Nauryz (Nowruz in Persian, literal translation “new day”) is the name of the Iranian New Year, also known as the Persian New Year, which is celebrated all over the world by Iranians, along with some other Turkic and Muslim groups. In Kazakhstan, this holiday is called Nauryz Meiramy (Nauryz Holiday). The article will tell about its origin and features.
Who celebrates Nauryz
Having an Iranian and Zoroastrian origin, Nauryz is celebrated by people from different ethnic communities. It is celebrated for more than 3,000 years in West Asia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Black Sea basin and the Balkans. This is a secular holiday, which, in fact, has no religious significance. Nauryz is the day of the vernal equinox and marks the beginning of spring, it is a holiday for many ethnic and religious groups.
It is celebrated on the first day of the first month of the Iranian calendar. Usually it falls on March 21, on the previous or next calendar day, depending on where it is celebrated. At that moment, when the sun crosses the celestial equator, and day and night become the same in duration. The equinox is calculated every year, at which time families come together to celebrate it at the festive table.
Nauryz holiday is ancient. Today is March 22nd is equivalent to daytime and nighttime balance. In Persian, Nauryz means “New Year” (solar growth).
The official status of the holiday
As of May 10, 2010, the holiday is celebrated on March 21 in accordance with Resolution 64 of the United Nations General Assembly.
Nauryz is celebrated as a spring holiday of more than 3,000 years by 300 million people in the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Middle East, ”the statement of the General Assembly says.
UNESCO included Nauryz on October 25, 2008 in the UN World Heritage List.
When Nauryz Muslims celebrate
Kazakhstan marks Nauryz for three days: from March 21 to March 23 (from 2010). In general, Nauryz is celebrated as the beginning of the holiday of spring and New Year among the Persian, Caucasian and Turkish peoples. It is celebrated on March 21 in Iran, Central Asia and Azerbaijan as a public holiday, in Tajikistan and Kazakhstan on March 22, and also in Uzbekistan and Turkey on March 21.
Nauryz Meirams in Kazakhstan
In traditional Kazakh society, the equinox was considered the beginning of the year. On the night of March 21, according to the mythological concept of the people, the spirit of spring visits the steppes. Nauryz Meirams - what kind of holiday is this? This national celebration has always been sacred to the Kazakh people. People in smart and beautiful clothes come together. Women hug and greet each other. "Nauryz kozhe" is being prepared, the main spring dish of Kazakh cuisine, which is prepared from lamb. It is made from seven ingredients. Lamb and other meat means farewell to winter, and the addition of milk symbolizes a warm spring. As a rule, on this day people will be cleansed of their sins, their conscience will become easier.
Congratulating says: “Nauryz meirama Kutta bolsyn! Ak Mol Bolsyn! ” (“Congratulations on the holiday of Nauryz! May prosperity be!”, The recipient of the congratulations answers “Birge Bolsyn!” (“And you too!”) The Kazakhs of the Younger Zhuz, living mainly in the western part of Kazakhstan and in the adjacent regions of Russia , Nauryz’s holiday begins on March 14 and is called Amal (from the Persian name for the month of Hamal), its classic element is the ritual of coris, when everyone is obliged to greet each other with handshakes with both hands, and also say “Zhut kutta bolsyn!” (“Happy year!” )
Historical information
Reliable information about Nauryz can be found in the works of many ancient and medieval authors. In Eastern terms, it corresponds to the Iranian Nauryz - New Year. From generation to generation, the traditions of veneration of Nauryz were transmitted by Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Tajiks. The inhabitants of Tajikistan called him Gulgardon (Gulnovruz), the Tatars - Norddugan, and he was known to the inhabitants of Ancient Greece as Patrich. The origins of the holiday can be found in ancient pagan rites.
Symbolism of the holiday
Despite the antiquity, this eastern New Year has been preserved in the memory of the Kazakh ethnic group, and now has acquired an unchanged spiritual and moral significance. It is believed from time immemorial that processes of nature renewal are taking place on this day - the first thunder of spring will thunder, buds on trees swell, greenery and first flowers bloom with all their might. In ancient times, the Kazakh people called Nauryz Meirams the Day of the ulus, or Great ulus. The Turks believed: the more generously the holiday of the vernal equinox is celebrated, the better the year will pass. Hence, a large number of holiday rituals and paraphernalia.
On the eve of this spring festival, people clean houses, pay debts, and those who were in a quarrel make peace. As old-timers say, when this spring holiday arrives, all ailments and sufferings bypass them. According to the ancient belief of the Kazakh people, on the eve of the first day, day and night, old Hadyr Ata walks on the earth. This is an old man with a white beard, who is dressed in white clothes. He gives people happiness and prosperity. The rite of celebration itself has, from antiquity, retained in itself a love of the natural manifestation of nature.
As noted by Nauryz in Kazakhstan
The Nauryz Meiram festival was always accompanied by massive fun. A script is specially created for each settlement and large city. Often free food and drinks are distributed to people who celebrate it in large numbers. Photos of Nauryz Meiram are presented below.
Young people in Kazakhstan gather at the swing - altibakan. Everyone sings, dances, plays national games. On a holiday often organize competitions between young men in horse racing. Sometimes guys compete in the ability to be in the saddle with young girls. Also on the day of the vernal equinox, aitys are traditionally arranged, where akyns, the so-called improvisational poets, compete in their talent.
The Nauryz Meirami script in two languages is usually prepared in Kazakh and Russian, since Kazakhstan is a multinational state with a large number of ethnic minorities living. As a rule, such holidays are treated with all honor and respect, because Novruz, as he is also called, symbolizes the spring renewal, not only of nature, but of man. This is the beginning of a new life, new victories, ascents, feelings. It is important to meet him with dignity, then luck will accompany him throughout the year.