength, and the generation of new life, which symbolize the earth’s new beginning in spring. |
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