Novruz Bayramy

Novruz Bayramy is a spring festival!Novruz - in Azerbaijani Novruz Bayramy - along with the New Year and the religious Ramadan Bayram is one of the most important and most beloved holidays in Azerbaijan. Although Novruz is mainly celebrated in Muslim countries, it is not a religious holiday, but, strictly speaking, the celebration of the vernal equinox, symbolizing the renewal of nature.

Since ancient times, Novruz did not work for six days, even the peasants did not carry out any field work. They were devoted only to meetings and fun, and this tradition, established in South Azerbaijan, is largely unbroken today.

Since gaining independence, Novruz is officially celebrated in Azerbaijan, and this day is not a working day. On the first day of the New Year it is customary to get up early. Where possible, people tend to go to the river or spring: wash themselves, splash water on each other. Water is a symbol of purity and freshness. Everyone wishes each other a good and happy New Year. Then they give each other sweets. On this day in the morning you need to eat something sweet, for example, honey, or if there is no sugar. After that, you should smell the fragrant smoke, which is a symbol of liberation from the “evil spirits”.

Azerbaijanis pay much attention to the preparation of the festive table. As a rule, each family, covering the festive table, remembers that on the table should be food consisting of seven dishes, the name of which begins with the letter “c”. On the table should be suma, scad - milk, sirke - vinegar, seeds - special porridge of wheat, sabzi - greens, etc.

In addition to these dishes, a mirror, a candle and a painted egg are placed on the table. All these have a deeply symbolic meaning: a candle is a light or fire that protects a person from evil spirits, a mirror is a sign of clarity or setting the time of the New Year. In the mythology of many peoples inhabiting our planet, the globe rests on the horns of a huge bull. During the year, this mythical bull gets tired and throws the globe from one horn to another, after which, according to legend, the New Year comes. In order to establish the end of the old year and the onset of the first day of the new year, Azerbaijanis put a painted egg on the mirror. And as soon as the egg swings, it means that the bull “threw” the globe to another horn and the New Year came. All sitting at this time at the table, seeing the symbolic rocking of the egg on the mirror, congratulate each other, kiss, hug and wish each other happiness, health, success.