Nowrooz traditionally celebrates the awakening of nature, and even the triumph of good over the oppressive darkness of winter. It is a time to celebrate life at the time when life begins or is renewed for much of that which is on the earth. The new year is marked at the instant the sun leaves the astrological sign of Pisces and enters that of Aries. This renewal of nature is the essence of this millennial-old tradition. Originally held as a spring festival, it is believed to have been first acknowledged and named “Nowrooz” by the mythical Persian emperor Jamshid from Achaemenid Dynasty (500 BC).
Others credit the Achaemenian dynasty of the 12th century B.C. for institutionalizing the Nowrooz festival. The spirit and significance of the holiday has often made Nowrooz a target for foreign invaders and anti-nationalist forces throughout the history of Persians. Alexander the Great and the Arab conquerors a thousand years later tried to eliminate the holiday. The Soviet Union banned it in Central Asia and Azerbaijan, as it was considered a nationalist or Islamic holiday. The celebration was banned in Kurdish sections of Turkey, though, for the last few years, Turkish officials have allowed some festivities. The Taliban banned Nowrooz in Afghanistan until they were overthrown in 2001. Even in Iran, the birthplace of the tradition, some conservatives favored banning it just after the 1979 revolution, but public opposition was strong and the ban proved impossible to enforce..'
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A ceremonial table (Spread) called Sofreh-e Haft Seen (Cloth/Spread of Seven Dishes), where name of each dish begins with the Persian Letter Seen - س
'A few days prior to the New Year, a special cover is spread on to the Persian carpet or on a table in every Persian household. This ceremonial table is called cloth of seven dishes, (each one beginning with the Persian letter Seen). The number seven has been sacred in Iran since the ancient times, and the seven dishes stand for the seven angelic heralds of life-rebirth, health, happiness, prosperity, joy, patience, and beauty.
The symbolic dishes consist of:
Sabzeh or sprouts, usually wheat or lentil representing rebirth.
Samanu is a pudding in which common wheat sprouts are transformed and given new life as a sweet, creamy pudding and represents the ultimate sophistication of Persian cooking.
Seeb means apple and represents health and beauty.
Senjed the sweet, dry fruit of the Lotus tree, represents love. It has been said that when lotus tree is in full bloom, its fragrance and its fruit make people fall in love and become oblivious to all else.
Seer which is garlic in Persian, represents medicine.
Somaq sumac berries, represent the color of sunrise; with the appearance of the sun Good conquers Evil.
Serkeh or vinegar, represents age and patience.
click on image to see details
To reconfirm all hopes and wishes expressed by the traditional foods, other elements and symbols are also on the sofreh:
a few coins placed on the sofreh represent prosperity and wealth;
a basket of painted eggs represents fertility;
a Seville orange floating in a bowl of water represents the earth floating in space;
a goldfish in a bowl represents life and the end of astral year-picas;
a flask of rose water known for its magical cleansing power, is also included on the tablecloth;
Nearby is a brazier for burning wild rue ,a sacred herb whose smoldering fumes ward off evil spirits;
A pot of flowering hyacinth or narcissus is also set on the sofreh;
A mirror which represents the images and reflections of Creation as we celebrate anew the ancient Persian traditions and beliefs that creation took place on the first day of spring.
On either side of the mirror are two candlesticks holding a flickering candle for each child in the family. The candles represent enlightenment and happiness.'
Haft Seen Table explanation, courtesy of FarsiNet
May you have the rowdiest new year's party,
and may all your problems get resolved
during this upcoming new year.
May you have months filled with joy and laughter,
and a very happy new year.
And may this new year bring you
all the health, joy and happiness.
Rumi - My Translation
ای قیل و ای قال تو خوش و ای جمله اشکال تو خوش
ماه تو خوش سال تو خوش ای سال و مه چاکر تو را
مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي
Lovers: Happy New Year to You All!
My soul already smells the fragrance of new year.
May every single soul of this world
have a very happy new year.
Happy New Year to You and to Seven Heavens!
The sign of new year's arrival
has just appeared in the palms of my hands.
Lovers: May this new year
bring lots of joy and happiness to you all.
If you're wishing me a happy new year,
Happy New Year to You, to Me,
and to All Lovers Out There!
در جهان همچو جان مبارک باد
بر تو ای ماه آسمان و زمین
تا به هفت آسمان مبارک باد
عاشقان این نشان مبارک باد
بر من و بر فلان مبارک باد
مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي
To reward our year-long drunkenness,
and to appreciate our youthfulness,
craziness and love-companionship;
the new year has sent us an invitation!
