Novruz is the holiday widely celebrated in Azerbaijan as the symbol of winter's leaving and spring's coming. It is celebrated on the first day of spring. The first day of spring on the calendar is determined by the annual circling of the sun. According to the scientists the holiday has ancient history. This holiday celebrated in the ancient Babylon for 12 days beginning in Nisan (March, April) 21. each of the 12 days had their ceremonies and enjoyment. According to the first inscription the holiday of Novruz established in 505 B.C.
Nature starts to wake in Novruz and people demonstratively celebrate it during a month. Four Tuesdays before the holiday are celebrated - Su Charshanbasi (water-Tuesday), Od Charshanbasi (fire-Tuesday), Torpag Charshanbasi (land-Tuesday) and Akhir Charshanba (last or wind-Tuesday). According to the folk belief water in the first Tuesday purifies and stirs, fire in the second Tuesday, land on the third Tuesday and wind in the fourth Tuesday awaken the nature, the trees begin blossoming - all these symbolize spring's coming.
Noruz holiday is rich with ancient traditions and games. 'Khidir Ilyas' the symbol of productivity and blossom),'Kos-Kosa'- funny square game(the symbol of spring's coming) and fortune- telling are among them.
Novruz also have Interesting traditions relating with water and fire. Being the land of the fire Azerbaijan has rich traditions relating with it. The fire is the symbol of purification and clarification. Bonfires are made in Novruz and before the holiday comes people in Akhir Charshanba, despite of the age and gender, jump seven times over one, or once over 7 bonfires and say: 'Give me your redness and take my yellowness.' The fire is never put out by water; it burns down by itself. Young boys and girls take the ash of the fire and throw it far from the house. It is explained as follows: all the mischance of the family is thrown away with the ash.
Purification by water is related with the real peculiarity of water. Traditions related with water symbolize New Year in Azerbaijan. Jumping over flowing water in the New Year one clears himself from his past year's faults. The members of the family splash water on themselves before going to bed at night on the eve of New Year day. They say all flowing waters cease in Akhir Charshanba and everything bound to it, even trees bound down. Who drinks from this water on the evening of the New Year he saves himself from all the diseases in coming year.
Azerbaijanis pay particular attention to table laid for the holiday. There should be 7 varieties of food on the table the names of which starts with letter 'S' , for example sumakh (a kind of spice), sirke (vinegar), sud (milk), samani (grown wheat), sebzi (fried meat with greens) etc. A mirror, with coloured eggs on it and candles should also be on the table. Candle is the symbol of fire and light (keeping a person from damage), mirror is the symbol of happiness.
According to the tradition all the members of the family should be at home on the first day of the holiday. People say: 'If you are not at home on the day of the holiday, you will live without home for seven years.' The outer doors kept open in the past. On the first day of the new year the lights are kept turned on whole night, for turned off light and fire is the symbol of misfortune.
Celebrating Novruz people in the villages determine the peculiarity of the coming year: weather it will be either arid or rainy and determine the degree of productivity. According to the tradition the first day of Novruz symbolizes spring, second day after it is summer, the third day is autumn and the fourth is winter. If the first day is windless and arid, so the spring is going to be favourable for agricultural works, and if it is rainy and windy so the spring is expected to be the same. On the rest of the days they determined summer, autumn and winter.
Негізгі бет Novruz - Spring Holiday in Azerbaijan
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