Special Thread Of Jashn-e Nowruz & 13 Beh Dar

[Rasputin]

Kindness to mahi ghermez: Changing a tradition

We are spreading a message to Iranians, Tajiks, Afghans, and others to join us in not using a “goldfish,” at their Haft Sin table. Our Nowrouz celebration will begin soon and it is beautiful time of the year which represents our identity. However, not having a goldfish will not diminish the importance of Haft Sin.

It is important to keep our good traditions and modify or eliminate the ones that are harmful to people, animals, and to the environment.

If you and your family members must add a “goldfish or mahi ghermez,” to your Haft Sin table please follow the steps which are prepared by The Center for Animal Lovers in Iran.

1) If you are buying a goldfish, purchase it from locations which have large containers and the containers’ water is clean.

2) The container which you use must be large (preferably glass) and have also a large opening for good air circulation.

3) The container must be away from very cold or very hot locations (and it definitely must be away from direct sunlight.)

4) If you want to change the water, have fresh water wait for at least 24 hours in another container then gently transfer the new water.

5) To prevent the goldfish from feeling lonely and frightened, always use more than one fish, preferably two.

6) Have a plan to release the fish safely after Nowruz celebration.

Some family members, relatives, and friends are accepting not having a goldfish at their Haft Sin table for the first time. Several family members and friends have difficulty accepting it that is why I am writing to seek your help.

The Center for Animal Lovers in Iran promotes kindness not only to a goldfish but to all animals. Happy Nowruz.

[Rasputin]

Norooz, commemorating the New Year, has been celebrated in Iran, formerly Persia, throughout nearly three millennia of its recorded history. Norooz begins at the vernal equinox, the first day of spring season, a day of rejuvenation and reconciliation, and, reinvigorations and rebirth.

Norooz’s arrival is symbolized in nature by the sprouting of greens and grains, flowers and trees. The Norooz holidays of today span from Charshanbeh Suri (jumping over the bonfire to absorb its reddish healthy strength, while getting rid of one’s yellow unhealthy state of being), on the evening preceding the last Wednesday of the old year, climaxing at Norooz, and concluding with Sizdah Bedar, the thirteenth day of the New Year.

Iranians spend the last day of the holidays at a picnic in the orchards, on the prairies, by the seaside, or in the foothills where they eat and drink, dance and sing, and play and joke. On that day, the single women knot grass together in the hope of marriage before the next Norooz! Integral to Norooz are the visits exchanged and paying tribute to the elders, as well as receiving monetary and other gifts from them.

Norooz has its own culinary dishes and pastries, sweets and desserts that are quite distinct from the rest of the year. Enjoying street performances is commonplace throughout Iran. The Persian Prefix “no-“, as in NoRooz, is the equivalent of “new” and “now” in English since both languages are rooted in Indo-European origins. Iran has, by and large, remained quite diverse since antiquity. Norooz, which celebrates the divine creation of Zoroastrian Lord of Wisdom-Ahura Mazda who created the Universe, the Guardian Angels (Forouhars) and the holy fire-is the most cherished of all Iranian festivals. The ancient practice of observing the commencement of the spring season was not necessarily reserved to Iranians (Persians); many neighboring nations have and continue observing it.

The indigenous tribes roaming the Persian Plateau during 6,000 years before the Persians arrived, along with the Babylonians of Mesopotamia, who had paid special attention to the role of the lengthening days warmed by Sun for their survival (Sol Invictus).

Today several hundred million people in the south, south central and southwest Asia observe Norooz, or a close variation of it. In fact, Zoroastrianism and, to a lesser extent, other Persian faiths such as Mithraism, Mazdakism and Manichaeism that were in part inspired by Buddhism, later influenced the shaping the three Semitic monotheistic religions. The early Christians celebrated the birth of Jesus in early spring, and epiphany commemorated the arrival of the three Wise Men, the Magi, who were said to be Zoroastrian priests. The New Year in the west, that began in early March and was observed in Europe and North America until the late 18th Century, was called the Common New Year.

Today’s Christmas is due to Emperor Constantine’s moving the birth of Jesus to mask the birth of Indo-Iranian deity Mithra to the winter solstice! Furthermore, the concurrent celebration of Purim and Passover and Feast of Epiphany and Easter by the Jews and Christians in tandem with Norooz cannot be construed as coincidental, but rather a common heritage.

Norooz was celebrated in an early Persian mythological dynasty, the Kianis heralded by Jamshid (Shah Jam). The Kiani dynasty is cited with national pride and nostalgic reverence in Shahnameh, the 60,000 poetic verses of the Epic Book of [Persian] Kings, written by Ferdowsi (the Paradisi, the paradise) in the 11th century C.E.

The oldest archaeological record of the Norooz celebration comes from the Achaemenid period of over 2,500 years ago, where pictorial illustrations and inscriptions on the grand inner Halls of Persepolis, the Apadana, depict King Darius receiving the ambassadors and emissaries presenting Norooz gifts from his vast empire.

The Achaemenid Kings actually gave immunity to a commoner chosen to rule in the Palace for a day at Norooz for the king’s self-reflection. This practice later led to wise and dancing artisans in the street who are Haji Pirooz (the victorious pilgrim!), as well the royal tolerance of court jesters in both Iranian and European regal courts.

A major part of the New Year ritual is setting up a special table with seven specific items present, Haft Sin (Haft Chin, hinting at the seven picked crops before Islam, and the seven days of creation). In ancient times each of the items corresponded to one of the seven, sacred living creations and the seven holy immortals protecting them.

