Last Tuesday, that is, 20th March 2012 was the official start of the spring. Yup, that's right. You can check with the kids at NASA if you don't believe me. Nauroz is definitely my favorite 'holiday' - so much joy, sharing, casting out of evil, bringing in the new and most importantly, food!
Nauroz is the Persian New Year and said to be celebrated for over 3,000 years in the Persian/Central Asian region. Nauroz is also one of the most important Zoroastarian festivals and thought to be founded by Zoroaster himself! Pretty cool, huh? However, the spring festival is observed today by people across Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Albania, Central Asian states, India, Pakistan and even parts of China!
So here's how it goes down at my house - lots and lots of prepping and cooking starting two days before the festival. The table must have as many things of good fortune and food as possible - a sign of more prosperous things to come in the New Year. Traditions defer slightly between the Zorastarian and Muslim observers of the festival.
Every year, there is a color for Nauroz - the use of that color on the table brings good luck. Needless to say, this year's color is red. Besides food, the table must also hold symbols of good luck. In my house we include gold, silver, money, Maula Ali's coin, gold fish, mirror and the Holy Quran at the table, this year I went ahead and added some Chinese moneybags and Ang Pow packets as well - all things we could with more of in the coming year - prosperity, fertility and faith :)
See that bowl of water with a rose in it? That's the star attraction of the table. At the exact time of the spring equinox - 10.19 am this year - the rose does a bit of dance around the bowl. However, it takes a believer to see it.
A good Nauroz table must include ... everything. Well, almost. Fresh fruits and vegetable,s eggs, dry fruits, milk and dairy products, grains, bread, meats - fish, chicken, beef etc, sweets and pretty much anything else you want more of in the coming year.
I'm going to try and list down all the food we had at the Red Nauroz table, and if you can spot something in the pictures that I have not list - you're invited to Nauroz at my place next year.
Here we go:
My absolute favorite part of Nauroz takes about 3-4 days to bloom - planting my own plants. The idea is to have a sprouting plant on Nauroz day. This year we planted 'bajra' on a bed of wet cotton. You have to keep the cotton moist and give the plant gentle sunshine for a few hours every day and viola! On day 3, you have yourself a little grassy patch!
That's Nauroz done for this year! Nauroz is a celebration of faith, hope, nature and God's bounty. We have so much to be happy and grateful for! Thank you God! and thank you Mom for teaching us about this fantastic feast!
Nauroz is the Persian New Year and said to be celebrated for over 3,000 years in the Persian/Central Asian region. Nauroz is also one of the most important Zoroastarian festivals and thought to be founded by Zoroaster himself! Pretty cool, huh? However, the spring festival is observed today by people across Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Albania, Central Asian states, India, Pakistan and even parts of China!
So here's how it goes down at my house - lots and lots of prepping and cooking starting two days before the festival. The table must have as many things of good fortune and food as possible - a sign of more prosperous things to come in the New Year. Traditions defer slightly between the Zorastarian and Muslim observers of the festival.
Every year, there is a color for Nauroz - the use of that color on the table brings good luck. Needless to say, this year's color is red. Besides food, the table must also hold symbols of good luck. In my house we include gold, silver, money, Maula Ali's coin, gold fish, mirror and the Holy Quran at the table, this year I went ahead and added some Chinese moneybags and Ang Pow packets as well - all things we could with more of in the coming year - prosperity, fertility and faith :)
See that bowl of water with a rose in it? That's the star attraction of the table. At the exact time of the spring equinox - 10.19 am this year - the rose does a bit of dance around the bowl. However, it takes a believer to see it.
A good Nauroz table must include ... everything. Well, almost. Fresh fruits and vegetable,s eggs, dry fruits, milk and dairy products, grains, bread, meats - fish, chicken, beef etc, sweets and pretty much anything else you want more of in the coming year.
I'm going to try and list down all the food we had at the Red Nauroz table, and if you can spot something in the pictures that I have not list - you're invited to Nauroz at my place next year.
Here we go:
- Dahi Baray
- Chicken reshmi kabab
- Beef seekh kabab
- Roast chicken
- Garlic Naan
- Roghani Naan
- Chick pea salad
- Red beans
- Red Velvet Cake
- Sun dried tomato and olive quiche
- Tomato Chutney
- Dry fruits
- Apples
- Bananas
- Pears
- Strawberries
- Mandarin oranges
- Eggs
- Potato salad
- Carrots
- Capsicum
- Tomatoes
- Cabbage
- Peas
- Spinach
- Lettuce
- Beetroot
- Curry leaves
- Mint leaves
- Biscuits
- Milk
- Cream
- Cheese
- Tuna
- Chocolates
- Dates
- Cereal
- Pudding
- Masoor dal
- Rose tea
- Lavendar tea
- Sharbat
- Vinegar
- Rice
- Water
Now THAT is a table. Here's the pictures:
My absolute favorite part of Nauroz takes about 3-4 days to bloom - planting my own plants. The idea is to have a sprouting plant on Nauroz day. This year we planted 'bajra' on a bed of wet cotton. You have to keep the cotton moist and give the plant gentle sunshine for a few hours every day and viola! On day 3, you have yourself a little grassy patch!
That's Nauroz done for this year! Nauroz is a celebration of faith, hope, nature and God's bounty. We have so much to be happy and grateful for! Thank you God! and thank you Mom for teaching us about this fantastic feast!
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