Significance Of The Nowruz Table

 

 

Query From Parsi Times reader, Abraham Mansouri from Iran:

“I am an Iranian and interested to know the relation of Nowruz with Zoroastrianism and welcoming of Faravashis in the last days of year. Is the haft sin table spread for Faravashi and welcoming and receiving their blessings? What happens during the first day of Farvardin?”

Noshir Dadrawala responds:

Nowruz literally means new day. It is a new day of the new year depending on the calendar that one follows. Twenty-first March is observed as Nowruz (new day) or the first day of the New Year for those who observe the Zoroastrian Fasal (seasonal) calendar.

Like the Zoroastrian Shahanshahi and Kadim calendars, the Zoroastrian Fasal calendar too comprises twelve months of thirty days each, to which are added the five Gatha days. However, Ruz-e-vahizak or an additional day is added every four years (leap year) keeping the calendar in sync with the seasons. The concept of leap year is not observed under the Shahanshahi and Kadim calendars.

Ancient Intercalation: In ancient times, an entire month of thirty days used to be intercalated every one hundred and twenty years to keep the calendar synchronised with the seasons. The Parsis who came to India around the tenth century AD seem to have implemented one intercalation of one month around the eleventh century AD, after which the practise was discontinued or forgotten. As a result, the calendar started to slip by one day every four year and as of today, Parsis in India observe their new year (Nowruz) in the month of August.

Iranian Zoroastrians in Yazd and Kerman (perhaps due to persecution) did not intercalate one month in the eleventh century and thus the Kadim or Kadmi new year falls one month before the Parsi new year.

Like in the Shahanshahi and Kadim calendars, Mah Fravardin is the first month of the Fasal calendar and Mah Aspandarmad is the twelfth or last month of the calendar. The fravardegan days (to welcome the Holy Fravashi) are observed during the last five days of Mah Aspandarmad (panj-e-keh) followed by the five Gatha days (panj-e-mah). Nowruz is celebrated as the New Year’s Day, the day after giving the fravashi of the righteous dead a warm send-off during the night of the last Gatha day.

Wishing Table: The table that is set on Nowruz day by Zoroastrians is not called haft sin table. It is called Meiz-e-Murad which means ‘wishing table’. It is a table that Zoroastrians decorate with several items including haft or seven items starting with the syllable sheen (not sin).

On Nowruz day families sprinkle rose water on the hands of other family members and visitors who come home and they all rub their moist fragrant hands on their face, look in the Shesha or mirror (one of the haft sheen) that is placed on the Meiz-e-Murad and smile. This is a symbolic gesture of wishing all those at the wishing table a year that is filled with fragrance (of happiness) and smiles. Everyone is also encouraged to eat some sweet candy, fruit and dry fruits adorning the Meiz-e-Murad.

Haft sheen: The haft sheen sofreh (spread) on the Meiz-e-Murad includes Sherab (wine), Sheer (milk). Sherbet (fruit juice or syrup), Shagufeh (flower buds), Shama (flame of an oil lamp or candle), Shakar (sugar), Shahed (honey). Each of these items are of significance. The wine signifies celebration and good health. Milk represents strength and nourishment. The fruit juice or syrup signifies refreshment. The flowers represent love and fragrance while the flame signifies light and life. Sugar signifies sweetness while honey signifies preservation.

Haft sin: Though Nowruz is originally a Persian Zoroastrian festival, it is celebrated in several other countries including Islamic nations as a spring festival. In these countries certain items like wine are replaced by items like vinegar.

The haft sin includes: Samanu (sweet pudding made with wheat germ), Seer (garlic), Seeb (apple), Somaq (red berries), Serkeh (vinegar), Sonbol (hyacinth flower) and Sekkeh (coins).