Today some modifications are made, but a few of the original items have kept their symbolism. All seven items start with the letter “S”; this was not the requirement in ancient times. Zoroastrians today do not have the seven “S”, but they do have a ritual of growing seven seeds. The ancient Iranians also grew seven seeds as a reminder that this is the seventh feast of the creation, and the new growth symbolized the festival’s other aspect, namely, a feast of resurrection and the eternal cycle of life.

Sabzeh, green shoots of wheat, barley, millet, or lentils are planted on flat plates a few days before the New Year arrives. Decorated with colorful red, white and green ribbons, Sabzeh along with hyacinth, tulips and daffodils are displayed with Haft-sin and then thrown into streams the last day of the Norooz holidays, on “Sizdeh bedar”, the 13th day after Norooz (It coincides with April fool’s day in the west!) A few live gold fish (presumably denoting the origin of life in water) are placed in a bowl. In the old days the fish would be taken to the riverbanks or qanats after the holidays; however, today most children, mesmerized by them, keep them as pets, either in the courtyard pond (Howz) or in an aquarium indoors.

Mirrors are placed on the Haft-Sin table, and candles are lit adjacent to it to aid the reflection of light and the scared fire if present, and to signify knowledge and wisdom. Mirrors and candelabra were significant artifacts in Zoroastrian symbolic art and architecture, and still are integral components of most Iranian celebrations, especially the wedding ceremony.

Mirrors are also used extensively in Iranian mystical literature as well and represent introspection and retrospection. Most Iranian burial shrines and mausoleums are still extensively decorated with highly ordered, complex geometrical mirrors, a popular decorative style since ancient times. Again, light is regarded as sacred by the Zoroastrians, and the effective use of mirrors intensifies the reflection of the light.

In ancient times, wine was always present at the Haft-Sin. Since the Muslim conquest, wine has been replaced by vinegar or at times with honey since alcohol is banned in Islam. The Egg, a universal symbol of fertility, corresponding to Mother Earth, Sepanta Armaiti, and hints at the concept of Faravahar, the highest achievement of human soul. Eggs are hard-boiled and traditionally colored red, green, magenta, scarlet, or yellow, colors favored by Zoroastrians. Recently following the Easter egg tradition, more colors are used and the eggs are elaborately decorated and offered to children as treats. Fresh garlic is used to ward off any bad omen.

This is said to be a modern innovation, as there is no evidence that garlic was used in this context in antiquity, but perhaps it may have been one of the seven herbs grown at Norooz. Samanoo, a thick, brownish, malted paste, is present on the table today. It makes for a nutritious meal and could have been part of the feast in ancient times. Coins (symbolizing wealth and prosperity), fruits, special sweets and baked pastries, and a holy book for the believers, are present as well.

The Achaemenians created the first superpower empire in the world, spanning from India to Central Asia, the Caucuses and Asia Minor, and extending deep into North Africa. Although they built four magnificent mega-palaces, a residence for each season, the Persepolis complex (Takhte Jamshid, still standing north of Shiraz in central Iran), was the Grand Palace where the Kings celebrated Norooz and spring. Among the most notable Persian Kings were Cyrus the Great (revered in the Torah as the savior, who reconquered Jerusalem, invited the Jews to return and rebuild it). Cyrus is also credited as having decreed the first universal Declaration of Human Rights.

He was followed by Darius, (who dug the first Suez Canal and further bolstered the federal system of many nations, satrapies, and the pony express.), and Xerxes, (whose inscriptions in Asia Minor boasting of his heroic bravery, as reluctantly recorded by the Greek nationalist historian, Herodotus).

The first historical evidence of human settlement in the Iranian plateau dates back to well over 10,000 years ago, as attested by the discoveries of a chess/ backgammon set in Shahreh Sookhteh a.k.a. the Burned City (in the southeastern Zabol region), the two baked fermentation pots (from the northwestern Oroomieh region) currently deposited at the University of Pennsylvania, and Teppe Sialk mounds with seventeen layers of settlements.

As a result of the latter discovery, the time of the earliest organized agriculture and domestication of flora and fauna was moved back by nearly 2,000 years to 8,000 B.C.E. to the beginning of the human civilization! The diverse indigenous people in southwest Asia were absorbed into the three major incoming Iranian Aryan tribes of the Medes, Parthians and the Persians, who arrived from central Asia, east of the Caspian Sea, over 3,000 years ago. In fact, the name, Iran, derives from the Indo-European roots of Middle Pahlavi, Âér, which means the land of the Aryans; interestingly, the same root is also found in Ireland as a word.

[Rasputin]

Americans of Iranian/Persian heritage, recognized among the most educated and affluent immigrant communities with nearly one million celebrate Norooz through parade processions, musical concerts, theatrical and movie performances, street fairs and bazaars, and college and private parties throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Although the commemoration of Norooz may have been somewhat modified over time in order to reflect the changing socio-religious landscape and/or to accommodate the infusion of new rituals from other cultures, it has, nevertheless, remained close to every Iranian heart, and as a result will remain for millennia to come. Norooz further celebrates the inspirational and aspirational commonality of humanity as a whole, irrespective of race, creed, national origin religion, and ethnicity.

No one has been more eloquent than Sa’adi, the 13th century Persian poet, whose major poem from his vast two-volume treatise “Golestan” and “Boostan”, is immortalized on the entrance arch of the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, as follows:

Humans are all members of one frame,
Since all, at first, from the same essence came;


When by hard fortune one limb is oppressed,
The other members lose their desired rest;


If thou feel'st not for others' misery,
A human being is no name for thee!

