People celebrate different holidays on our planet: family, folk, religious, professional, state and official holidays.
Nowruz is one of the most beautiful and colorful holidays. It is a holiday that symbolizes the awakening and renewal of the earth and nature, the advent of a new day and a new year. Nowruz is a holiday of bright hopes and renewal, a symbol of blossom, spring and youth, which is rightly considered the cultural heritage of the Eastern peoples, who have experienced many changes in their long history [2, p.96-106].
Nowruz has been celebrated for over 6,000 years and it is one of the oldest holidays celebrated on the planet.
Nowruz, being one of the most favorite historical and cultural holidays of Tajiks, has reached from ancient times to our days as a symbol of the beginning of new life and creation. And that is why every time scientists, cultural figures, politicians turn to this unique holiday.
‘Its annual celebrations were attended by representatives of almost all cultures and civilizations of that era, from ancient Greece and Egypt to the borders of China and from the Caucasus to India. That is, in that era, Nowruz was considered the world's largest holiday. For that period, the centre and the main civilized world was considered to be the aforementioned territory...’. [6].
At the 64th session of the UN General Assembly (2010), under agenda item 49 ‘Culture of Peace’, a resolution entitled ‘International Day of Nowruz’ was adopted by consensus and 21 March was recognized as International Day of Nowruz.
Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that: ‘Nowruz blurs national boundaries, extinguishes religious differences and bridges other divides, uniting communities through ties of goodwill. Such a common purpose can help humanity rise to the occasion at this moment in history’ [7; 8].
Nowruz is a holiday of distant ancestors. Nowruz connects relatives and friends, one generation with another, generations with true social existence, the past with the present, the present with the future, the relationship of man with the Cosmos, and the place of connection of all these links is the earth.
Photo of Nowruz in Tajikistan
Nowruz promotes the values of peace and solidarity, both between generations and within families. Also, this ancient holiday promotes reconciliation and good neighborliness, and it contributes to the preservation of cultural diversity and the strengthening of friendship among peoples and different communities.
In this regard, Nowruz is not only a celebration of the beginning of the year, the rebirth of nature, and the joy of life, but also an engine of unity between man and the world, an introduction to the rich national history, and a factor in strengthening national pride.
Photo of Nowruz in Tajikistan
In Tajikistan, the ancient customs of the holiday include the Nowruz dastarkhan (tablecloth), purification and beautification. Nowruz is celebrated in new clothes and games for children and young men, such as egg games, cockfights and partridge fights. The gathering of people before sowing, when the beginning of work was entrusted to elderly men, special care of oxen, sprinkling each other with water, etc. have survived to our days. This shows that Nowruz is not a simple holiday, but includes various aspects [3, p.44].
For example, jumping over the fire, the ritual of rinsing with water, dousing with rose water, various competitions, holding a competition of craftsmen, cleansing the house, burning old things, breaking a jug, the beginning of sowing and others.
Preparation of sumalak is a special tradition of Nowruz, which also has ancient roots.
Photo of Nowruz in Tajikistan
The international holiday Nowruz connects us with the cultural traditions of our ancestors and gives us true information about the rich history of our ancestors, guides us to a bright future and with its specific customs, traditions and rituals testifies to the unity of the Tajik people with the world civilization.
Nowruz is a day of wishes, a day of joining lovers, a day of remembrance. It is a day of prayer for the repose of the dead. The purpose of celebrating Nowruz is to revive new strength, power and happiness, will and the beginning of abundance, labour and effort for the future of our people. The best day and good luck that people will wish for each other is realized in the days of Nowruz [3, p.56].
Since the Achaemenid and Sassanid periods, fire worship has been performed in temples on Nowruz day. Fires were lit everywhere, from the highest place on the roofs of houses to candles on festive tables. Nowadays these customs are partially preserved. This is how bonfires are lit in some countries. People become in a circle around the fire and perform folklore songs.
