Navruz (Novruz Bayram) is the oldest folk holiday among Muslims. Novruz Bayram: history, traditions and customs of the holiday Fortune telling for Navruz

Navruz in Farsi means “new day”, and “Bayram” is a Turkic word and means “holiday”. This is one of the most ancient holidays on Earth, symbolizing the beginning of a new life.

Nowruz 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.

And although the celebration of Nowruz is widespread among Muslim peoples, it is not religious, but rather folk holiday, which is associated with spring, the beginning of agricultural work, the awakening of nature and the onset of warm days.

Holiday

The origin of the holiday is associated with the cult of the Sun and the name of the ancient Persian prophet Zarathushtra. The sacred book of the Zoroastrians "Avesta" is the oldest source where the celebration of Nowruz is mentioned.

According to the teachings of the Avesta, people should celebrate the emergence of life on earth every spring, which arose “in six forms” (sky, water, earth, plants, animals and humans).

According to legend, many legendary events took place on this day, including Zarathushtra being chosen by God to bring happiness to people, and the mythical king Tahmuras sending evil divas and ruthless people to prison. The origin of Navruz is also associated with the mythical king Jamshid, on whom the rays of the sun fell on that day.

According to Turkic legends, on this day the Turks escaped from encirclement by leaving Ergenekon (a territory surrounded by mountains). Therefore, Nowruz was accepted by the Turkic peoples as the beginning of the New Year and is celebrated to this day.

Over the many years of its existence, the holiday was either canceled or reintroduced. And today it is not celebrated in all Muslim countries. In the Middle East, the holiday is celebrated only by those peoples who lived there before the arrival of the Arabs and the widespread spread of Islam.

The Arabs themselves do not celebrate this holiday. Moreover, Nowruz is officially banned in Syria, and in Turkey the ban on its celebration was lifted only in 1991.

Navruz as the official beginning of the new year according to astronomical solar calendar March 21 is celebrated in Iran and Afghanistan, as well as in Iraqi Kurdistan, India, Macedonia and so on. Nowruz is the beginning of the year also according to the Baha'i calendar.

In the CIS countries, Navruz is celebrated as national holiday Tatars, Bashkirs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Tajiks, Uzbeks and many other peoples. Depending on the country or region, the name of the holiday is pronounced differently - Novruz, Nowruz, Nuruz, Nevruz, Nauryz, Nowruz and so on.

Muslims during the celebration of the Navruz holiday in the Khan's Palace in Bakhchisaray

The duration of the holiday also varies. In some states it is celebrated for three days, and in others for five or more. In ancient times, Navruz was celebrated for 13 days. At the end of the celebrations, people went out into the field, where they met New Year. In the old days, it was believed that those who spent these days in the field enjoying nature throughout the coming year would be blessed with happiness and prosperity. this tradition has been preserved.

This tradition has been preserved in some countries, including Iran, where people spend the 13th day of spring outdoors with their relatives.

In ancient times, the date of Navruz was determined by astrologers. Now astronomers calculate the date of Navruz to the minute. In 2018 Day spring equinox will occur on March 20 at 16:15 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), or 20:15 Tbilisi time.

The celebration of Nowruz on the day of the spring equinox is associated with the emergence of the solar calendar, which appeared among the peoples of Central Asia and Iran seven thousand years ago, long before the emergence of Islam.

This is how Nowruz differs from the Muslim New Year, since the Muslim calendar is based on the lunar annual cycle. The Muslim lunar year begins with the month of Muharram, that is, the New Year occurs on the 1st day of the month of Muharram, which is the first month of the Muslim calendar.

Traditions

Since ancient times, the importance of this period of the year for people's lives has given rise to many traditions, customs and rituals that are associated with magical actions, the cult of nature and fertility.

Muslims begin preparing for Navruz a month before the holiday - Tuesdays are considered especially pre-holiday. Each of the four Tuesdays (chershenbe) has its own name in accordance with the natural element (water, fire, earth and wind), the “awakening” of which it is dedicated.

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Baku celebrated "Earth Tuesday" before the Novruz holiday

The awakening of these elements of nature heralds the arrival of the fifth, main element, a new bright day - Navruz, the beginning of the revival and complete revitalization of the earth. Accordingly, every Tuesday has its own ancient traditions and rituals, many of which have survived to this day.

