Azernews.Az

By Nigar Pashayeva

Azerbaijani citizens continue to celebrate a feast of spring, which conceals own mysteries of Azerbaijani traditions.

Festive passions keep rising as each passing day brings us closer to the loveliest holiday that takes special place in the calendar of many Azerbaijanis -- Novruz Bayram, symbolizing the coming of spring and awakening of the nature.

Celebrations of festive Novruz, which is marked on March 21 begin a month before the actual holiday with four natural elements such as Su Chershenbesi (Water Tuesday), Od Chershenbesi (Fire Tuesday) Hava Chershenbesi (Wind Tuesday) and Torpaq Chershenbesi (Earth or Last Tuesday).

Today Azerbaijanis celebrate Fire Tuesday, which is one of the most important days during the whole Novruz period due to its sacred rites.

Fire Tuesday is the second Tuesday before Novruz holiday. Majority loves this Tuesday because in this day is allowed to kindle fire and everyone has the possibility to join celebration with all neighbors in the yard for jumping over it. In this Tuesday all neighbors become closer and share with congratulations and traditional homemade sweets (shekerbura, pakhlava, gogal, etc).

All participants of this celebration who attend the kindling fire jump over fire usually three or seven times with words “All my adversities to you, your joy to me”. People prepare for the new year by leaping the fire and giving away to it all their misfortunes and disappointments.

It is important not to pour water on fire. After the fire is going out, girls and boys collect ash and take it on the road or on the outskirts of the village. It symbolizes, that all adversities were destroyed and dumped far away from home.

At home, people light candles accordingly to the number of family members. Interestingly, but earlier people lit torches instead of the candles, but now there is no such necessity due to urbanization.

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