Navruz Bayram. History and traditions of the holiday

What is Novruz (also - Nooruz, Navruz, Nauryz and other variations in other languages)? This is one of the most ancient Zoroastrian holidays on Earth. For me, since childhood, this word means the smell of burnt juniper, which is traditionally used to fumigate the house on this day, according to legends to cleanse from evil; a much more pleasant smell of fried borsok (a common Central Asian dish - pieces of dough fried in a cauldron with butter); festive abundance of dastorkon (table, or rather a white festive tablecloth spread directly on the floor), often pilaf or manti as the main dishes; sumalak (sumolok) - a dish made from sprouted wheat sprouts; and, of course, guests.

What is Novruz in a general sense? Translated from Farsi it means “new day”. First day of the Iranian calendar. An agricultural holiday of the new (solar) year and the beginning of a new life. It originated more than 3,000 years ago in the Khorasan region of Iran, celebrated on the day of the spring equinox, March 21. It is celebrated in a number of countries - Iran, India, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Kurdistan, Macedonia, in the Russian Federation - in Tatarstan, Bashkortostan and several other autonomous republics. In Iran, the celebration of Nowruz lasts 13 days, in other countries - from 1 to 4 days. In 2009, Novruz was included in the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List.

On the eve of the holiday, according to custom, people clean their houses, wash clothes, repay debts, buy new and beautiful outfits for this day. To paraphrase Chekhov, according to legend, on Navruz everything should be clean for a person - soul, clothes, body, and home. During the holiday itself, in houses and on the streets of cities and villages, 7 festive dishes are prepared for the table, starting with “s”, including a special “Navruz” dish - sumalak made from wheat sprouts. The appetizing smell of these dishes, coupled with the aroma of flatbreads and borsoks, mixes in the air with the festive spring mood and smoke from burning juniper branches. Often, when fumigating premises with juniper, they say something like a spell. For example, in Kyrgyzstan they say “Alas, alas, alas, ar baleeden kalas,” which roughly means “Save from all sorts of troubles.” Sometimes they put a mirror on the table and light as many candles as there are people in the family. They also place water with a floating leaf in it, symbolizing hope for a good harvest in agricultural areas.

People congratulate each other, acquaintances and strangers (just like on the modern New Year or Christmas). In Kyrgyzstan, for example, they say: “Nooruz mairamy kut bolsun!”, which means let the Novruz holiday be happy. To which they answer: “Birge bolsun!” - and the same to you, let it be so for everyone.

On this day, large-scale national festivals, fairs, competitions are held in many celebrating countries, and it is an official non-working day. Some schools and universities organize concerts and performances, companies hold promotions and introduce discounts on goods. Dances, songs, national costumes, the excitement of horse games, congratulations, huge cauldrons in the courtyards and on the streets, bonfires, laughter and fun - this is what Navruz also means.

It is important to note that, although it is sometimes thought that Nowruz is a Muslim holiday, it has nothing to do with Islam, but takes its origins from Zoroastrianism. Apparently due to the fact that almost all the countries that celebrate the holiday were pagan, and now Islam prevails there, such an erroneous opinion has developed among people who are not familiar with this holiday.

Among the Iranian and Turkic peoples, the spring holiday and the onset of the New Year according to solar chronology coincides with the day spring equinox. We tell you what kind of holiday Novruz is, its history and traditions.

When is Novruz Bayram celebrated?

What does the name of the holiday mean?

Nowruz means “new day” in Farsi. "Bayram" is a Turkic word and means "holiday". Novruz Bayram is one of the most ancient holidays on the planet. It symbolizes the beginning of a new life.

history of the holiday

Novruz acquired official status in the Persian Achaemenid Empire (VI-IV centuries BC). It continued to be celebrated after the Islamic conquests, right up to the present day.

It is believed that the origin of the holiday is ancient Iranian. Novruz Bayram is associated with the cult of the Sun and the name of the legendary prophet Zarathushtra (spelling option - Zoroaster, Zardusht).

According to legends, on the day of Novruz Bayram celebration, many religious events took place. People believed that on this day Zarathushtra was chosen by God to bring happiness to people.

The most ancient source where Novruz is mentioned is the holy book of Zoroastrianism “Avesta”. It says that every spring people should celebrate the emergence of life on earth, which began in six forms (sky, water, earth, plants, animals and humans).

How do you usually prepare for the holiday?

Since ancient times, people have had many customs and rituals associated with the holiday. Traditions were associated with magic, the cult of nature and fertility, and beliefs in dying and resurrecting nature.

For example, two weeks before the holiday, people sowed wheat or lentils on dishes. On the day of the celebration, the sprouts were supposed to grow up to five centimeters. They became the main decoration of the table, a symbol of the birth of a new life, the New Year.

