PUNE The Parsi community will celebrate Navroz today (Sunday) and amid the pandemic most of them plan to celebrate it at home with family and friends.
Navroz marks the first day of the month of Farvardin on the Iranian calendar and signals the start of Spring and the Persian New Year.
Tehmas Barucha, said, “Amid the Covid pandemic, I do not want to take a risk and hence this time we will be all confined to our home. We will say our prayers and decorate the table.”
The table and its ingredients are important during the festival. The table preparation is known as “HaftŠeen” has Serkeh (vinegar), Sekkeh (coins), Sabzeh (vegetation), Seeb (apple), Suzaan (needle), Seer (garlic), Sonbol (hyacinth), Sauat (clock), Samanu (sweet wheat germ pudding), Senjed (oleaster), Somaaq (sumac) used to decorate the Meez E Murad for Jamshedi Navroze.
The Zoroastrian Youth Association usually plans a social gathering at the fire temples in the city every year, but this year due to Covid, Navroze celebrations are confined to be celebrated within their homes.
“We have advised many people to avoid visiting the fire temple to offer prayers and have cancelled all the social events that are usually planned. We have food, dance and socialising for all the Parsis in the city, but this year, it will not be so,” said Kaipashin Raimalwalla, priest at Sir JJ Agiary, Dastur Meher Road, Camp.
{{/usCountry}}“We have advised many people to avoid visiting the fire temple to offer prayers and have cancelled all the social events that are usually planned. We have food, dance and socialising for all the Parsis in the city, but this year, it will not be so,” said Kaipashin Raimalwalla, priest at Sir JJ Agiary, Dastur Meher Road, Camp.
{{/usCountry}}The SR Patel Agiary also wears a deserted look with only the priest in the fire temples. “This year the situation is different and this second wave of Covid has doubled the fears. Instead of going out for dinners as most of the people do for New Year’s, they are ordering from various Parsi restaurants,” said Farah Arzaan Khambata.
It is a busy day for Darius Dorabjee, with almost 100 orders of the traditional Parsi meals to be sent out. “The families have ordered early, enough for one or two families to eat together for Navroze. The traditional dishes include patrani macchi, salli mughi, mutton pulav, dal, and a sweet, lagan nu custard. All these dishes are auspicious especially the fish, even the sweet is in the shape of a fish, which is looked upon as a good omen,” said Darius.
Mabrin Nanavati from Food Gallery is still taking orders, “Almost 150 families have ordered complete meals as they prefer to stay indoors instead of visiting the restaurants.”