First day of Spring 2010 is the beginning of the Persian New Year of 1389—Happy Nowruz everybody!
In previous years, I have talked a lot about Haft Seen (seven S’s on the new year’s spread) and the calendar; for this year, I decided to tell you which of the seven really symbolize Nowruz for me. One is Sabzeh or wheat sprouts (above) and the other is Sonbol, the hyacinth (below):
I am still in Los Angeles and the Wilshire Corridor is awash in Nowruz banners like this one:
My little sabzeh looks lonely among downtown high-rises:
Being close to the L.A.’s flower market, I left to take pictures early morning and I wasn’t disappointed. I loved the fragrance of these gorgeous stocks,
and the beautiful tulips that scream “spring is here” in so many colors:
I bought as much as I could carry and rushed home to take pictures.
As a child, I remember listening to the Iranian singer, Pouran Shapouri, sing Eyd oumad bahaar oumad…
in our new Eyd dresses (new year’s dress) that my mom had made for my sister and I.
Vigen’s song, Shokoufeh (blossom), was another of my favorites as the harbinger of Nowruz.
يكي دو روز ديگر از پگاه
چو چشم باز مي‌كني
زمانه زير و رو
زمينه پرنگار مي شود
زمين شكاف مي‌خورد
به دشت سبزه مي‌زند
هر آن چه مانده بود زير خاك
هر آنچه خفته بود زير برف
جوان و شسته رفته آشكار مي‌شود
نگار من
اميد نوبهار من
لبي به خنده باز كن
ببين چگونه از گلي
خزان باغ ما بهار مي‌شود
سیاوش کسرایی
Sabzeh shows up in the new year celebrations in many countries:
Let’s not forget my favorite, the goldfish:
Goldfish in a bowl represents life and the end of the month of Esfand (pisces).
for more on the traditions of Nowrouz: NoRuz, Norouz, haft-seen, haft-sheen, etc…
Norouz 1388, the blooming of a new year
Pouran singing about Eyd
a great slide show of Nowruz gold fish farms
Dordaneh jan, as usual you outdid yourself. I enjoyed your beautiful pictures. Eydet mobarak and I wish that this year brings a lot of health, happiness and prosperity
Love you my dear friend, kisses
There’s an Islamic mystical tradition that you may have heard of, Michele.
Khidr – the Green Man
The Islamic Legend of Khidr
According to legend, Alexander the Great happened to obtain a copy of Adam’s will which mentioned that God had created a magical spring behind Mt. Oaf, the mountainous barrier around the world, which was located in the Land of Darkness. The water of this spring “was whiter than milk, colder than ice, sweeter than honey, softer than butter and sweeter smelling than musk.” (13) It also granted eternal life to those who drank from it. Khidr, taking Alexander’s army with him, entered the Land of Darkness and found the spring. He bathed in the water, drank of its sweetness, and became immortal. However, when he attempted to show Alexander his find it had become lost once again. Another version of this legend states that Khidir fell into the Well of Life, gained immortality and became the Green Man. (14) Khidr is regarded among the Sufi followers as the Guide to the Sufi Path and is said to appear before Sufi adepts, in their sleep or in person, to help them on their way.
Khidr was also, in legend, a companion to Moses. Khidr’s name, according to lore, is associated with the color green and it is said that even the rock upon which he prayed turned to green. (15) Like the Green Man, Khidr “is perceived as a representative of nature and as a source of supernatural wisdom who lives both inside and outside time and is therefore immortal.”
Tom Cheetham, an authority on Islamic mysticism, identifies Khidr of esoteric Sufism with the Green Man. In his book about the work of Henry Corbin and others concerning the 12th-century Muslim saint Ibn Arabi, he develops the idea of the Green Man/Khidr as the principle mediating between the imaginary realm and the physical world.[16]
Osiris, lord of the dead. His green skin symbolizes re-birth.
On a similar theme, author on spirituality and architecture William Anderson writes:[17]
There are legends of him (Khidr) in which, like Osiris, he is dismembered and reborn; and prophecies connecting him, like the Green Man, with the end of time. His name means the Green One or Verdant One, he is the voice of inspiration to the aspirant and committed artist. He can come as a white light or the gleam on a blade of grass, but more often as an inner mood. The sign of his presence is the ability to work or experience with tireless enthusiasm beyond one’s normal capacities. In this there may be a link across cultures, …one reason for the enthusiasm of the medieval sculptors for the Green Man may be that he was the source of every inspiration.
A few more references:
http://www.authorsden.com/categories/article_top.asp?catid=70&id=13535
http://www.esoteric.msu.edu/VolumeVII/CheethamReview.htm
چه دعايي کنمت بهتر از اين، خنده ات از ته دل
گريه ات از سر شوق،روزگارت همه شاد،
سفره ات رنگارنگ،تنت سالم و شاد،
که بخندي همه عمر
Dear Michele,
Another year gone by
and a new one in sight
thankful to your sharings
of life and death, recite…
So I find it timely to wish you
your family and friends,
more than anything,
Perpetual good health,
Peace of mind,
Joy, laughter and Luck,
in every No Rouz
of this coming year.
Aid Asto Bahar Ast
Beh Golzar
Bekhandid,
Andak Na o
Penhan Na o
Besyar Bekhandid!
میشل عزیز
بهارت مبارک باد
امید که هزار سال دیگر نیز پیام آور زیبای بهار باشی
درخت غنچه برآورد و بلبلان مست اند
جهان جوان شد و یاران به عیش بنشستند
Thanks for the nice photos,and nostalgic words stated as a comments.
Your fan from Persia
sale no mobarak !
Dear Michele..
Lovely and colourful Pictures and we share and reciprocate your greetings, thoughts and festivities ..
Observe the wonders as they occur
Around you. Don’t claim them.
Feel the artistry moving through,
And be silent.
– RUMI
نوروز به کام دوست عزیز
تو پیش از ما سبز بودی این را من نمی گویم این پنجره می گوید تو بیش از ما سبز بودی
test