And before Novruz, it is imperative to repent of sins, reconcile with enemies, and forgive debts. By the way, this custom is found in almost all religions.

Also, we must not forget about cleanliness in the house. Before Novruz, people try to tidy up the house, whitewash it and renovate it. Also, before the holiday, houses are decorated and garbage is removed from the street.

Big Wash

In addition, on the eve of the Novruz celebration, all clothes, especially children's clothes, were washed. It is believed that water should wash away the evil eye, envy and failure.

How to guess correctly at this time?

Since ancient times, Novruz was considered a time for fortune telling. This was especially popular among girls who dreamed of marriage. On the eve of the holiday, they throw a shoe over their head and determine by the direction of its toe whether they will stay in their parents’ house for another year or move to their betrothed’s house.

There's another one interesting tradition this holiday: in the evening with the onset of Novruz, it is customary to eavesdrop on neighbors’ conversations through windows or doors. From what you hear (a pleasant or unpleasant conversation), you can determine how successful or unsuccessful the coming year will be, both for those eavesdropping and for the owners.

The main dish of the holiday

The main dishes on the table were guja and sumalak. These dishes are prepared once a year and only on Novruz.

Guja is prepared from seven types of cereals with the addition of meat, and everything is boiled until smooth. Sumalak is halva made from sprouted wheat sprouts, which are ground and then boiled in a cauldron in cottonseed oil with the addition of flour. These dishes are very healthy, but the preparation process is very complicated. Therefore, they are prepared only once a year and only on Novruz.

And traditionally (and quite logically) pilaf is prepared for the holiday.

Navruz (Novruz, Nooruz, Nauryz, Navrez) (Persian نو روز - Now ruz, Taj. Navruz, Kurdish. Newroz, Uzbek. Navroʻz, Turkmen. Nowruz, Kazakh. Nauryz, Kyrgyz. Nooruz, Tur. Nevruz, Azerbaijani. Novruz , Crimea Navrez) is a holiday of spring and the beginning of the new year among the Iranian and Turkic peoples. The name Navruz (Persian: نو روز - Now ruz) translated from Persian means “new day”.

Celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox: March 21 in Iran, the republics of Central Asia and Transcaucasia, As Public Holiday- March 22 in Kazakhstan. Nowruz is the beginning of the year also according to the Baha'i calendar.

history of the holiday

It is believed that this holiday is more than three thousand years old. It officially became international only in 2009, when UNESCO included it in the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Navruz is the oldest agricultural holiday; its origin is associated with the emergence of the agricultural calendar.

Usually Navruz Bayram is celebrated on the day of the spring equinox. On this day, the sun is in the constellation Aries, and according to the ideas of the ancients, the whole world was created precisely at the moment of sunrise from the head of Aries, and at this time the separation of light from darkness, day from night, good from evil took place.

According to historical data, Navruz was born in one of the regions of Iran - Khorasan, which is located in the northeast of the country. The estimated date of birth of the holiday is a date removed from the current one by 3000 years ago. At the same time, agriculture began to spread in the territories of Iran and neighboring countries.

This holiday is directly related to Zoroastrianism. Navruz is a holiday of cultivators; it is associated with the annual cycle and calendar of cultivators.

This ancient holiday symbolizes in the East the end of winter and the renewal and awakening of nature.

The origin of this holiday goes back to the pre-literate era of human history. It acquired official status in the Achaemenid Empire as religious holiday Zoroastrianism. It continues to be celebrated everywhere after the Islamic conquests, right up to the present day.

Many consider Nowruz an Islamic holiday, but it should be noted that in the Middle East, Nowruz is celebrated only by representatives of those peoples who lived there before the arrival of the Arabs, the spread of Islam and the emergence of the Arab Caliphate.

Nowruz, for example, is not celebrated by Arabs in Iraq. In Turkey, from 1925 to 1991, its celebration was officially prohibited. In Syria, the celebration of Nowruz is still prohibited.

Like Christians, many rituals are associated with paganism, therefore Navruz is purely Muslim holiday cannot be named. On this day, it is customary to welcome spring, set the table and make wishes.

Traditions and customs

Rituals Traditions of celebrating the spring equinox vary only slightly from one country to another, as well as from region to region. Residents of different countries pronounce its name slightly differently. So, in Iran it is Noruz, in Afghanistan – Nowruz, in Iran and Turkey – Nevruz.

This holiday has a significant difference from our New Year. It is celebrated not at night, but in the light of day. However, like us, this is a family event. When the solemn moment arrives, everyone should be at home at the festive table. The whole family certainly gets together to celebrate Navruz. Traditions provide for the presence on the festive table, in addition to foods, of seven items. Moreover, their names must begin with the letter “s”. Their list includes rue (sepand), sprouted greens (saben), garlic (sir), apples (sib), vinegar (serke), thyme (sathar), wild olives (sinjid). In the middle of the table there is always a large loaf called a sangak; there is also a vessel with water in which a green leaf floats, as well as plates on which lie painted eggs.

