“May every day be Navruz May your fate always be fair”
By: Diana Xudayberganova
There are many different nations and peoples on earth. Each of them has its own customs, traditions, and values, and one of them is Navruz, the holiday of the Turkic peoples.
Spring… A season of rejuvenation, renewal, elegance, grace, beauty, and youth! It is no wonder that as soon as this season comes, every person’s mood rises and becomes fresh. Because, after the cold, harsh winter, from the first days of spring, the boiling of sumac in the stone cauldron, the arrival of swallows, the opening of the narcissus, and the spreading of buds on the trees involuntarily make one happy. From the early days of spring until its end, a number of holidays are celebrated. For example, March 8 is the “International Women’s Day”, March 21 is the “Navruz” holiday, May 9 is the “Memory and Appreciation Day”, etc.
Of these, let’s talk about Navruz, the most beloved and ancient holiday of the Uzbek people, a day of renewal, not only for the Uzbeks, but also for the fraternal Turkic peoples. According to scientists, the word “Navruz” is borrowed from the Persian-Tajik language and means “New Day”. It mainly refers to the Muslim people. After all, such a nation is kind to each other, sincere, generous, open-handed and, of course, friendly. Below we can give examples from such countries: Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Lebanon, Pakistan, India, Tajikistan, Turkey, Albania, Kurdistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Turkmenistan and other Persian and Turkic nations. The difference between this holiday and other holidays is that, firstly, this day is the day when night and day are equal – it is not for nothing that it is called the New Year.
That is, we know that December 22 and March 21 are exactly such days. For example: this date is considered the first day of the official calendar in Iran and Afghanistan. Secondly, on this day, grudges and grievances disappear, and the bonds of kinship, friendship, and brotherhood are automatically strengthened. Because there are more visits between families.
For example, they gather to cook sumalak and spend 12-14 hours together, gather in front of the stone cauldron, sing songs and dance. Today, Navruz is celebrated in our homeland as one of the national holidays. Every year on this day, festive parades and concerts are organized in all regions, cities, and districts of our republic. For several days, events dedicated to Navruz are held in neighborhoods. For example, trees are whitewashed.
From kindergarten children to our elderly grandparents actively participate in it. Exciting horse races, bullfighting, cockfighting, ram fighting, our national wrestling, stone lifting, tug of war, dorbozlik, varrak throwing, chillak, besh tas, and other national folklore games that have not lost their value for centuries are held among the general public. Among teenagers and young adults of the same age, the question “White poplar or blue poplar?” Who do you need from us?” are among them.
Our grandmothers cook sumalak, kuk sumsa and kuk chutvara in pots. Our grandfathers prepare halim in large pots. Our elegant girls, beautiful brides, beautiful women and kind grandmothers wear dresses made of adras and atlas fabrics that exude our nationality.
They put skullcaps on their heads. A festive mood reigns everywhere. Our grandmothers put eyebrows on their own and other women’s eyebrows. Girls tie willow wreaths in their hair. Look at how beautiful the scenery is? You can’t help but wish that every day would be like this. Such beautiful days are suitable for our peaceful, peaceful homeland.
There are many legends and stories about Navruz. One of them is a wonderful example of this holiday from our teacher We have heard. We found it permissible to share this with you. According to legends, a king took 1/3 of the earth into his hands, but his residence was located underground. One day, while conquering the lands of another unfortunate tribe, he saw a beautiful girl and the king involuntarily fell in love with her.
The girl accepted all his conditions in order to save the life of his tribe. Taking advantage of this, the king took the beauty to his dark castle and never let her out. Days and nights passed, but darkness always reigned for the queen. One day, the queen’s heart was broken, and like a bird with a wounded wing, her soul was ready for freedom – flight. She asked the king for permission to come to her country, even if only for a moment.
The king was captivated by her beauty, and either because of this or because he felt pity for her, he allowed her to return to her homeland. As soon as the princess emerged from her underground kingdom, the sun’s rays brightened, the trees blossomed, the birds chirped on the mountains and rocks, and clear waters began to flow in the streams and ravines.
As soon as she arrived at her tribe, all the people warmly welcomed her with smiles on their faces, open faces, and kind eyes. The tables were decorated with various dishes, delicacies, and flowers. Everyone greeted each other with warm wishes, saying, “Nowruz has come, Nowruz has come.” As can be seen from this legend, Nowruz was likened to a beautiful, incomparable girl.
We recently came across this information:
In the Republic of Kazakhstan, one of the independent states of Central Asia, the holiday of Navruz is celebrated for 10 days
March 14 – “Creation Day”;
March 15 – “Day of Kindness”;
March 16 – “Day of Culture and National Traditions”;
March 17 – “Day of Glory”;
March 18 – “Day of National Costumes”;
March 19 – “Day of Renewal”;
March 20 – “Day of National Sports”;
March 21 – “Day of Solidarity”;
March 22 – “Beginning of the Year”;
The last day of Navruz, March 23, has been declared “Day of Purification”.
Starting this year, that is, from 2024, these 10 days will be celebrated annually.
On September 30, 2009, Navruz was included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. On February 23, 2010, at the 64th session of the UN General Assembly, March 21 was declared “International Navruz Day”. This holiday is still widely celebrated among peoples.
In conclusion, in our homeland there are many holidays that are unique from each other, and whose traditions and customs have not lost their value all over the world. One of them is the Navruz holiday. We believe that if each of us contributes to the continuation of such joyful days for many more years, future generations will certainly celebrate them with even greater splendor!
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