[Rasputin]

http://gorganet.mihanblog.com/post/1344

[Rasputin]

http://www.koodakan.org/monasebat/norouz.htm

[Rasputin]

Persian Arts Festival (PAF) has successfully revived Shab-e She'r, A Night of (Persian) Poetry, at the Bowery Poetry Club (BPC) but with a modern, new generational spin. The program has made its comeback and expanded what tends to be a very classical Persian tradition to feature modern works of literature, ranging from fictional novels to memoirs. Taking place every third Wednesday of the month, PAF and BPC continues to host readings of well-established or emerging authors who are of Persian descent or specialize in Persian literature. Readers have included Nahid Rachlin, Manijeh Nasrabadi and Joe Martin to name a few. An open mic typically follows the reading, inviting everyone to read either his or her own poetry or works by other poets, in Persian or English, bearing some connection to Iran or Iranian/Persian culture.




PAF is also known for its innovative annual celebration of Norooz, the Persian New Year. Past events have included art exhibitions, film festivals, traditional to contemporary music performances, comedy and more. This Norooz 2009, in conjunction with Bowery Poetry Club, PAF will host a special Shab-e She’r, the Norooz Edition on Wednesday, March 18th from 6 – 8 pm. The celebratory evening will feature two incredible acts that bring the works of ancient poets including Rumi and Hafez to life through music. Opening the evening will be Rana Farhan, who is best known for setting classical Farsi (Persian) poetry to contemporary jazz and blues music that will surely captivate any audience. Farhan has been recently recognized for her outstanding contributions in art and music by Radio Zamaneh in Holland, commemorating the International Day of Woman. The second act of Shab-e She’r, the Norooz Edition will feature Iraj Anvar - singer, author and expert translator of Rumi. Performing in Persian song, Anvar will recite his renditions of Rumi ghazals and will be accompanied by Anne Twitty, who will translate the Persian performance into English. Shab-e She’r, the Norooz Edition will have a $10 admission fee. BPC is located at 308 Bowery @ Bleecker in NYC. Please visit PAF online for more information at www.persianartsfestival.org.






ABOUT PERSIAN ARTS FESTIVAL

Persian Arts Festival, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to showcasing the magnificence and diversity of Persian art and culture through its voices, artists and visionaries. PAF provides a truly unique opportunity for local and global communities to gather and explore one of the world’s most ancient and rich civilizations. Persian Arts Festival is a sponsored project of the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA). Shab’e She-r is curated by Literary Arts Director, poet, essayist and translator, Richard Jeffrey Newman, and Kaveh Bassiri, founder of NYC poetry series “Reading between A and B”.

More information at www.persianartsfestival.org.

[Rasputin]

Each year, nearly 300 million people around the world celebrate the new year on the first day of spring, known as Norooz. This major holiday originated in Iran and is celebrated by people throughout Central Asia, the Caucasus, Northwestern China, and in parts of the Middle East, Balkans and South Asia. Although its origins are Zoroastrian, it has long been celebrated by adherents of many faiths.



Members of the Iranian diaspora have brought the traditions of Norooz to their adopted homes and prominent celebrations are also held in North America and Europe. Today, this holiday is celebrated by nonprofits, museums and government institutions as well. From Persepolis to the White House, Norooz has truly become an international celebration in the 21st century.


Norooz Celebrations of Nonprofits



Since the first major wave of immigration to the West in the late 1970s, Iranians continued to hold public celebrations marking the vernal equinox in their new homes. As the Iranian diaspora became established, they began to form associations and nonprofits to organize their outreach efforts.


Many in the diaspora have taken their cue from Kahrizak Charity Foundation, the legendary non-governmental organization in Iran where the physically handicapped and elderly have been taken care of since 1971. For the past 35 years the Ladies Charitable Society (LCS), which provides Kahrizak with operational support and fundraising, has held an annual Norooz bazaar to benefit the organization. Supported entirely by the volunteers who make up LCS, the bazaar is held in Tehran and lasts eight days. It ended last week and the funds raised are expected to surpass $140,000, the amount raised at Kahrizak's last bazaar fundraiser in October 2008. LCS volunteers also contribute by catering an on-site restaurant which serves over 1,000 people per day. Additionally, the wives of foreign ambassadors in Iran set up booths at the bazaar, showcasing souvenirs from their respective countries. Some of this year's participants include France, Germany, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.


LCS also hosts Norooz bazaars in support of Kahrizak all over the world. This year, on March 14 and 15, Mrs. Ashraf Ghandehari Bahadorzadeh, co-founder of LCS, will be visiting the United States to support the Norooz bazaar in Cupertino. The event will feature booths selling traditional crafts and pastries whose proceeds will benefit Kahrizak.


One of the largest Norooz celebrations in the United States is the Persian Parade, a nonpolitical, nonpartisan parade held every Norooz along fifteen blocks of Madison Avenue in New York City. In its first year it attracted over 7,000 spectators. Now in its ninth year, it attracts cheering crowds of Iranian-Americans, tourists and Americans alike. The parade features traditional musicians, dance ensembles, floats, marchers and dignitaries. The parade is sponsored in part by the Persian-Iranian Parade Foundation (PIPF). This foundation, comprised of volunteers, philanthropists and artists, has enabled Iranian-Americans to celebrate their cultural heritage while showcasing their accomplishments to the greater community as a whole. Since its inception, the parade has been replicated by other communities in the U.S., Canada and Europe. For example, in 2008, the Iranian New Year Parade of Northern California kicked off its first year of celebrations in San Jose. Click here to view a video of last year's Persian Parade in New York City.