Who could possibly reward us with such a gift,
if not sent down by the Almighty Himself?
May the protective Shadow of God
never leave our side in this upcoming new year.
Rumi - My Translation
مستی و عاشقی وجوانی و یار ما
نوروز و نوبهار و حمل می زند صلا
از کیست این عطا ز کی باشد جز از خدا
هرگز مباد سایه یزدان ز ما جدا
مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي
I saw the reflection of new year in your face,
a torrential down-pouring of tears hit me.
I sat down and cried my heart out.
May the rainfall of my tears
bring new joys into your life
in this upcoming new year.
And I tearfully wish you:
A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Rumi - My Translation
نوروز رخت دیدم خوش اشک بباریدم
نوروز و چنین باران باریده مبارك باد
مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي
The new year has come again
The new year has come again
My runaway lover has come again.
The new year celebrations are in abundance.
If there are abundant new year celebrations,
then let's all party in total abundance!
O musician who always play heart-warming melodies,
why are you playing sad songs on New Year's Eve?
To celebrate the arrival of new year,
the Venus has already soared up high
to the Seventh Heaven.
If that's where the Venus wants to roam
on this New Year's Eve,
then let's all roam free wherever we want tonight!
The new year's moon is shining bright,
the two worlds have become one giant flower garden,
and all bodies have become one single soul. tonight
If we're all one supreme soul on New Year's Eve,
then let's all just become one
throughout this upcoming new year.
Shams al-haq of Tabriz,
You're so present in my thoughts right now,
that Tabriz looks like Khorasan tonight.
If that's how you like it to be,
then let's keep it forever that way!
I've been drinking and celebrating the new year
all alone tonight without you by my side.
If this party feels so cold and boring without you,
then let it stay forever frozen tonight.
Be silent, I'm completely drunk right now.
Shams has tied up the hands of my reason.
I'm just wandering around thinking about him.
If that's how my thoughts want to behave
on this New Year's Eve,
then let it act totally crazy tonight!
Rumi - My Translation
عید آمد و عید آمد یاری که رمید آمد
عیدانه فراوان شد تا باد چنین بادا
آن ماه چو تابان شد کونین گلستان شد
اشخاص همه جان شد تا باد چنین بادا
هم باده جدا خوردی هم عیش جدا کردی
نک سرده مهمان شد تا باد چنین بادا
شمس الحق تبریزی از بس که درآمیزی
تبریز خراسان شد تا باد چنین بادا
ای مطرب صاحب دل در زیر مکن منزل
کان زهره به میزان شد تا باد چنین بادا
خاموش که سرمستم بربست کسی دستم
اندیشه پریشان شد تا باد چنین بادا
مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي
For me and all the party-lovers out there,
new year is our luckiest time ever.
Because new year's day is a perfect day
for partying and celebrations!
Because this upcoming new year
shall be our year.
Rumi - My Translation
چو سال سال نشاطست و روز روز طرب
خنک مرا و کسی را که عیش خو دارد
مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي
Today is a day of happiness,
and this new year will be a year filled with flowers.
We're all so lucky to make it another year,
may the flowers be also as lucky as we are!
Rumi - My Translation
امروز روز شادی و امسال سال گل
نیکوست حال ما که نکو باد حال گل
مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي
This new year will be our year.
Like the ever so lucky Moon and Venus,
This year our luck will also soar high up in the Sky.
Stay quite my fast beating heart,
I know there is no limit
to our new year's joy and happiness!
Rumi - My Translation
سال سال ماست و طالع طالع زهرهست و ماه
ای دل این عیش و طرب حدی ندارد تن بزن
مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي
The new year has come again,
and everyone wants to look their best
for the new year reunion with their lover.
You are my new year companion,
alleviate my year-long sufferings.
You are the silk robe for every flower,
cover my sharp and ugly thorns also.
Rumi - My Translation
عید آمد و هرکس قدری مقداری
آراسته خود را ز پی دیداری
ما را چو توئی عید بکن تیماری
ای خلعت گل فکنده بر هر خاری
مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي
A Sufi mystic and a true lover
never wait for the new year's arrival.
For them, every instant is a new year!
Rumi - My Translation
چو عارف را و عاشق را به هر ساعت بود عیدی
نباشد منتظر سالی که تا ایام عید آید مولانا جلال الدين بلخي رومي
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