Norooz

Norooz (or Nowruz), the Persian New Year, marks the arrival of spring and symbolizes renewal. This ancient event is celebrated by various ethnic groups worldwide.

Moments before Norooz, families gather around the Haft-seen table and await the exact moment of the Spring Equinox. Haft-seen is an arrangement of seven symbolic items that start with the letter "s" in Farsi. These items include:

• Sabzeh (سبزه) – wheat, barley, mung bean, or lentil sprouts grown in a dish; the symbol of rebirth and growth.
• Samanu (سمنو) – wheat germ sweet pudding; the symbol of power and strength.
• Senjed (سنجد) – oleaster; the symbol of love.
• Serkeh (سرکه) – vinegar; the symbol of patience.
• Seeb (سیب) – apple; the symbol of beauty.
• Seer (سیر) – garlic; the symbol of health and medicine.
• Somagh (سماق) – sumac; the symbol of sunrise.
• Coins (سکه sekke), hyacinth (سنبل sonbol), and clock (ساعت sa'at) are sometimes included too. Other symbolic items that are typically used to accompany Haft-sin include a mirror, candles, painted eggs, goldfish, and traditional Persian confections. A "book of wisdom" is also commonly included, which might be the Shahnameh or the Divan-e-Hafez.

Norooz 2024 at Caltech

Thank you for joining us for our first Norooz Celebration in five years at Caltech on March 10, 2024! We had an incredible time planning and celebrating with you. This Norooz Celebration has was generously supported by the Office of Student Experience (OSE), Caltech Graduate Student Council (GSC), Caltech Center for Inclusion and Diversity (CCID), Caltech Postdoc Association (CPA), Caltech Y, the Moore-Hufstedler Fund, and the International Student Program (ISP).