The International Society for Children with Cancer (ISCC) is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization established in 2004 in southern California in order to provide support to children suffering from cancer in developing countries. In 2008, ISCC obtained an OFAC license from the U.S. Department of Treasury, giving it permission to directly send funds to Mahak. Mahak is a nongovernmental organization in Iran whose mission is to assist children suffering from cancer by offering both medical and non-treatment services. In less than two decades Mahak has been able to help more than 12,000 cancer-stricken children. On March 14, ISCC will hold a Norooz bazaar in Costa Mesa, California, to benefit Mahak. Handmade pastries and gifts will be available, as well as children's activities and a traditional dance performance.


Also this March, the Child Foundation will hold its 8th Annual Norooz Bazaar fundraisers in Los Angeles and Irvine, California. Festivities will include, art, music, dance, activities for children and a special appearance from Haji Firooz.


Founded in 2005, the Canadian Iranian Foundation aims to facilitate social and cultural integration of newly arrived immigrants in British Columbia. This year, it will host the second annual Iranian Day Festival in Vancouver, a day-long celebration featuring a performance by Shahram Shabpareh, as well as children's activities and dancing. All proceeds will benefit the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation and the CIF Scholarship Fund.


In England, the Iran Heritage Foundation will be holding its annual Norooz gala in London. The evening will include a performance by Farshid Amin, who is well-known for having performed his song 'Change' at a victory gala for President Barack Obama in November 2008. IHF's gala will also include a reception and dinner.

Norooz Education and Outreach Through Museums


In recent years, major American institutions have taken steps to celebrate Norooz as a means to build bridges between cultures. These events have gradually increased in size and scope and attract audiences of all backgrounds.


In 2007, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York hosted for the first



time 'Noruz at the Met,' an annual gala fundraiser which is being held again this year. The event begins with a cocktail reception in the Great Hall, where a beautiful 'haft seen' is on display. The haft seen table includes seven specific items starting with the letter 'S' (or 'Seen' in the Persian alphabet). The items symbolically correspond with values such as rebirth, love, affluence, health, beauty, fertility and happiness. A special exhibit with historical art and carpets from Iran is also open to guests. The event serves as a fundraiser for a new Persian gallery at the Met.




The Freer and Sackler Galleries of the Smithsonian Institution also support bridge-building and education through Norooz. This year, on March 7, the galleries will hold a day-long celebration entitled 'Nowruz! A Persian New Year Celebration.' The celebration will begin with a song and dance performance by Aatash, an Iranian culture group from George Washington University. Then, a storyteller will perform excerpts from the 'Shahnameh,' or Book of Kings, followed by a screening of the animated film 'Babak and Friends: A First Norooz.' A 'haft seen' table will be on display throughout the day and children will be invited to create Norooz-themed greeting cards and t-shirts. Later in the afternoon, celebrated chef and cookbook author Najmieh Batmanglij will discuss the meaning of the 'haft seen' table and sign copies of her newest book 'Happy Nowruz: Cooking with Children to Celebrate the Persian New Year.' Lastly, musician Mamak Khadem and her ensemble will perform at the Freer Auditorium. The event kicks off the Freer and Sackler Galleries' 'The Year of Iran' which will include two Iran-themed exhibitions later this year.


As part of its 'Passport to the World' series, the Chicago Children's Museum will hold a special 'Passport to Persia' weekend from March 12-15 this year. Events will include decorating eggs, singing and dancing and learning about the traditions of Norooz.


Norooz education has also been added to the programming of the Craft and Folk Art Museum of Los Angeles. This year, they will hold a family workshop hosted by local educators Mojdeh Zavosh and Omid Arabian who will teach the audience about this ancient holiday. Participants will take part in crafts activities centered around a Norooz theme.


The Farhang Foundation has announced a Norooz celebration this March at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The two-day event is free to the public and will feature a classical Iranian dance recital by the Djanbazian Dance Company and a talk on the significance and symbolism of the Norooz tradition by Professor Amin Banani, UCLA, followed by a musical performance by Namad Ensemble. In addition, the weekend programs will highlight Iranian cultural traditions, including a 'haft seen'.


The Network of Iranian-American Professionals of Orange County (NIPOC) will host a Norooz celebration party this year and in addition, they are offering supporters the opportunity to adopt a Norooz banner. The 2007 launch of this project was supported by PARSA CF and since then, NIPOC has raised funds to hang banners celebrating the Persian Norooz along major thoroughfares in the city of Irvine, California.


The Philadelphia Museum of Art will hold its fourth annual Celebrate Norooz event this March 9, featuring a performance by the Silk Road Dance Company. The 'haft seen' will be displayed, along with a Parsee Navroz presentation and a demonstration by renowned painter Nasser Ovissi. At the end of the day an interactive Norooz-inspired Make-and-Take Workshop will be held in the Museum's galleries of Middle Eastern art.


The British Museum in London will hold a weekend-long 'Norouz Family Weekend' this March, sponsored by Magic of Persia. This event will showcase Norooz-themed arts and crafts, as well as storytelling and music heralding the arrival of spring. The event coincides with the museum's current exhibitions, Shah Abbas: The Remaking of Iran and Takhti: A Modern Iranian Hero.