On the first Tuesday, they begin to plant “syamen” - sprouted wheat seeds, an integral symbol of Nowruz. It is a symbol of life, wealth, health and family well-being.

Despite the fact that the name of the Muslim New Year is in languages different nations sounds with different intonations, the traditions of its celebration in all countries are approximately the same. Thus, in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, there is a tradition of fumigating homes on the night before the holiday with smoking juniper branches in order to drive out evil spirits.

Before the holiday, you need to repent of your sins, make peace with your enemies, and forgive your debts. According to legend, during the days of Nowruz, good farishta angels bring abundance and prosperity to those who have pure thoughts, who are bright in soul, and whose house is tidy. Therefore, before Navruz, the owners try to put the house in order, whitewash and repair it.

All household work associated with the celebration of Nowruz must be completed the day before, including cleaning, preparing festive dishes, and decorating the home with green apple and pomegranate branches.

Clothing must be washed, especially children's clothes, as it was believed that water would wash away all the negativity. Even before Islam, the week before Nowruz was considered dedicated to the souls of ancestors. They commemorated their ancestors by making offerings to them and asking them for help in the coming year and protection from harm.

Customs and rituals

The custom of lighting ritual bonfires, lighting torches and candles has survived to this day, since Zoroastrians were fire worshipers and considered fire to be the life force.

Therefore, before the New Year, symbolic rites of purification are carried out. Bonfires are lit on the streets of cities and villages, and people must jump over one bonfire seven times or over seven bonfires once. On the last night of the old year, it is customary to splash each other with water and jump over running water to cleanse oneself of last year's sins.

Nowruz is a time of fortune telling. Girls of marriageable age are especially keen on this. This evening 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.

According to the old custom, on a festive evening with the onset of Nowruz, it is customary to eavesdrop on neighbors’ conversations through windows or doors, and depending on the pleasant or unpleasant conversation heard, determine how successful or unsuccessful the coming year will be for both the eavesdroppers and the owners.

According to popular beliefs, a lot on this holiday depends on the arrival of the first person in the house. The first guest of the New Year should have a quiet and kind character, have a good sense of humor, a good name and reputation, and most importantly, have a “lucky foot”, that is, bring good luck to the house.

In Uzbekistan they believe that the deeds done by a person during the thirteen days of Navruz will be done by him throughout the year. Therefore, it is customary to forgive each other’s debts and live in peace with everyone.

Festive feast

On this day, all family members gather at the New Year's festive table, which is called "haft-sin". Depending on the region, the range of holiday dishes differs, but in mandatory There must be magical objects and products that symbolize purity, light, abundance, happiness and fertility in the New Year.

According to tradition, there should be seven dishes on the table, the names of which begin with the letter “sin” (s): syamyani (sprouted grains), seb (apple), sir (garlic), sumac (barberry), sirko (vinegar), sipand ( spinach), sonjeet (olive).

For the holiday, a variety of dishes are prepared from lamb, fish, chicken and eggs, richly seasoned with various spices and decorated with herbs.

A festively set table must include the ritual delicacy sumalak (malt halva), prepared from the juice of sprouted wheat grains with the addition of sugar and flour.

A mirror and candles must be placed on the table according to the number of family members. These candles cannot be extinguished until they burn out completely. Be sure to serve homemade bread, nuts, almonds, milk, cheese, fish, eggs, colored in green, a vessel with rose water, a bowl of water in which it floats green leaf. And, of course, there should be a Koran on the table.

Traditional sweets are served on the festive table - shekerbura, baklava, badambura, gogal and so on, as well as sweet pilaf seasoned with sultanas and dried fruits and other delicacies.

The host hands out a dish with barely sprouted grain to the guests who come to the holiday, eating which symbolizes participation in the rebirth of all living things.

The festive ritual is not limited to the feast. On this day, children go from house to house and sing songs about Navruz, and they are given sweets. Artists perform on the streets, wits compete, songs and jokes are heard.

In Uzbekistan, folk festivities take place on this day, for example, the game of Kopkari, fights and horse racing. There are similar traditions in Kyrgyzstan - during the festivities, the art of horse riding is demonstrated with the participation of local communities in such horse races as Kyz Kuumai (a competition in which the rider must catch up with a girl on horseback), Enish (rider wrestling) and Zhamby Atuu (shooting). from onions).

