Comments on: Happy Nowrooz!

By: Abbas Djavadi

Abbas Djavadi — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 06:39:08 +0000

Sarah khaanome aziz, salaam. Thanks and saale nowe shomaa mobaarak!

By: Abbas Djavadi

Abbas Djavadi — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 06:37:43 +0000

Nastaran khaanome aziz, salaam va ehteraam…
Saale nowe shomaa mobaarak…
Your message is deeply appreciated, thanks so much. And it was illuminating to me in many points. It was a lot of additional and new information to me personally and I have to say I stand corrected where you thought I was not right on. Thanks for that, too.
I have to say, however, being a Muslim myself, I didn’t dream of hinting and pointing to anything whatsoever against “the Islamic part of the Iranian society,” God forbid. The notion was that it is (1) pre-Islamic (also shared by non-Muslim Iranians) and (2) there were some attempts (you remember?) by some clerics right after the revolution to crusade against Nowruz just because it is not considered Islamic.
Would you allow me to put this comment as a distinct posting on my blog? I’d be happy to. Or you could yourself go either to my blog or the website of RFE/RL (where it was also published) and place that comment.
I thank you again very much for your attention and interest and wish you all the best in the New Year…
Best regards,
Abbas

By: Nastaran Taresi

Nastaran Taresi — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 06:00:02 +0000

Dear Mr. Djavadi,
I read your comprehensive article about Norouz in RFERL website. I should say the idea of publishing such an article is a clever way to introduce Persians and Arians to Europeans.
I found the article fully comprehensive; however, some points came to my mind, which I though would be useful to share with you as the writer of the article.
First of all, as an Iranian living in the country ruled by the Islamic Republic of Iran, I found the first paragraphs taking sides sort of against the Islamic part of the Iranian history!
Across much of the non-Arab Muslim world, people are celebrating Norouz, the festival that marks the arrival of spring and the beginning of the New Year.
I do not have much proof to support my words, yet, it gave such feeling!
In addition I must confess your political point of view was pretty much apposite.
A tradition you mentioned was the Seven Symbols (Haft Seen). The Seven Seens you mentioned in your article were not exactly the original cultural ones. Samanou (wheat germ pudding), Senjed, Seer, Sepand, Seeb, Sabzee, and Somagh are the true ones. [Read Haft Seen page of Persian Wikipedia to find out what angels the symbols stand for and what exactly they are supposed to mean.]
It is worth to mention Sekkeh, Sonbol, Serkeh, and other Seens are some of the modern symbols added to the traditional sofreh. Since you find haft seen what Zoroaster offered to his deity, Ahura Mazda, on seven trays, I think you should have mentioned the original seens.
The last, but not the least is Sidzah Bedar. No numbers or days represent bad omen and back luck in the Iranian culture. Thirteen is not an inauspicious number to dodge.
The thirteenth day of Farvardin is dedicated to Tyshtar, God of Rain. People used to pray for rain in that day to wish a year full of rain and blessing. That is the reason people go out and spend the day near “STREAMS and RIVERS” and throw their Sabzee to the “WATER”.
As a professional journalist, whose articles are published in credible news agencies and websites, you did a great job to introduce the culture shared by various countries. I thought these points help your article to do so.

Sincerely,
Nastaran Taresi

By: sarah

sarah — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 09:50:53 +0000

thanks a lot