Iranians will have Sabzi Polo Mahi, a special dish of rice cooked with fresh herbs and served with smoked and freshly fried fish. Koukou Sabzi, a mixture of fresh herbs with eggs fried or baked, is also served. The next day rice and noodles (Reshteh Polo) is served. Regional variations exist and very colorful feasts are prepared.
No-Rooz Greetings:
No-Rooz Mobarak (Happy No-Rooz, Happy New Year); Eid-eh Shoma Mobarak (Happy New Year to you); No-Rooz Pirooz (Wishing you a Prosperous New Year); Sad Saal be in Saal-ha (Wishing you 100 more Happy New Years).
With a view to the fact that in the near past seven trays were placed with any number of items in them, and these days we have seven items starting with Sheen or Seen, and the bas-relief’s at Takht-e Jamshid (Persipolis) depict seven people from each country carrying No-Rooz gifts, shows the importance of SEVEN. The real significance of seven was to represent the “Seven Eternal Laws”, which embodies the Teachings of Zarathushtra. It was a way of preserving and a reminder of the teachings of Zarathushtra.
The ancient meaning of the “Seven Eternal Laws” in summary form is as under:
VOHU MANA
-Good Mind- The mind, wisdom, should be used in a Good way and each one to their maximum capacity.
ASHA VAHISTA
-The Ultimate Truth- Using the mind in a Good way and to its maximum, results in the understanding of the natural laws and we end up with good knowledge, good discoveries, and good inventions.
KHASH ATRA VAIRYA
-Good Guidance- The information, the truth, the discoveries, what do we do with them? We have to use them to make life better, by giving Good Guidance, making Good Rules and Good Laws. That would also lead to Good Products and Good Services.
SPENTA ARMAITI
-Lawful Desire- The result of Khash atra vairya is Righteousness, a Righteous Society, a Righteous Nation, and a Paradise where people live in harmony with each other and with nature. Where there is No war, No pollution, No sickness, No lies, No thefts, and No fear. Where all DESIRES is LAWFUL.
HAURVATATA
-Perfection- in such a Righteous Society people have a chance to advance Mentally, Physically and Spiritually. The result is PERFECTION. Perfect
doctors, perfect engineers, perfect musicians, perfect farmers, perfect poets, perfect athletes, perfect priests, perfection in all fields physically and spiritually.
AMERETAT
-Immortality- Perfection creates a mental stage in human life where one is Free from the Fear of Death, free from the fear of the unknown. Thereby one does not belong to the material world but to a timeless, space less state of mind where death has no meaning. Having attained Perfection and lost the sense of fear, the final and seventh stage is attained. One understands and becomes one with the Wisdom in Creation, MAZDA AHURA, the Power, the living Wisdom, the active, creative, expanding Force that keeps the universe in action and chain reaction, and the Creator of this Wisdom AHURA MAZDA. The celebration itself begins on the stroke of the clock indicating the time of the equinox and lasts for the next 21 days. To begin with, a fire or a lamp, or a candle is lit; prayers are said and the members of the family sitting round the table greet each other by sprinkling rose water and showing each other a mirror. Usually they say, ‘May you be as fragrant as the rose and as bright as the mirror.’ Then the elders give the others members of the family their blessings and gifts. With view to the fact that the equinox is at different hours of the day each year, the sequence of programs may differ. In any case, at the next appropriate moment, a visit is paid to the Temple where prayers are recited and then a visit is made to the house of the elders in the family, where usually the kids get their gifts. Zarathushties believed in enjoyment and making the best of life and any and every occasion was taken advantage of, thus visiting friends and family, parties and function continue for the first 13 days of the New Year.
Source: IRAN ALMANAC & The Book of Facts – CULTURAL LIFE
Researcher, Editor: Farjam Behnam