Photo of Nowruz in Tajikistan
After sunset, people light fires, sing songs and play national instruments. To the sound of a tambourine, they organize a torch procession to the edge of the river and there they arrange festivities. By jumping over bonfires, they wish for a bountiful harvest from nature and seek protection from evil spirits and jinns. [2, p.96-106].
Nowadays other attributes of this Zoroastrian holiday have been preserved. The Zoroastrians, for example, filled vessels with wheat or barley seeds, poured water over them, and then, when they sprouted, took them home and put them in a special place. On the festive table Zoroastrians put eggs - a symbol of the birth of life and specific sweets. And nowadays they are present on festive tables.
Photo of Nowruz in Tajikistan
The traditional ritual is the making of ‘Haft Sin’ and ‘Haft Shin’ at Nowruz. The ‘Haft Sin’ consists of seven elements whose names begin with the letter ‘s’ and the ‘Haft Shin’ consists of seven elements whose names begin with the letter ‘sh’ in the Persian alphabet.
On festive tables round flatbreads made of wheat, barley, millet, corn, beans, peas, lentils, rice, sesame and beans were put together. On Nowruz, dishes are prepared from seven mainly vegetable products, the most famous festive dish is sumalyak, a dish made of sprouted wheat sprouts [7].
During the celebration of Nowruz our ancestors had a good custom: people forgave each other's sins, helped the poor and needy, became kinder.
The President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, noted that ‘The geography of Nowruz went beyond its borders in the era of the creation of the great Achaemenid Empire and the incorporation of various large states and peoples of antiquity, after which these peoples acquired love and respect for this holiday...
No doctrine or ideology can block its way; on the contrary, Nowruz attracts people's trust with its beauty, as history has already proved many times. Any doctrine that encountered this holiday, imbued with love for it, was subdued by its beauty and became even more beautiful...’ [6].
Literature:
1. Babadjanova M.M. The Great Silk Road and cultural traditions of Nowruz. Mas'alahoi omuzish va tahqiqi ta'rikh va falsafai Navruz. Dushanbe: Imperial Group, 2016. P.136-144.
2. Babadjanova M.M. Intercultural dialogue in the modern world. Textbook for students of higher educational institutions. Dushanbe, 2015. 170 p.
3. Lutfullaeva P.M. Cognitive and moral significance of the international holiday Navruz in the system of extracurricular activities. //dissertation... for the degree of Candidate of Sciences, 13.00.01 - general pedagogy, history of pedagogy and education. Dushanbe, 2015. 161 p.
4. Tojikiston Vatani Navruz ast. Tajikistan the birthplace of Navruz. Dushanbe, 2012. 190 p.
5. Emomalii Rahmon. Navruz – munodiye sulkhu oromi' // Navruz – a guarantee of peace and tranquility. Tojikiston Vatani Navruz ast. Dushanbe, 2012.190 p.
6. http://www.president.tj/ru/node/1329
7. http://www.un.org/ru/events/nowruzday
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This article was contributed by BABADJANOVA M.M., Head of the UNESCO Chair Intercultural Dialogue in the Modern World and Associate Professor in the Department of Cultural Studies at the Russian-Tajik (Slavonic) University.
Munzifakhon M. BABADJANOVA
Munzifakhon M. BABADJANOVA is the Head of the UNESCO Chair Intercultural Dialogue in the Modern World at the Russian-Tajik (Slavonic) University. She holds the title of Candidate of Historical Sciences and serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Cultural Studies. Her academic expertise lies in history and cultural studies. She is the author of over 300 scientific publications.
She holds the diplomatic rank of Counsellor, First Class.
Dr. Babadjanova is a member of the Presidium of the Committee for Peace and National Accord of Tajikistan and serves as a UNESCO expert in intercultural dialogue and intangible cultural heritage, among other fields.
Awards and Honors:
Order of Dusti (Friendship)
Four medals