We have left behind the two Tuesdays including Water (Su Chershenbesi) and Fire (Od Chershenbesi) of upcoming Novruz Bayram. Today, Azerbaijanis celebrate the third of four magic Tuesdays -- Yel Chershenbesi (Wind Tuesday).
Novruz celebrations begin a month before the actual holiday, which is on March 20-21. The four Tuesdays named after these elements and called Su Chershenbesi (Water Tuesday), Od Chershenbesi (Fire Tuesday), Torpaq Chershenbesi (Earth Tuesday), and Hava or Akhir Chershenbesi (Wind or Last Tuesday).
People believe that the air is cleaned on Wind Tuesday. The wind gets around the world, waking up water and fire.
The legend says four different winds - the Khazri, a cold northern wind, the Gilavar, a mild, southern wind, Agh Yel (the White Wind) and Gara Yel (the Black Wind), both hot, dry summer winds - come together on Wind Tuesday, and wander around the world, reviving the water and driving the fire, which notifies of the imminent coming of spring. Agh Yel appears in a white dress, Gara Yel in a black one, Khazri in a blue one and Gilavar in a red one, according to mythology.
Third Tuesday before Novruz identifies with the awakening of nature, the beginning of spring field work, and the arrival of a new growing season.
That’s why people grow Semeni -- an integral part of Novruz.
Semeni is a wheat germ, which symbolizes life, wealth, health as well as well-being. It is also the first sign of the coming of spring and subsequently summer.
Almost all families in Azerbaijan celebrate the holiday with Semeni. It is some kind of ritual, which is usually accompanied with the song "Semeni, save me and I will grow you every year."
Novruz is a family holiday. On the holiday eve the graves of relatives are visited. In the evening before the holiday the whole family gathers around the holiday table laid with various dishes to make the New Year rich.
The decoration of the festive table is khoncha, a big silver or copper tray with Semeni placed in the center and candles and dyed eggs by the number of family members around it.
One of the traditions of the Novruz is breaking eggs. Both children and adults with the same passion beat each other’s egg to determine the winner.
Novruz has been celebrated by people from diverse ethnic communities and religious backgrounds for thousands of years. Some 17 countries including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and other scattered populations in Central Asia mark this day as a holiday of the spring equinox.
The great Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjavi in his "Khamsa" said that Novruz holiday was even celebrated in 350 BC, i.e. 24 centuries ago.
In 2009, Novruz was included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and from this time March 21 has been declared as the International Day of Novruz.
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