Mumbai: Apples and pudding to mark Navroze celebrations

MUMBAI: The Parsi Irani Zoroastrian community is preparing to visit fire temples in strength at the Persian New Year festival of Jamshedi Navroz March 21. The celebration coincides with the Spring Equinox.
This season particularly is likely to witness a higher turnout since people were unable to worship collectively during the past two years of the Covid lockdown.
Jamshedi Navroze is also celebrated by a section of Iranian Muslims who offer special prayers in mosques like Mughal Masjid in Bhendi Bazar.
In Bandra, entrepreneur Seema Sadequian, head chef of Cafe Mommyjoon, laid out the 'Haft Seen', a beautiful array of seven auspicious items all beginning with the letter 'S' on a large table at home Sunday evening. Commonly sumac, apples, garlic, sweet pudding, dry fruit, vinegar, sprouts, coin, candle, egg and hyacinth figure on the list, she said.
One destination for Navroze delicacies in Mumbai is Iranian Sweets Palace in Bhendi Bazar. This shop opens its doors only for a few days at New Year for its annual sale of sweetmeats. Owner Hassan Irani has not registered his presence on online delivery sites. Yet, word of mouth publicity draws buyers to his large round trays of golden brown Iranian baklava, an enticing green halwa called louze pista, sohan halwa, zereshk used in berry pulao, mulberries, dry fruit, shervin gaz, almond, pistachio, date sweets and rose sherbet all imported from Iran.
Iranian restaurants like Cafe Excelsior will open later than usual, around 11.00am, as the owners head to pray at the fire temple.