2024-04-07 21:59:42
Azerbaijan celebrates one of the most ancient, beloved and cheerful holidays, Novruz, which incorporates the traditional values of our people. Novruz in Azerbaijan has always been a holiday of the earth, the awakening of nature, moral purity, and equality. According to the ancient solar calendar, this day marks the beginning of spring and the new year.
Therefore, we will tell Day.Az readers about the history, features and traditions of this wonderful holiday. On September 30, 2009, Novruz was included by UNESCO in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and since that time, March 21 has been declared International Nowruz Day.
Ancient history
During pagan times, on the eve of the festival, spring sowing of lands, watering, etc. began. Pre-holiday folk events were held – competitions of pahlavans (wrestlers, strongmen), riders and poets, bouquets of flowers were tied, which were carried in a long line along the streets of cities and villages. Such processions were called “boychichek”, i.e. “Novruz flower” Children walked in a crowd from house to house, mesmerizing by playing musical instruments: tar, zurna, nagara, pipe…. The owners greeted the group with great joy, took flowers, kissed the children, wished them good luck, and gave all kinds of gifts. By the way, the custom of throwing a “hat” at the door appeared precisely in those times, only it should not be empty, but filled with flowers, i.e. – flowers in exchange for food. In Soviet times, Novruz was celebrated unofficially, as it was prohibited and even persecuted by the authorities, but every Azerbaijani family tried to preserve age-old traditions.
In Azerbaijan, preparations for the Novruz holiday begin a month before the holiday itself. After all, the awakening of nature begins precisely with Novruz, and the Azerbaijani people celebrate it very solemnly and festively, observing rituals and traditions. According to folk tales, Novruz is preceded by four Tuesdays (“chershenbe akhshamy”, but usually called “chershenbe”), each of which is dedicated to the awakening of one of the natural elements. So, every week on Tuesday Su, Od, Yel and Torpag (or called Akhyr) Chershenbe are celebrated – respectively, Tuesdays of Water, Fire, Wind and Earth (or the last, pre-holiday). The awakening of these forces of nature heralds the arrival of the fifth, main element, a new bright day – Novruz, the beginning of the revival and complete awakening of the earth.
Happy Novruz holiday is congratulated with the words “Novruz bayramınız mübarək olsun!” (“May your Novruz holiday be happy!”) and respond to congratulations with the words “Sizinlə bahəm!” (“And yours too!”). From March 20 to 21, the whole family gathers at home. Children are given gifts. Everyone must be dressed in new clothes. People say: “If you are not at home on the first day of Novruz, then you will not see him for seven years.”
The Novruz holiday in Azerbaijan is celebrated very cheerfully and richly, because according to beliefs, the abundance and number of dishes on the table should ensure the material well-being of the family in the new year. Nizami in the poem “Iskendername” writes about how Nushabe, who invited Iskender to visit on the day of the Nowruz holiday, lights a fire and puts all kinds of dishes on the table. The festive tablecloth must include seven dishes, the names of which begin with the letter “s”. On the table there should be sumac – seasoning, sud – milk, sirke – vinegar, semeni – sprouted wheat, sabzi – greens, sarymsag – garlic and others.
In addition, the following are placed on the table: the holy book Koran, a mirror, lighted candles and colored eggs, which also had a logical explanation. A candle – light or fire protects from evil spirits, a mirror – a sign of clarity or establishing the time of the new year. According to mythology, the globe is supported by the horns of a huge bull. Over the course of a year, this bull gets tired and throws the globe from one horn to another. Therefore, the egg is placed on the mirror, and as soon as it swings, it means the new year begins. All guests, watching the symbolic swinging of the egg on the mirror, congratulate each other and wish all the best. The number of candles should correspond to the number of family members. Burning candles cannot be blown out; they must burn out completely. Legend has it that blowing out shortens the life of someone in the family. It is also desirable to have a bowl of water on the table, on the surface of which floats a green leaf, red sherbet (syrup), various fruits and sweets, walnuts, chicken, fish and cheese, and festive pilaf.
Festive table
The festive table on this day is special with sweets – shekerbura, baklava, badambura, gogal, etc. The king of the festive table is pilaf – it is what ends the feast for which relatives and friends gather. It is prepared according to traditional recipes with various side dishes – meat, chicken or fish. Dried fruits are added to sweet pilaf – dried apricots, cherry plums and sultanas, and sabzi is prepared with several types of greens. On this holiday, many people choose pilaf with beans, which symbolizes wealth. Another version of the main dish is pilaf sabzi (with greens), which symbolizes the revival of nature and the coming of the new year. Lavyangi is another side dish for pilaf that requires time and skill, as well as shah-pilaf, which is baked in dough. It is advisable that there should also be fish on the table, always with the head, which is often served stuffed with nuts and sultanas.
According to tradition, everyone treats each other with sweets. On this day, in the morning you need to eat something sweet, for example, honey, or if you don’t have it, sugar. After which you should smell the fragrant smoke, which is a symbol of liberation from “evil spirits.” There is a custom to paint boiled eggs and test them in a game for strength.
At the same time, there is an unwritten custom – on the days of the spring holiday, to give people a festive “share” (Novruz payi). Holiday delicacies, seeds, candles, khoncha are placed in the tray and sent to neighbors and friends. This tray should not be returned empty, since in this case, according to popular belief, the house will lose its wealth. Therefore, those who received khoncha return the dishes, but with other holiday treats, in accordance with their taste and capabilities.
Save me seed
The symbol of Novruz – a seed (sprouted wheat) symbolizes hope for increased harvests, a calm and comfortable life in the future; it was believed that the seed also has some magical effect. For example, it was used to perform a “purification ritual” for women who could not give birth. To do this, a dish with a seed was placed on the woman’s head, water was poured, and another woman, “cutting through” the stream of water with scissors, said: “Oh, the power that made the seed fertile, make this woman fertile.” The process of “preparing” the semen looked like a religious rite, and only “happy women” were allowed to participate in it, and men, infidels and women with the “evil eye” were not allowed in.
Jumping over the fire
During the celebration of Novruz, there is a ritual – jumping over a fire. Previously, when evening came, each family in the courtyard of their house lit torches corresponding to the number of family members: the ritual of jumping over fires came into force. Everyone, young and old, even mothers with infants, had to jump over the burning fire, saying: “All my troubles are for you, and your joy is for me.” You had to jump over the fire 7 times. Each fire was lit by a minor boy – this fire was considered pure. It was believed that fire cleanses from filth, ennobles, conjures dark forces, and all the worst of the old year burns in the flames of this fire. All illnesses, sufferings, natural disasters, sins seemed to be “consumed” by fire, and the people were born again.” Under no circumstances should the fire be doused with water, and after it went out, the girls and boys collected the ashes and poured them somewhere on the outskirts. The trill of folk instruments sounded, people went out to the banks of rivers, lakes and the sea and celebrated celebrations there. The presence of the “four components” together – earth, water, fire and open air personified a happy future. The people had fun, danced, played “kes” -kyos”, wishes for good luck and health were heard from everywhere. Cock and goat fights were held. The most courageous swam across the ponds. National dishes were prepared in the families, and everyone sat down at the same table. According to tradition, all household members had to be at home, because people say: “ If you are not at home on a holiday, seven years of wandering await you! ” The presence of the magical “seven” – salt, bread, sugar, coal, mirror, water and fruit – was considered obligatory on the festive table.