[Rasputin]

Norooz, commemorating the New Year, has been celebrated in Iran, formerly Persia, throughout nearly three millennia of its recorded history. Norooz begins at the vernal equinox, the first day of spring season, a day of rejuvenation and reconciliation, and, reinvigorations and rebirth. Norooz’s arrival is symbolized in nature by the sprouting of greens and grains, flowers and trees. The Norooz holidays of today span from Charshanbeh Suri (jumping over the bonfire to absorb its reddish healthy strength, while getting rid of one’s yellow unhealthy state of being), on the evening preceding the last Wednesday of the old year, climaxing at Norooz, and concluding with Sizdeh Bedar, the thirteenth day of the New Year. Iranians spend the last day of the holidays at a picnic in the orchards, on the prairies, by the seaside, or in the foothills where they eat and drink, dance and sing, and play and joke. On that day, the single women knot grass together in the hope of marriage before the next Norooz! Integral to Norooz are the visits exchanged and paying tribute to the elders, as well as receiving monetary and other gifts from them.

Norooz has its own culinary dishes and pastries, sweets and desserts that are quite distinct from the rest of the year. Enjoying street performances is commonplace throughout Iran. The Persian Prefix “no-“, as in NoRooz, is the equivalent of “new” and “now” in English since both languages are rooted in Indo-European origins. Iran has, by and large, remained quite diverse since antiquity. Norooz, which celebrates the divine creation of Zoroastrian Lord of Wisdom-Ahura Mazda who created the Universe, the Guardian Angels (Forouhars) and the holy fire-is the most cherished of all Iranian festivals. The ancient practice of observing the commencement of the spring season was not necessarily reserved to Iranians (Persians); many neighboring nations have and continue observing it. The indigenous tribes roaming the Persian Plateau during 6,000 years before the Persians arrived, along with the Babylonians of Mesopotamia, who had paid special attention to the role of the lengthening days warmed by Sun for their survival (Sol Invictus).


Today several hundred million people in the south, south central and southwest Asia observe Norooz, or a close variation of it. In fact, Zoroastrianism and, to a lesser extent, other Persian faiths such as Mithraism, Mazdakism and Manichaeism that were in part inspired by Buddhism, later influenced the shaping the three Semitic monotheistic religions. The early Christians celebrated the birth of Jesus in early spring, and epiphany commemorated the arrival of the three Wise Men, the Magi, who were said to be Zoroastrian priests. The New Year in the west, that began in early March and was observed in Europe and North America until the late 18th Century, was called the Common New Year. Today’s Christmas is due to Pope Emperor Constantine’s moving the birth of Jesus to mask the birth of Indo-Iranian deity Mithra to the winter solstice! Furthermore, the concurrent celebration of Purim , Passover and Easter by the Jews and Christians in tandem with Norooz cannot be construed as coincidental, but rather a common heritage.

Norooz was celebrated in an early Persian mythological dynasty, the Kianis heralded by Jamshid (Shah Jam). The Kiani dynasty is cited with national pride and nostalgic reverence in Shahnameh, the 60,000 poetic verses of the Epic Book of [Persian] Kings, written by Ferdowsi (the Paradisi, the paradise) in the 11th century C.E. The oldest archaeological record of the Norooz celebration comes from the Achaemenid period of over 2,500 years ago, where pictorial illustrations and inscriptions on the grand inner Halls of Persepolis, the Apadana, depict King Darius receiving the ambassadors and emissaries presenting Norooz gifts from his vast empire. The Achaemenid Kings actually gave immunity to a commoner chosen to rule in the Palace for a day at Norooz for the king’s self-reflection. This practice later led to wise and dancing artisans in the street who are Haji Pirooz (the victorious pilgrim!), as well the royal tolerance of court jesters in both Iranian and European regal courts.

[Rasputin]

A major part of the New Year ritual is setting up a special table with seven specific items present, Haft Sin (Haft Chin, hinting at the seven picked crops before Islam, and the seven days of creation). In ancient times each of the items corresponded to one of the seven, sacred living creations and the seven holy immortals protecting them. Today some modifications are made, but a few of the original items have kept their symbolism. All seven items start with the letter “S”; this was not the requirement in ancient times. Zoroastrians today do not have the seven “S”, but they do have a ritual of growing seven seeds. The ancient Iranians also grew seven seeds as a reminder that this is the seventh feast of the creation, and the new growth symbolized the festival’s other aspect, namely, a feast of resurrection and the eternal cycle of life.

Sabzeh, green shoots of wheat, barley, millet, or lentils are planted on flat plates a few days before the New Year arrives. Decorated with colorful red, white and green ribbons, Sabzeh along with hyacinth, tulips and daffodils are displayed with Haft-sin and then thrown into streams the last day of the Norooz holidays, on “Sizdeh bedar”, the 13th day after Norooz (It coincides with April fool’s day in the west!) A few live gold fish (presumably denoting the origin of life in water) are placed in a bowl. In the old days the fish would be taken to the riverbanks or qanats after the holidays; however, today most children, mesmerized by them, keep them as pets, either in the courtyard pond (Howz) or in an aquarium indoors. Mirrors are placed on the Haft-Sin table, and candles are lit adjacent to it to aid the reflection of light and the scared fire if present, and to signify knowledge and wisdom. Mirrors and candelabra were significant artifacts in Zoroastrian symbolic art and architecture, and still are integral components of most Iranian celebrations, especially the wedding ceremony. Mirrors are also used extensively in Iranian mystical literature as well and represent introspection and retrospection. Most Iranian burial shrines and mausoleums are still extensively decorated with highly ordered, complex geometrical mirrors, a popular decorative style since ancient times. Again, light is regarded as sacred by the Zoroastrians, and the effective use of mirrors intensifies the reflection of the light.

