Orthodox Zoroastrians will rise, bathe and say their prayers before dawn, since this is the time to bid farewell to the Fravashis, the souls, who have joined in the festivities of the Hamaspathmaidyem Gahambar. On Nowruz Day, after bathing, members of the family dressed in new clothes gather around the table at the behest of the matriarch of a Zoroastrian home.

Greeting is exchanged after which the matriarch holds up a mirror and each person (and later, visitors) look into the mirror and smile. The mirror reflects a person's past, shows the present and reminds a person to reflect on future goals and pledges. In Zoroastrian theology, the soul receives a reflection of a person's thoughts, words and deeds - "as you sow, so shall you receive". The festivities include elder members of the household giving younger members gifts.

Breakfast can include sweet dishes such as Faloodeh (or falooda), Ravo, and a dish made from fried vermicelli cooked in sugar preparation and decorated with dry fruits. These dishes are more the norm amongst Zoroastrians from India.

Faloodeh in Iran is served thoroughly chilled in a bowl and looks like vermicelli-like white strands soaked in rose syrup or a sweet sharbat (sherbet).

In India, the Zoroastrian-Irani diners have transformed Faloodeh into a milk shake topped with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. There it is called Falooda.

Ravo is made with suji (semolina - a coarsely ground and highly glutinous hard durum wheat), milk and sugar. It is prepared and looks like a thick porridge.

Nowruz Lunch
A Nowruz lunch according to Indian Zoroastrian tradition includes pulav, rice with nuts and saffron, moong dal and fish, a dishes with similarities to the Iranian meal of Sabzi Polo Mahi.

In Iran, some traditional Nowruz foods have good luck wishes for the New Year associated with them. The dishes include:

• Sabzi Polo Mahi: The New Year's day traditional meal is called Sabzi Polo Mahi, which is Rice with green herbs served with fish. The traditional seasonings for Sabzi Polo used are parsley, coriander, chives, dill and fenugreek.
• Kookoo Sabzi: Herbs and vegetable souffle, traditionally served for dinner at New Year. This is a light and fluffy omelet style made from parsley, dill, coriander, spinach, spring onion ends and chives, mixed with eggs and walnut. Kookoo Sabzi is served at dinner on Nowruz evening.
• Reshteh Polo: Rice cooked with noodles. This dish is symbolically associated with the wish of one's success in life.
• Dolme Barg: A traditional dish of Azeri people, cooked just before the New Year. Dolmes are a mixture of cooked vegetables, meat and cotyledon (rice wrapped vine leaves) which have been cooked and embedded in vine leaf and cooked again. This dish is associated with the wish of fulfillment of hopes and dreams. It is considered useful in reaching to wishes.

Related links:

Nowruz, Nauroz Chahar-Shanbeh-Suri Farvardigan Days History of Nowruz Celebrations of Nowruz Haji Firouz Nowruz Spread Spring-Cleaning Other Names of Nowruz Prayers of Nowruz Sizdah-Bedar Customs & Foods of Nowruz Significance & Symbolism Tradition & Mythology Hamaspathmaidyem Gahambar

Nowruz, Nauroz 2022 dates

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