KARACHI: With the table set all Firouzeh Majidullah had to do now was light the candles on it but she said she would be doing that in the early hours of Saturday, at 3.45am to be exact. “That’s when the spring equinox takes place in Pakistan,” she explains.

On the pretty maroon and gold hand-crafted table cover from Iran with pictures of King Jamshid sitting on his throne, spread over the white lace tablecloth, she has the things that have their names beginning with the letter ‘S’. Firouzeh explains:

“There’s ‘Sir’, which is garlic and symbolises medicine. ‘Sirka’ or vinegar, which symbolises development or evolution.

Similarly there are silver coins or ‘Sikka’ that represent wealth, ‘Saib’ or apples that signify health and beauty, ‘sumac’, which are berries that symbolise patience, ‘Sabzeh’ that symbolise greenery and rebirth and so on.”

Firouzeh has grown Masoor lentils and wheat in small dishes from before to place on her table at this time. There is also a fish bowl in the centre of it all with two goldfish which signify the sign of Pisces.

“Nauroz is all about giving thanks for all the blessings you received throughout the year at the start of a fresh year,” the lady points out. New beginnings are also symbolised by other things on the table like a few painted eggs for fertility, dried fruit, sweets and chocolates, etc.

Nauroz that many associate with the Parsi or Zoroastrian culture is actually more of an Iranian celebration. It means ‘new day’ in Persian and is the Iranian new year. Therefore many Parsis, although they celebrate the new year and the beginning of spring by visiting family and friends, don’t always set the special table in their homes. It is said that usually those folk who have descended directly from the Iranians or have Afghan or Central Asian roots set the Nauroz table no matter what religion they may be following. Still, all love to devour the offerings on it. Happy Nauroz!

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2015

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