In ancient times, wine was always present at the Haft-Sin. Since the Muslim conquest, wine has been replaced by vinegar or at times with honey since alcohol is banned in Islam. The Egg, a universal symbol of fertility, corresponding to Mother Earth, Sepanta Armaiti, and hints at the concept of Faravahar, the highest achievement of human soul. Eggs are hard-boiled and traditionally colored red, green, magenta, scarlet, or yellow, colors favored by Zoroastrians. Recently following the Easter egg tradition, more colors are used and the eggs are elaborately decorated and offered to children as treats. Fresh garlic is used to ward off any bad omen. This is said to be a modern innovation, as there is no evidence that garlic was used in this context in antiquity, but perhaps it may have been one of the seven herbs grown at Norooz. Samanoo, a thick, brownish, malted paste, is present on the table today. It makes for a nutritious meal and could have been part of the feast in ancient times. Coins (symbolizing wealth and prosperity), fruits, special sweets and baked pastries, and a holy book for the believers, are present as well.

[Rasputin]

سال نو خورشیدی در روز جمعه ۳۰ اسفند ۱۳۸۷ هجرى شمسى (برابر با ۲۰ مارس ۲۰۰۹ ميلادى) به ساعت ۱۵ و ۱۳ دقیقه و ۳۹ ثانیه به وقت تهران، و ساعت ۱۱ و ۴۳ دقیقه و ۳۹ ثانیه به وقت گرینویچ حلول می کند.



لحظه حلول سال نو خورشیدی به وقت دیگر شهرهای جهان به شرح زیر است:



۴:۴۳:۳۹ - سان فرانسيسكو، لس آنجلس، ونكوور

۵:۴۳:۳۹ - گواتلاما، مكزيكوسيتى

۶:۴۳:۳۹ - شيكاگو، هوستون، وينپگ

۷:۴۳:۳۹ - آتلانتا، بوستون، تورونتو، ديترويت، فيلادلفيا، مونترئال، ميامى، نيويورک، هاوانا، واشنگتن

۸:۴۳:۳۹ - برازيليا، بوئنوس آيرس، ريو دو ژانيرو، سائوپائولو، هاليفاكس

۱۱:۴۳:۳۹ - ليسبون، دوبلين، لندن

۱۲:۴۳:۳۹ - استكهلم، اسلو، آمستردام، بارسلونا، برلين، بروکسل، بلگراد، بوداپست، پاريس، پراگ، رم، زوريخ، ژنو، كپنهاگ، لاگوس، مادريد، ورشو، وين

۱۳:۴۳:۳۹ - آتن، آنكارا، استانبول، امان، بيتالمقدس، بخارست، بيروت، ژوهانسبورگ، قاهره، كيپتاون، كىيف، مينسک، هلسينكى

۱۴:۴۳:۳۹ - عدن، آديس آبابا، بغداد، خارطوم، رياض، كويت، مسكو، نايروبى

۱۵:۱۳:۳۹ - تهران

۱۵:۴۳:۳۹ - دبى

۱۶:۱۳:۳۹ - كابل

۱۶:۴۳:۳۹ - اسلام آباد، تاشكند، دوشنبه، كراچى، لاهور

۱۷:۱۳:۳۹ - بمبئى، دهلى نو، كلكته

۱۷:۲۸:۳۹ - كاتماندو

۱۷:۴۳:۳۹ - آلماتى، داكا

۱۸:۴۳:۳۹ - بانكوک، جاكارتا، هانوى

۱۹:۴۳:۳۹ - پكن، تايوان، سنگاپور، شانگهاى، كوالالامپور، مانيل، هنگ كنگ

۲۰:۴۳:۳۹ - توكيو، سئول

۲۲:۱۳:۳۹ - آدلايد

۲۲:۴۳:۳۹ - سيدنى، ملبورن

[Rasputin]

Charshanbeh Soori Rap

Nameless

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2gihvzRHbA

[Rasputin]

تو ای کورش تو نوروزت خجسته کمر گرچه ز ايرانت شکسته
اگر ضحاکيان شاهند ز ويران بدان سام سام خداوند اييران ميپرسته
اگرچه پيکرت را زير خاکيست اگر تخم عرب ارامگهت را بی خياليست
به تو گويند فرزندان ايران ز کيش پور بهرام،دخت شيران
ز شيرازو،ری ناوند و تهران که مهرت بر دلم،دوری چه باکی ست
بگويندت همی ای کورش انشان که دادی کشورم نامش ز ايران
بدون ياد تو خسرو و دارا بدون بابک و افشين و ارا
نماند نامی از ايران و کسرا بماند تا ابد ملا و صدرا
بگويم پس همی امروز و هر روز به ياد اريا کورش و پيروز
که هم ميهن تو نوروزت به شادی به کوری چشم دشمن او سيه روز
اگر هم بچه ملا سويت امد ز نوروزت به شادی خوش درامد
تو با خنده و لوده بر سرش نال برو که روزييت ز عمامه برامد
بگويش ای سيا باز, بچه خر کن ز تخ جمشيد, خلخالييت بدر کن

سام سام

[Rasputin]

برگزاری جشن نوروز پيش درآمدهايی دارد که بدون انجام آنها، انگار سال و روزگار نو نمی شود. ز جمله مهم ترين اين پيش نيازها خانه تکانی آخر سال است که بی انجام آن، انگار برای زنان سال نو نمی شود.


