Seven Things Beginning with S

An e-mail from Mr. M______, an Iranian colleague of mine, informs me that, according to the Persian calendar, it is New Year’s Eve, and, as of 04:29:45 Tehran time, (or 01:29:45 CET) that the year will be 1382 (by the Khorchid reckoning), or 2562 (by the Shahanshah).

…Nowruz (also spelt No-Ruz and No-Rooz), is the first day of the Iranian solar year, translated literally as New Day. Since the Achaemenid era (12th century BC), the official year has begun with the New Day when the sun leaves the zodiac of Pisces and enters the zodiacal sign of Aries, a fire sign, signifying the Spring Equinox. The moment the sun crosses the equator and equalizes night and day is calculated exactly every year and families gather together to observe the rituals. Now Ruz is considered the major civil celebration of the year. Coinciding with March 20th or March 21st, the first day of the first month of Farvardin, brings about a rebirth of nature.

It seems to me that the vernal equinox is an excellent point to usher in a new year, as one can scarcely help but feel reawakened, revivified by the returning tide of light and warmth that this season brings.

Haft Seen is a traditional table decorated with at least seven or Haft symbolic objects, nutrients or plants beginning with the Persian letter s or Seen. Amongst the most popular such items are hyacinth So’n B’ol, red apples Seeb, the spice sumac Som’agh, garlic S’iir, vinegar Serkeh, coins Sekkeh, red dates Senjed, and a dish of germinated wheat or barley seeds Sabzeh. The hyacinth blooms in the springtime, symbolizing the fragrant rebirth of nature. Red apples provide colour as well as representing the First Fruit, from the time of Adam and Eve. Sumac is said to be the spice of life and garlic is believed to chase away evil spirits. Vinegar is a symbol of fermentation, having originated as grapes and undergone many transformations. The coins represent wealth and hopes for prosperity. The germinated seeds represent the fertility of the land in Spring. The tablecloth used on the Haft Seen table is made of hand-woven cloth, known as Termeh. The Holy Book of the household is placed on this table. On the table are also placed a mirror for the reflection of life, candles representing the light of life, goldfish in a bowl as a sign of living form, a painted egg for each member of the family, traditional pastries and bread to symbolize a plentiful year. The family gathers around the table holding hands at the specific time of Equinox, which varies every year. As they wait, they place a sweet in their mouth and a coin in their hand. At the moment of transition into the new year or Sal Tahvil, family members embrace each other. A traditional meal is served made of steamed rice with chopped parsley, dill and chives served with fish, known as Sabzi Polo Mahi.

I particularly like the seven-things-beginning-with-S idea. What items with similarly-rich symbolic freight could we use in the English-speaking world, I wonder? snowdrops maybe, or sweet-peas, to represent the rebirth of nature; for colour (& as a token fruit) why not strawberries, albeit out-of-season? Saffron could stand for the spice-of-life and salt the safeguard against evil spirits. As a symbol of fermentation & transformation, I don’t know, cider, perhaps. For wealth & prosperity, silver would do, and, lastly, germinating sunflower seeds could represent the fertility of the land.

Posted by misteraitch at March 20, 2003 10:15 AM | TrackBack