Haftseen Table

This year, Jamshedi Navroz graces us on Tuesday, 20 March, 2018. The associated colour this year is ‘grey’ and the animal is ‘dog’. In most homes, especially Irani household, a Haftseen table will be set, decorated with seven items since seven is considered a lucky number, and each of these seven items begins with the letter sin (s) in Persian and is symbolic of spring and renewal. These are Seeb (apple), representing beauty; Seer (garlic), representing good health; Serkeh (vinegar), representing patience; Sonbol (hyacinth), representing spring; Samanu (sweet pudding), representing fertility; Sabzeh (sprouts), representing rebirth; and Sekeh (coins), representing prosperity.

There are also some items in HaftSeen which make it to the table though they do not start with ‘s’ – as symbol or a decoration. These include a Mirror – symbol for Lighting; Goldfish the symbol for Pisces, relevant in the traditional Persian calendar where goldfishes indicate that the new year starts from this month. Also construed as a symbol for Victory, Exhilaration, Blessing, etc.; the Avesta or holy books; candles and incense sticks and eggs which are usually decorated