حالا ديگر خانه ها بزرگتر و شلوغ تر از دهه های پيش است و تعداد زيادی از خانم ها هم شاغل هستند و حتی اگر شاغل نباشند به سختی به تنهايی می توانند خانه تکانی کنند و حتما به کمک، به ويژه کمک مردان نياز دارند.

کارگر و کارفرما

سهيلا نقاش است و خانه ای بزرگ دارد که هر هفته کارگرش آن را تميز می کند. او برای عيد دستکم سه روز به خدمات کارگر مرد و دو روز به ياری کارگر زن نياز دارد. به کارگر مرد روزی 25 هزار تومان و به کارگر زن روزی 20 هزار تومان دستمزد می دهد.

می گويد کار کارگر مرد سخت تر است او ديوارها را می شويد و کارهای سنگينی مثل جا به جا کردن اثاثيه و برس کشيدن سنگ های کف را انجام می دهد.

می گويد شوهرم کاری به کار خانه ندارد. البته توقع خانه تميز و غذای حاضر را دارد.

احمد، کرد است و با زن و بچه اش در اتاقی کوچک در محله های قديمی خيابان دولت زندگی می کند. در خانه ها کار می کند. مزد روزانه اش 22 هزار تومان است. زن و دو بچه دارد.

دلش می خواهد دستمزد شب عيدش روزی 50 هزار تومان باشد و اين مبلغی نيست که مشتريان او بتوانند بپردازند، ولی مبلغی است که احمد فکر می کند استحقاقش را دارد.

البته می گويد يک خانمی به او گفته اگر پنج روز از وقتش را به او بدهد 250 هزار تومان به او خواهد پرداخت. اما از ترس از دست دادن مشتری های ثابتش این پيشنهاد را را رد کرده است.

رسيدن عيد و خانه تکانی برای افسانه عذابی بزرگ است. شوهر او با آوردن کارگر مخالف است و می گويد اگر تمام سال خانه درست و حسابی تميز شده باشد، خانه تکانی کار سنگينی نيست.




اما افسانه اصلا اينطور فکر نمی کند. به نظر او کارهايی مثل شستن فرش و موکت را نمی شود بيش از سالی يکبار انجام داد. وضع ماليشان هم اجازه نمی دهد تا آنها را برای شستشو به قالی شويان حرفه ای بسپارند.


افسانه به کمک دختر بزرگش به زحمت توانسته اند فرش ها و موکت ها را در حياط منزل بشويند، اما حمل و نقل فرش ها برای آويزان کردن، کار آنها نبوده و منتظر کمک توام با غرغر شوهرش شده اند. افسانه معتقد است که خانه تکانی رسمی بسيار خوب است و با خانه تکانی آدم خودش پيش از رسيدن بهار، بهاری می شود.

ناهيد در دانشگاه کار می کند و توانسته دو هفته پشت سر هم از بعد از ظهر تا عصر پنجشنبه و جمعه از کمک دو کارگر افغانی آشنا استفاده کند، اما هنوز کارهای ظريفی مانند پاک کردن بوفه ها و ظروف درون آنها باقی مانده است.

او می گويد پا به پای کارگرها، کار کرده است، اما هنوز راضی نيست.

فريده، پرستار بازنشسته ای است که در منزل چند آشنا به دور از چشم پسر دانشجويش کار می کند. يکی از چشم های او نابينا است، اما اين نابينايی نتوانسته مانع کار کردن او در منازل کسانی که به قول او دستشان به دهانشان می رسد، بشود.

فريده، از اوايل بهمن خانه تکانی مشتريانش را آغاز کرده است. او زن کاردانی است و به جزئياتی مانند نحوه برق انداختن ظروف برنجی کاملا آشنا است. مزد روزانه او 17 هزار تومان است و در نوروز مشتريانش به او عيدی های متفاوتی می دهند که البته پول نقد جزيی از آن است. فريده می گويد: با دستمزد کار خانه و حقوقم شهريه دانشگاه پسرم را می دهم.


آنها که کارگر ثابت دارند می دانند که اين کارگران در طول سال علاوه بر دستمزد روزانه، مبالغی نيز برای به اصطلاح زدن به زخم هايشان از آنها می گيرند.

احمد بيمه نيست و می گويد پارسال برای عوض کردن خانه، يکی از مشتريانش به او يک ميليون تومان بلاعوض داده و مشتری ديگری نيز هزينه سفر و درمان مادر او را پرداخته است.


کارگران افغان، ياوران خانه تکانی

گل احمد و ستار دايی و خواهرزاده اند. آنها افغان هستند. گل احمد اجازه اقامت دارد و ستار از افغان هايی است که پس از مراجعت اجباری به افغانستان دو باره به طور قاچاق برای کار به ايران آمده است.


گل احمد، سرايدار خانه ای است که ساخت آن سال هاست نيمه تمام مانده و صاحبان آن به رغم قولی که به او داده اند دو سال است حقوق ماهيانه او را نپرداخته اند.

گل احمد به قول خودش مجبور است همه جور کاری را قبول کند تا بتواند خرج زن و بچه اش را تامين کند.

نزديک عيد گل احمد و ستار دوتايی برای انجام خانه تکانی می روند. ستار کار خانه بلد نيست و کار را با جزييات آن برايش توضيح داد.

يکی از مشتريان ثابت آنها مردی است که به خانمش اجازه نمی دهد با آنها روبه رو شود و خودش خانه تکانی را مديريت می کند.

ليلی، همسر اين مرد می گويد تميز کردن کابينت های آشپزخانه، بوفه ها و ظروف و بقيه کارهای خرده ريزی را که کمتر به چشم می آيند اما بسيار خسته کننده اند را خودش انجام می دهد.

