Sobh Be Kheyr!
I arrived late at my friend Maryam's yesterday for dinner. I took some flowers with me, and the first thing I noticed was that the house was fuller than usual with tulips, lillies and roses. I even dared to suggest that it looked a bit like a funeral parlour, at which Maryam's 16 year old daughter giggled knowingly!
The commencement of Noruz festivities falls on the first day of the month of Farvardin in the Iranian calendar (marking the official start of spring falling generally on March 21st) or the day of Ourmazd. Nowruz is distinct from, and superior to other feasts in ancient Persia.
In many instances, it seems that these people of ancient history seemed to bring about such lack of order deliberately and by intent. Its possibly best symbolised in the Feast of the Return of the Dead, extending from Esfand 26th to Farvardin 5th, where people used to roam the streets and marketplace with blackened faces and, in this manner, purported to have eliminated the gap between life and death, between existence and nonexistence. To set aside the law and order prevailing all year long was not only an integral part of such theatricality but also added to the joy of the events.
According to Maryam the remnants of many of these very old Persian rituals are still around today and practised over 13 days throughout Iran even within an Islamic context.Haft-Seen Spread
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 (Sofreh). 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.
I arrived late at my friend Maryam's yesterday for dinner. I took some flowers with me, and the first thing I noticed was that the house was fuller than usual with tulips, lillies and roses. I even dared to suggest that it looked a bit like a funeral parlour, at which Maryam's 16 year old daughter giggled knowingly!
Don't get me wrong the flowers looked fabulous, there were just rather a lot of them! I noticed that she also had several rather droopy hyacinths lurking on the edges of the shelves. Of course she told me, these were left over from the Persian New Year which she and her family have just finished celebrating. Olly and I have been friends with Maryam for 29 years and indeed she was with us when our daughter Grace was born on March 21st, which also happened by coincidence to be the Persian New Year No Ruz.
Much to my chagrin although this lifetime friendship has been filled with stories of our different cultural backgrounds, I never really knew the detail of the rituals involved for Iranians, nor indeed that their New Year lasts for 13 days.
Having just returned from Poland, where I experienced the power of the soul of a people, I found myself suddenly again listening to another story, this time from Maryam about how people give meaning to their lives through ritual.
At its deepest roots ritual is at the heart of theatre too of course. As theatre makers and artists we unconsciously and consciously take from all the thousands of big and little rituals performed by people in every culture and translate fragments and structures of these sacred acts, stories and meanings into new narratives and performance.
I was fascinated to learn more about Noruz and Maryam and her daughters shared it with me with great pleasure. Maryam explains that Noruz is uniquely Iranian and been central to Iranian life for over 3000 years with its Zorastrian beginnings. Its as big for Iranians as Christmas is for Christians.
The commencement of Noruz festivities falls on the first day of the month of Farvardin in the Iranian calendar (marking the official start of spring falling generally on March 21st) or the day of Ourmazd. Nowruz is distinct from, and superior to other feasts in ancient Persia.
Myths are numerous about where these festivities originated and how they developed. However, what most effectively surrounds the event with a certain halo of mystery is the plethora of the variety of rituals and events observed continually on the days preceding and following Nowruz.
In many instances, it seems that these people of ancient history seemed to bring about such lack of order deliberately and by intent. Its possibly best symbolised in the Feast of the Return of the Dead, extending from Esfand 26th to Farvardin 5th, where people used to roam the streets and marketplace with blackened faces and, in this manner, purported to have eliminated the gap between life and death, between existence and nonexistence. To set aside the law and order prevailing all year long was not only an integral part of such theatricality but also added to the joy of the events.
The people thus celebrating the event believed that the Faravahars (the good spirits) would return to life, on these days, accompanied by the ghost of their dead and they should stand ready to accost both with the mood of jubilance and vitality.
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 (Sofreh). 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.
To reconfirm all hopes and wishes expressed by the traditional foods, other elements and symbols are also on the sofreh):
The last Tuesday night of the Iranian year known as Chahār shanbé Sūrī -usually pronounced Chārshambé-sūrī, the eve of which is marked by special customs and rituals, most notably jumping over fire. On the eve of last Wednesday of the year (Tuesday night, Wednesday morning), literally the eve of 'Red Wednesday' or the eve of celebration, bonfires are lit in public places with the help of fire and light, it is hoped for enlightenment and happiness throughout the coming year. People leap over the flames, shouting: Sorkhi-ye to az man; Zardi-ye man az to (Give me your beautiful red colour; And take back my sickly yellow pallor).
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;
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;
How lovely it was to hear Maryam and the girls telling me animatedly about these very rich and symbolic rituals that are at the core of their Persian culture and identity. So beautiful, soulful and theatrical. I am still a little shocked that I have never heard the detail before!
Have a great day, I am off to spend a day in 'Dreamer' space.
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