The start of a new year is an auspicious occasion, no matter what calendar is followed. The Muslim New Year falls on the Egyptian calender which starts with the Blessed month of Moharram-ul-Haram.
The Dawoodi Bohras (most peaceful community) every year helds their own unique celebration of the Islamic new year, which is based on the Egyptian calendar that the community follows.
Traditionally, Bohras eat in a ‘thaal’ or a steel serving dish of mammoth proportions (as pix above) that is laden down with small portions of the various delights of their cuisine. It is placed about a foot off the ground on a kundli (stand) for the family that gathers around for a meal eaten out of the same dish.
The new year’s eve is widely referred to as the thaal’s birthday, with the thaal symbolising the hope of the coming year’s prosperity. It is treated with respect and as a token of respect it is laden with as many food items as it can take.
The norm is to have different dishes on the thaal this night. Usually every item on the thaal is prepared in small quantity if the dishes are many. Individual sweetmeats, fruits and even the salt, with which it is mandatory to start and end every meal.
Food symbolises individual blessings and the variety is an implicit prayer in hope of being blessed in various ways in the coming year. This concept is called ‘sakhan’.
Pehli raat thaal menu significance as per my knowledge 😊
My sasuma had explained that 4 things are important representing the 4 elements in nature whose Significance are these:
Jannat nu Phaal ~ Pomegranate
Water ~ Fish
Earth ~ Wheat which we keep lachka or thuli.
Underground ~ Muli (Radish) or any other veg which grows underground.
Before the tasting of the salt, there is the ritual of ‘wadhawanu’ which entails passing a coconut over the thaal seven times in a clockwork direction. This tradition is often performed on birthdays as well, and since new year’s eve is considered the thaal’s birthday, it is given the same honour. Bohris start their meal with a sweet dish and alternate with savoury dishes as they progress along the courses. After wadhawanu comes the tasting of the salt, which is followed by ‘sundenu’ or ‘shakranu’. This is a small dish of sweetened rice which is always eaten before a meal to commemorate a happy occasion. With the coming years it is now the tradition to minimise the dishes to few due to health reasons. NO TO FOOD WASTAGE is our MOTTO.
Greetings are shared with one and all. New clothes are worn. The entire tradition of the first night of the new year comprises rituals that denote the hope of a blessed year to follow.
The Dawoodi Bohras (most peaceful community) every year helds their own unique celebration of the Islamic new year, which is based on the Egyptian calendar that the community follows.
Traditionally, Bohras eat in a ‘thaal’ or a steel serving dish of mammoth proportions (as pix above) that is laden down with small portions of the various delights of their cuisine. It is placed about a foot off the ground on a kundli (stand) for the family that gathers around for a meal eaten out of the same dish.
The new year’s eve is widely referred to as the thaal’s birthday, with the thaal symbolising the hope of the coming year’s prosperity. It is treated with respect and as a token of respect it is laden with as many food items as it can take.
The norm is to have different dishes on the thaal this night. Usually every item on the thaal is prepared in small quantity if the dishes are many. Individual sweetmeats, fruits and even the salt, with which it is mandatory to start and end every meal.
Food symbolises individual blessings and the variety is an implicit prayer in hope of being blessed in various ways in the coming year. This concept is called ‘sakhan’.
Pehli raat thaal menu significance as per my knowledge 😊
My sasuma had explained that 4 things are important representing the 4 elements in nature whose Significance are these:
Jannat nu Phaal ~ Pomegranate
Water ~ Fish
Earth ~ Wheat which we keep lachka or thuli.
Underground ~ Muli (Radish) or any other veg which grows underground.
Before the tasting of the salt, there is the ritual of ‘wadhawanu’ which entails passing a coconut over the thaal seven times in a clockwork direction. This tradition is often performed on birthdays as well, and since new year’s eve is considered the thaal’s birthday, it is given the same honour. Bohris start their meal with a sweet dish and alternate with savoury dishes as they progress along the courses. After wadhawanu comes the tasting of the salt, which is followed by ‘sundenu’ or ‘shakranu’. This is a small dish of sweetened rice which is always eaten before a meal to commemorate a happy occasion. With the coming years it is now the tradition to minimise the dishes to few due to health reasons. NO TO FOOD WASTAGE is our MOTTO.
Greetings are shared with one and all. New clothes are worn. The entire tradition of the first night of the new year comprises rituals that denote the hope of a blessed year to follow.
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