This year, a holiday that celebrates spring and renewal is more necessary than ever.
No table was set this year. The lentil sprouts were not grown in a dish, the eggs remained raw and unpainted, the sweet wheat germ pudding wasn’t cooked, and plans for family feasts were cancelled. The most I managed was lighting a few candles, making calls to Iran and Los Angeles to exchange well wishes and worries, and a promise to myself to cook a comforting childhood favorite made with eggs and herbs.
Rooted in Zoroastrian traditions, Nowruz is often called 'Persian New Year," but celebrated by many diverse ethnic and religious communities who hail from the Asian continent. This includes my family, ethnic Armenians from Iran, who left the country as refugees in the waning days of the Iran-Iraq war and started anew in the U.S. Overnight, we became part of the Iranian and Armenian diasporas that span the globe, holding on to the lives we once lived while attempting to create new ones.
Much of the holiday centers around the "Haft Sin," a table that holds at least seven things that begin with the Persian letter "sin." Each has a deep, spiritual meaning. Some of these items include lentil sprouts for rebirth, vinegar for patience and wisdom, and garlic for health. Colored eggs represent fertility, a mirror symbolizes reflection on the past, and coins are included for prosperity.
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