The traditions of Navruz also came to us from antiquity; they symbolize renewal and entry into a “new” life. Before the holiday arrives, you need to pay off all debts, clean your home and surroundings, and prepare special holiday dishes.

This occurs according to a special ritual, which includes the composition of haft-sin and haft-shin-a. Haft-sin consists of seven elements whose names begin with the letter "C" in the Persian alphabet. Haft Shin also consists of seven elements, the names of which begin with the letter “Sh” in the Persian alphabet. These are the famous sumalak (a dish made from sprouted wheat), sipand, sirke (vinegar), semeni, sabzi (greens) and some other products, mainly of plant origin.

It is also customary to place a mirror, candles and colored eggs on the table. These items have a symbolic meaning: a candle is a fire that protects a person from evil spirits. The egg and mirror symbolize the end of the old year and the beginning of a new one.

13th day of Nowruz

The New Year celebration ends in the afternoon on the 13th day of Navruz. Everyone must leave the house or go out of town, or to the outskirts of the village and spend the whole day in the lap of nature and thereby free themselves from the adversity of the number “13”, which is considered “unlucky”. People seem to try to leave in the field all sorts of adversities that can happen during the year, and in the evening they return home.

Before the onset of Nowruz, every Tuesday evening the “days of the elements” are celebrated: the day of water, fire, air, earth, in accordance with the teachings of the Avesta about the types of origin of life.

Each of the upcoming four weeks - or rather, four Wednesdays - is dedicated to one of the four elements and is named accordingly, although the names sometimes differ depending on the region. The four Wednesdays preceding the holiday are called Su Chershenbe (Wednesday on the water), Odlu Chershenbe (Wednesday on fire), Torpag Chershenbe (Wednesday on land) and Ahyr Chershenbe (last Wednesday).

The most important among these Wednesdays is the last one - Akhyr Chershenbe Akhshamy (last Tuesday last week year) when the main events unfold. This day is full of various ritual actions and the goal is to ensure well-being for yourself, your family and in the coming new year, to free yourself from all troubles and ward off troubles and other adversities from yourself and your family. All this is in the hands of Allah, and not fire and stupid superstitious rituals with which Satan misled us into worshiping ourselves.

Akhyr Chershenbe Akhshamy (the last Tuesday of the last week of the year) was celebrated with special solemnity. According to legend, if it coincided with the day of Novruz, the year was expected to be especially lucky.

Fire worshipers betray their prayers to the flame of the sacred fire. Pagans pray that fire will protect them from enemies and spirits. Fire is the personification of life in their eyes. “May your fire go out” was the most powerful curse in these places.

In general, paganism (shirk) in all its manifestations, which originates from ancient times. Residents of Mesopotamia, according to the testimony of the ancient Greek chronicler Strabo, gathered for Navruz in the “Temple of Fire.” This explains the widespread custom today of lighting bonfires in the streets during the celebration of Nowruz.

Navruz Bayram is ancient holiday, which is celebrated by residents of many Asian countries and several regions of Russia. The date of its holding is the twenty-first of March. This is the day of the spring equinox. In addition, according to the astronomical solar calendar, which is officially used in Afghanistan and Iran, Nowruz Bayram is the first day of the new year.

The holiday is celebrated in the spring. It symbolizes the renewal of man and nature. Nowruz is translated from Farsi as “new day”.

History of origin

Navruz Bayram is considered one of the ancient holidays that have existed in human history. In Persia (modern Iran), as well as in Central Asia, it began to be celebrated a very long time ago, even before the seventh century BC. Due to the deep historical roots of the holiday, its exact origin is unknown.

The traditions of Navruz are associated with the name of the founder of the religion of Zoroastrianism, the prophet Zarathustra, as well as with the cult of fire and the Sun. The most ancient source where this holiday is mentioned is the sacred scripture of Zoroastrianism, the Avesta. It is in it that it is necessary to celebrate the emergence of life in spring.

The Navruz Bayram holiday is also associated with the reign of Shah Jamshid. The poets sang of this legendary ruler in the poem “Shahnameh”. It is also believed that it was on this day that the hero Siyavush, killed by the Turanian Afrasiyab, was buried.

Turkic legends also talk about the holiday. They mention this day as the date of the appearance of the Turkic people from the mythical place of Altai - Ergenekon.

This day is celebrated most vividly and widely by the peoples of Afghanistan and Iran. According to the official calendars of these countries, with its arrival a new year begins.

At the same time, Navruz is a spring holiday. It is on March 21 that the length of the day becomes equal to the night, and then gradually overtakes it. Spring is finally coming into its own. This holiday marks the beginning of the field harvest, which is the care and hope of farmers. That is why Navruz Bayram is a celebration of not only the beginning of the new year, but also agricultural work.

