Nowruz in Afghanistan

Nowruz is celebrated for two weeks throughout Afghanistan. People wear new clothes, refurbish their house, paint the buildings and henna their hands.
During the first three days of the year, families and relatives meet and visit each other’s houses.
One of most famous of Nowruz traditions among Afghans is cooking Samanu (or samanak). Samanu is a special type of sweet dish made from Wheat germ. Women take a special party for it during the night, and cook it from late in the evening till the daylight, singing a special song: Samanak dar Josh o ma Kafcha zanem - Degaran dar Khwab o ma Dafcha zanem.
One of the most significant symbolic traditions of Nowruz in Afghanistan is Haft Mewa, or “Seven Fruits.” (Haft Sin, or seven “S,” is a similar tradition common in Iran.) The “seven fruits” table starts with seven dried fruits: raisins, senjed (the dried fruit of the oleaster tree), pistachios, hazelnuts, prunes (dry fruit of apricot), walnuts and either almond or another species of plum fruit. Haft Mewa is like a fruit salad, served in the fruits’ syrup.
Along with other customs and celebrations, normally a Buzkashi tournament is held. The Buzkashi matches take place in northern cities of Afghanistan and in Kabul.
This year, all Afghans are hoping to start a good year with changes and improvement in security issues.
More pictures:1, 2

Haft-Sin

Excuse me for my long late. I want update my blog after three weeks. We were in vacation through our new year; our new year is named Nowruz. Today post is about Haftsin.
Haftsin or the seven 'S's is a traditional table setting of Nowruz, the traditional Iranian spring celebration. Today the haft sin table includes seven specific items, all starting with the sin (س) in the Persian alphabet. The items symbolically correspond to seven creations and holy immortals protecting them.
Traditionally, families attempt to set the most aesthetically appealing Haft Sîn table they can as an expression of traditional, spiritual, and social value, for visitors during Nowruz visitations. The Haft Sin items are:
1.Sabzeh: wheat, barley, mung bean or lentil sprouts growing in a dish - symbolising rebirth
2.Samanu: sweet pudding made from wheat germ - symbolising affluence
3.Senjed: dried oleaster fruit - symbolising love
4.Sir: garlic - symbolising medicine
5.Sib: apples - symbolising beauty and health
6.Somaq: sumac fruit - symbolising (the color of) sunrise
7.Serkeh: vinegar - symbolising old-age and patience
A slightly less traditional Haft Sin may also include:
Sonbol: the fragrant hyacinth flower - symbolising the coming of spring
Sekkeh: coins - symbolising prosperity
Ajil: dried nuts, berries and raisins
a mirror
decorated eggs, sometimes one for each member of the family symbolising fertility
a bowl with goldfish symbolising life, and the constellation of Pisces which the Sun is leaving
rose water, used to cleanse in Islam before prayer and is also heavily prevalent in Iranian cuisine
You look our Haftsin and me in the picture ;)