Nauryz (in Persian - Nowruz, literal"New Day" translation) is the name of the Iranian New Year, also known as the Persian New Year, which is celebrated worldwide by the Iranians, along with some other Turkic and Muslim groups. In Kazakhstan, this holiday is called Nauryz Meiramy (Nauryz Holiday). The article will tell you about its origin and features.
Having an Iranian and Zoroastrian origin,Nauryz is celebrated by people from different ethnic communities. It has been celebrated for over 3,000 years in Western 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 - the day of the spring equinox and marks the beginning of spring, it is a holiday for many ethno-confessional groups.
It is celebrated on the first day of the first monthIranian calendar. Usually it falls on March 21, the previous or next calendar day, depending on where it is celebrated. At a time 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 the families come together to celebrate it at the festive table.
The holiday of Nauryz is ancient. Today is the day of March 22 equivalent to daytime and nighttime equilibrium. In Persian, Nauryz means "New Year" (solar growth).
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 celebrating 300 million people in the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Middle East as a spring holiday for more than 3000 years, "the statement of the General Assembly said.
UNESCO included Nauryz on October 25, 2008 in the list of the world cultural heritage of the United Nations.
Kazakhstan marks Nauryz for three days:from 21 to 23 March (since 2010). In general, Nowruz is celebrated as the beginning of the Spring Festival and New Year among the Persian, Caucasian and Turkish peoples. It is celebrated on March 21 in Iran, Central Asia and Azerbaijan as a national holiday, in Tajikistan and Kazakhstan on 22 March as well as in Uzbekistan and Turkey - 21 March.
In traditional Kazakh society, the dayEquinox was considered the beginning of the year. On the night of March 21, according to the mythological concept of the people, the steppe is visited by the spirit of spring. Nauryz Meiramy - what is this holiday? This national celebration has always been sacred to the Kazakh people. People in elegant and beautiful clothes gather together. Women embrace and greet each other. Nauryz's skin is being prepared, the main spring dish of Kazakh cuisine, which is prepared from lamb. It is made of seven ingredients. Lamb and other meat means farewell to the 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.
Congratulations says:"Nauryz meiramy utty bolsyn! Ak Boysyn! "(" I congratulate Nauryz! Let there be prosperity! ", The recipient of greetings answers" Birge bolsyn! "(" And to you the same! "). The Kazakhs of the Younger Zhuz, who live mainly in the western part of Kazakhstan and in the adjacent regions of Russia, the holiday of Nauryz begins on March 14 and is called Amal (from the Persian name of the month Khamal), its classical element is the ritual to corso, when everyone is obliged to greet each other with handshakes with both hands, and also say "Zhyl kutty bolsyn!" "Happy of the year!").
Reliable information about Nauryz can be found inworks of many ancient and medieval authors. According to the eastern calculation, it corresponds to the Iranian Nauryz - New Year. From generation to generation, the traditions of honoring Nauryz Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Tajiks were passed on. The inhabitants of Tajikistan called it Gulgardon (Gulnovruz), Tatars - Nordugan, and to the inhabitants of Ancient Greece he was known as Patrikh. The origins of the holiday can be found in ancient pagan rituals.
Despite the antiquity, this Eastern New Yearwas preserved in the memory of the Kazakh ethnos, and at the present time has acquired an unchanging spiritual and moral significance. It is considered from time immemorial that on this day there are processes of renewal of nature - the first thunder of spring will thunder, the buds on the trees swell, the greenery and the first flowers blossom in full force. In ancient times, the Kazakh people called NauryzMeiramy Day of the ulus, or Great ulus. The Turks believed: the more generous to celebrate the holiday of the spring equinox, the better the year will pass. Hence - a large number of festive rituals and paraphernalia.
On the eve of this spring holiday, people arehouses, pay debts, those who were at quarrel are reconciled. As the old-timers say, when this spring holiday comes, all the ailments and sufferings bypass them. According to the ancient belief of the Kazakh people, on the eve of the first day, day by day and night, old Khadyr Ata walks the earth. This is an old man with a white beard, who is dressed in white clothes. He gives people happiness and prosperity. By itself, the celebration rite from the antiquity keeps a love for the natural manifestation of nature.
The holiday of Nauryz Meiram was always accompanied bymass fun. A scenario is specially created for each settlement and a large city. Often, food and drinks are distributed free of charge to people who celebrate it massively. Photo by Nauryz Meiramy is presented below.
Young people in Kazakhstan are going to a swing -altibakan. Everyone sings, dances, plays national games. On a holiday often arrange competitions between young men in horse races. Sometimes guys compete in the ability to be in the saddle with young girls. Also on the day of the spring equinox, aytys is traditionally arranged, where akyns, so-called poets-improvisers compete in their talent.
Nauryz Meirama script is prepared in two languagesusually in Kazakh and Russian, because Kazakhstan is a multiethnic state, with a large number of ethnic minorities. As a rule, such holidays are treated with all respect and respect, because Novruz, as it is also called, symbolizes spring renewal, but 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 during the year.