This day is celebrated in Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, Turkey and India, Macedonia and Albania, Kyrgyzstan and in certain regions Russian Federation(Bashkiria and the North Caucasus, Tatarstan and Crimea). In Arab countries, the vernal equinox is not celebrated.

Deadlines

Spring rituals are celebrated according to the solar calendar, which is called the ancient Iranian (shamsi). In it, the first days of each month coincide with the new moons. Moreover, every year these dates shift by ten to eleven days. The holiday begins when the sun's disk enters the constellation Aries. Previously, this moment was determined by astrologers - munadgijims - people of a very revered profession in the East. Currently, this event is calculated by astronomers and indicated on the calendar with an accuracy of the minute. Besides this, about at this moment announced on television and radio.

In Afghanistan and Iran, Nowruz Bayram is an official holiday. In this case, the first five days of the new year, as well as the thirteenth, are non-working days. In other countries, Nowruz is a national festival. However, in essence, it is the same everywhere. This is a day of solemn and joyful welcoming of spring.

Traditions for celebrating the spring equinox vary only slightly from one country to another, as well as from region to region. Residents of different countries pronounce its name slightly differently. So, in Iran it is Noruz, in Afghanistan – Nowruz, in Iran and Turkey – Nevruz.

All dishes must certainly emphasize the agricultural focus of the spring holiday. For example, an egg, greens and bread symbolize fertility.

The celebration of Nowruz in rural areas begins with the laying of a furrow. At the same time, the most respected resident is behind the plow. He throws some grain into the first furrow. Only after this can all field work begin - harrowing, plowing, sowing, etc.

Celebration of the thirteenth day

Tajiks, Persians and Hazaras (the people of Afghanistan) call this day “Sizdeh Bedar”. Translated, it means “Thirteen at the Gate.” On this day, citizens visit gardens and parks and travel outside the city in cheerful groups. The peasants go out into the groves and meadows. Sweets are brought to these picnics to ensure a happy year.

Basic traditions of Nowruz

Before the start of the New Year, it is customary to do a thorough cleaning of the house, as well as update the wardrobe of all family members. Those who celebrate the holiday of Navruz Bayram must repay all debts, forgive grievances and make peace with ill-wishers before the spring equinox.

According to existing tradition, a fire festival is held before the New Year. It happens in a rather unusual way. On the last Tuesday of the year, bonfires are lit in the streets. This happens after sunset. According to tradition, everyone jumps through the fire - children and adults.

During the celebration, there should be vases with flowers and candles, mirrors and fruits on the table, as well as a variety of dishes, such as pilaf. According to the traditions of the Afghan people, a special compote called haftmeva is prepared for Nowruz. It contains almonds and pistachios, light and dark raisins, walnuts and senjed. Kazakhs put a special dish on the festive table - nauryz kozhe. It also contains seven components: water and flour, meat and butter, milk and cereals, and salt. There are several recipes for preparing this dish. In this regard, each housewife prepares it differently.

According to the existing tradition, during the New Year celebrations the dead are commemorated, and in the first days of Nowruz they visit friends and parents.

Instructions

Each nation has its own customs and traditions. But the brightest thing for everyone is the New Year's Eve. Peoples different countries mark the beginning of the year on different dates. IN Muslim countries In Asia, the celebration begins on March 21 - the day of the spring equinox, when field work begins. Nature awakens from winter hibernation. Buds appear on trees, flowers bloom, and animals and people rejoice at the onset of sunny days. The holiday is called Navruz, which translated from Farsi means New Year. Another three millennia BC, Navruz was one of the most important holidays of the population.

Many delicious national dishes are prepared on the holiday. Main course festive table spring sumalak. This dish must be prepared in advance. Seven days before Nowruz, wheat grains are soaked in a basin for germination. From the sprouts you can predict what the harvest will be this year. If the sprouts are long, then the harvest will be good. Kok-samsa pies are baked and filled with clover, spinach, shepherd's purse, quinoa, and mint. For dessert they serve nishalda - these are whipped egg whites with sugar, to which are added fragrant herb roots. There must be seven names of products on the table that begin with the Persian letter Sin: apples, fresh herbs, sumulak, sea buckthorn berries, vinegar, garlic, . And seven products starting with the letter Shin: candy, honey, wine, syrup, rice, sugar, milk.

Many events are held during Navruz with performances by artists and folk art groups. The performances of archers and strongmen-batyrs are beautiful. Strongmen perform national wrestling, compete in weight lifting and tug of war. Cock and dog fights take place. Exhibitions of folk crafts are fascinating to look at. Not a single guest returns home without beautiful souvenirs. The works depict scenes of folk life.