گل احمد و ستار می گويند امسال روزانه بين 10 تا 15 هزارتومان درآمد داشته اند.

تينا در طبقه 14 برجی در الهيه در آپارتمانی 700 متری زندگی می کند و مستخدم ثابت دارد. اما برای خانه تکانی عيد يک کارگز مرد نيز می آورد. وظيفه او شستن ديوارها، پاک کردن شيشه ها و سابيدن سنگ های کف آپارتمان، حمام ها و دستشويی ها است.

معصومه که برای تينا کار می کند، می گويد: ماشاءالله خانم در طول سال آنقدر از من کار می کشد که انگار هر روز خانه تکانی داريم.

او در خانه تينا اتاقی برای زندگی دارد و به طور معمول از 6 صبح تا 10 شب کار می کند. 55 سال دارد و دخترهايش را عروس کرده و چون جايی برای زندگی ندارد، کار در خانه تينا را پذيرفته است.

او ماهی 180 هزارتومان حقوق می گيرد و در سال 15 روز مرخصی دارد. از حقوقش راضی است، چون خانم و آقا به اندازه کافی به او می رسند و از همه مهم تر او جايی برای زندگی دارد.

کارگران موسسات خدماتی

موسسات خدماتی وجود دارد که با يک تلفن برای شما کارگر زن يا مرد ( به خواست شما ) برای انجام کارخانه می فرستد و هر روز از حقوق آن کارگران درصدی برای موسسه برمی دارد.

مزد اينگونه کارگران معمولا کمتر از کارگرانی است که خودشان مشتری دارند.

طاهره می گويد دو سال پيش برای صرفه جويی در وقت به يکی از اين شرکت ها تلفن کردم و دو کارگر مرد و سه کارگر زن به طور همزمان درخواست کردم تا کارها در يک روز انجام شود.

او می گوید: "چشمتان روز بد نبيند، آنها کار بلد نبودند. نه مواد شوينده و تميزکننده و کاربرد اختصاصی هرکدام از آنها را می دانستند و نه مثلا می دانستند که بيده چيست. يکی از آنها می خواست دستمال های گردگيری را در بيده بشويد. نشان به اين نشان که اين کارگرها نه تنها نتوانستند در يک روز کار را تمام کنند، بلکه مجبور شدم يک روز ديگر از خدمات ناشيانه آنها استفاده کنم تا بتوانم کارگر ثابت خودم را که جواب کرده بودم، پيدا و از او دلجويی کنم و خرابکاری ها را تا حدی درست کنم. کارگران شرکتی با وايتکس بوفه های چوبی و ديوارها را پاک کرده بودند و يکی از خانم ها که ظروف مس را در حمام می سابيد ، پخش صوت قديمی و نايابم را که خوب هم کار می کرد، در حمام شست."

اين گروه از کارگران که دستمزدشان از کارگران خانگی کمتر است، معمولا از بی ادبی کارفرماهايشان ناراضی اند. اين کارفرماها در طول روز به خانه ای که کارگر فرستاده اند تلفن می کنند تا از رضايت مشتری خبر بگيرند و اين کارگران بايد عصرها پس از پايان کار برای پرداخت سهم صاحب شرکت به محل شرکت بروند.


آنها که کارگر ثابت مرد دارند، می دانند که بايد مواظب اشياء شکستنی و مخصوصا تابلوها و اشياء قيمتی باشند. خانمی تعريف می کرد دفعه اول کارگر او تابلوی رنگ و روغن اصل را با ترکيبی از آب و وايتکس و پودر لباسشويی شسته بود.

خانه تکانی کاری اجتناب ناپذير

اما کسان زيادی هستند که در خانه ها يا آپارتمان هايی کوچک زندگی می کنند و کوچکی خانه آنها دليل نمی شود که خانه تکانی نکنند. منتها به قول قديمی ها هر که بامش بيش، برفش بيشتر. معمولا آنها خودشان خانه تکانی می کنند.

ريشه سنتی خانه تکانی

کتايون مزدا پور، استاد زبان ها و آيين های باستانی گفته است در آيين های باستانی ايران، به ويژه در دين زرتشتی مردم معتقدند که ارواح نياکان ما از ده روز مانده به عيد برای ديدار به خانه بازماندگانشان می آيند و درست موقع تحويل سال آنها را ترک می کنند. و چون ارواح از بوی تميزی و بوی خوش و نور سهم می برند، بايد ده روز قبل از ضيافت ارواح نياکان، خانه از پلشتی و کثيفی پاک شده و بوی خوش در فضای آن پراکنده شود.

به احتمال بسيار زياد تعداد اندکی از مردم از اين آيين باستانی خبر دارند، و آنها که بی خبر از اين آيين خانه تکانی می کنند، بدون آنکه خودشان بدانند، پاسدار سنتی ايرانی - باستانی هستند.

[Rasputin]

باز هفت سین سرور

ماهی و تنگ بلور

سکه و سبزه و آب

نرگس و جام شراب

باز هم شادی عید

ارزوهای سپید

باز لیلایی بهار

باز مجنونی بید

باز هم رنگین کمان

باز باران بهار

باز گل مست غرور

باز بلبل نغمه خوان

باز رقص دود عود

باز اسفند و گلاب

باز نوروز سعید

باز هم سال جدید

باز هم لاله عشق

کور باد چشم حسود !

عید شما مبارک !

[Rasputin]

In celebration of the 2568th anniversary of the Persian New Year ...

http://argenticvision.blogspot.com/