Traditions with rose water
Rose water, made by distilling rose petals, is an old perfume and flavouring of Persia, which spread across the Middle East, Central Asia, India and North Africa.
Rose water, made by distilling rose petals, is an old perfume and flavouring of Persia, which spread across the Middle East, Central Asia, India and North Africa. It is added to sweets, drinks and rice, sprinkled on guests' hands, and used in religious ceremonies. The damask roses of Kashan in Iran and Kelaa M'Gouna in Morocco are harvested each spring with festivals. These pages describe the traditions where rose water is used.
Where it is used
In Iran, rose water flavours the ice cream bastani, the sweets of Nowruz and the tea, and in Kashan the Golab-giri festival is held in May. In Morocco, it perfumes pastries and is sprinkled on guests' hands, in Turkey, it flavours lokum, Turkish delight, and in India, it is in gulab jamun and lassi. In Lebanon, it features in ma'amoul and desserts, and in Pakistan, kheer.
What it means
The offering of rose water to a visitor, from a silver sprinkler, is a sign of welcome in Iran and Morocco. Washing the Kaaba and the shrines is traditionally done with it. In weddings, it is sprinkled on the couple and guests. The flower and its scent are symbols of love and poetry, from Rumi and Hafez to Omar Khayyam, and a bowl of rose petals is part of a Persian new year table.
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background on Rose water (spice). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
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