Hopeful, Healthier, Cheerful 2021!
Happy and Healthy New Year to Our Family and Friends with these Navreh Thaals (Kashmiri Ritual) from Manoj and me and our daughters, Srimal and Zoon!
The plates (thaals) show bowls of milk and yogurt, sweets and salt, fresh and dry fruit, book and notebook, pen and pencil, gold jewelry and a mirror. The items are placed over uncooked rice. Other items may include red chili, pods of tamarind or similar items. At the end of the day each ingredient is transferred back to their containers. (This year Zoon included “pink flowers for those we lost and vaccine card for those still here and those whom we can save.”)
Rice symbolizes sustenance and gold abundance. The transformative process of milk turning into yogurt signifies skill, method, duration and patience it requires for a task to begin, jell, develop and complete. Fresh fruit and flowers celebrate fullness of life; dry fruit passing of time. Sugar, salt, sour and spice signify inevitable emotions that are experienced through the year.
The mirror reminds us to look frequently at ourselves during the year to assess ourselves, contemplate our thoughts and cultivate kindness to experience joy and contentment.
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Denise Weaver
This is such a wonderful custom! Thank you for sharing the photos and the explanation of the various components. Wishing you and your family a healthier, happier, and very cheerful new year!
Madhu B. Wangu
You too, Denise!
Thanks for visiting!