Other Nowruz traditions include local street performances, a circus in Iran called Band Bazi, and sporting event Buz Kashi in Afghanistan, which consists of riders using a headless goat carcass for the game.

The Nowruz holiday was included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in September 2009, and in February 2010 the UN General Assembly declared March 21 as International Nowruz Day.

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.

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 of 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 arrival of sunny days. The holiday is called Navruz, which means New Year in Farsi. Another three millennia BC, Navruz was one of the most important holidays of the population.

Many delicious national dishes are prepared on the holiday. The main dish of the festive table is 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.

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 their clothes, repay debts, and 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.

SIMFEROPOL, March 21 – RIA Novosti Crimea. International Nowruz Day is widely celebrated on March 21 every year among Muslims in many countries. This is one of the most ancient holidays on the planet, symbolizing the beginning of a new life, a new agricultural year.

History and national characteristics celebrations

In September 2009, the agricultural holiday Navruz Bayram was included in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and in February 2010, the UN General Assembly declared March 21 as International Navruz Day.

In the CIS, the holiday is celebrated as a national holiday by Tatars, Kazakhs, Bashkirs, Kyrgyz, Tajiks, Uzbeks and many other peoples. The commonly used pronunciation is “Navruz”, but each nation pronounces the name of the holiday differently: Novruz, Navruz, Nuruz, Nevruz, Nauryz, Nooruz, etc. The Crimean Tatars call it Navrez.

“This is a national holiday that is well rooted in our culture, so for us it’s like a secular New Year, another reason to get together with the whole family. The new generation takes the holiday not as seriously as our old people. Before returning to Crimea, we survived, we were There’s no time for spirituality. Now we are returning to our own traditions,” Shefika Abduramanova, head of the exhibition, cultural and educational activities department of the Crimean Tatar Museum of Cultural and Historical Heritage, told RIA Novosti Crimea.

The holiday is non-religious. It arose long before Islam and was known since pre-Zoroastrian times, it was celebrated even before the 7th century BC.

It is believed that the origin of the holiday is ancient Iranian, associated with the cult of the Sun and the name of the legendary prophet Zarathushtra (spelling variant - Zoroaster, Zardusht). In some countries March 21st has been announced public holiday and on days off.

Customs and traditions

Before the holiday, it is customary to go to the graves of ancestors and put them in order. Before Navruz, the owners try to tidy up the house, whitewash it and renovate it. All clothes must be washed to wash away the negativity accumulated over the year. Even before Islam, the week before Nowruz was considered dedicated to the souls of ancestors. They commemorated their ancestors by making offerings to them and asking them for help in the coming year and protection from harm.

It is customary for the Crimean Tatars to begin the celebration after morning namaz (prayer). On the morning of March 21, everyone goes to the ennobled graves and says prayers there.

"The traditions of the celebration are similar among all Muslims. They prepare for Nowruz 6 weeks before the start. A month before the holiday, they begin to plant wheat so that it germinates. The table is decorated with this sprouted grass. There should be a lot of dishes on the table, but symbolic dishes must be present: bread , olives, penir (homemade cheese), pumpkin, grapes, raisins, nuts,” noted a museum specialist.

There must be seven products on the table. The magical seven objects and products on the table become a symbolic gift to the Sun, which, accepting this gift, must take care of a rich harvest. On Navruz, as on Easter, it is customary to paint eggs and decorate the festive table with them. Many to festive table preparing pilaf.

In ancient times, Navruz was celebrated for 13 days. At the end of the celebrations, people went out into the field, where they celebrated the New Year. In most countries, this tradition has not been preserved, but in Iran, Nowruz is still celebrated for almost two weeks.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

Among the Iranian and Turkic peoples, the spring holiday and the onset of the New Year according to solar chronology coincides with the day of the vernal 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 grains 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.

It is also traditional (and quite logical) to prepare pilaf for the holiday.

Navruz (Novruz Bayram) is the oldest folk holiday among Muslims. Novruz Bayram: history, traditions and customs of the holiday Fortune telling for Navruz