Khoncha

It is important that there be a khoncha (a big silver or copper tray with samani, green shoots from wheat seeds placed in the centre, and candles and dyed eggs) with samani (green sprouting wheat) on the holiday table in Novruz. Each of the national sweets around samani has a special meaning. Pakhlava (or pahlava, a delicious sweet pastry) symbolises the four directions of the earth, goghal (a popular, non-sweet multilayered bun with a savoury, aromatic filling) - the Sun, shakarbura (a sweet pastry, filled with ground almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts, and sugar) - the Moon, and dyed eggs - Life.