Novruz in Azerbaijan

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Culture
Architecture · Art · Cinema · Cuisine Dance · Culture of Azerbaijan Azerbaijani youth celebrating Novruz. Novruz in Azerbaijan is referred to as Novruz Bayramı. Novruz is a traditional Persian/Iranian holiday, which celebrates the New Year, and the coming of Spring. When Azerbaijan was part of the Soviet Union, celebration of Novruz was generally unofficial, and at times even prohibited.[1] Currently in Azerbaijan, Novruz is treated as an official public holiday. In accordance with Article 105 of the Labour Code of Azerbaijan passed in 2006, workers receive five days off for Novruz.[2] In 2002, it was rumoured that the official days off for Novruz would be moved ahead to March 12 in order that it not be celebrated after the Day of Ashura marking the start of the Islamic calendar month of Muharram; however, in the end, the government left the celebration at March 20 and 21.[3] In 2008, the holiday period was lengthened; people received March 20–28 off.[4] Usually preparation for Novruz begins a month prior to the festival. Each of forthcoming 4 weeks is devoted to one of the four elements and called accordingly in Azerbaijan. Each Tuesday people celebrate the day of one of the four elements - water, fire, earth and wind.[5] People do house cleaning, plant trees, make new dresses, paint eggs, make national pastries such as shakarbura, pakhlava and a great variety of "national cuisine".[6] Wheat is fried with kishmish (raisins) and nuts (govurga). As a tribute to fire-worshiping every Tuesday during four weeks before the holiday kids jump over small bonfires and candles are lit. On the holiday eve the graves of relatives are visited and tended.[7] Novruz is a family holiday. 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 holiday goes on for several days and ends with festive public dancing and other entertainment of folk bands, contests of national sports. In rural areas crop holidays are marked.[8] The decoration of the festive table is khoncha, a big silver or copper tray with Samani placed in the centre and candles and dyed eggs by the number of family members around it. The table should be set, at least, with seven dishes.[5] Gallery A 1996 Azerbaijani postage stamp issued for Novruz Traditional Azerbaijani Folk Performers Medieval warriors near the Maiden Tower Medieval warrior Kosa that means a man with little or no beard,is a carnival character known to the medieval and modern folklore of Novruz[9] Nowruz Concert in Baku Giant Samani Azerbaijani kids dancing Shepherd dance References ^ Waters, Zena (April-May 2005), "What exactly is Novruz Bayram", Azerbaijan Today (12), http://www.azerbaijantoday.az/ARCHIVE/12/life1.html, retrieved 2009-03-22  ^ "Public Holidays in Azerbaijan", Tax and Legal News (Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu), December 2006, http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/cda/doc/content/December_2006%20Tax%20and%20Legal%20News(2).pdf, retrieved 2009-03-22  ^ "Date for Novruz Bayram unchanged", AzerNews 10 (244), 2002, http://www.baku.us/pubs/azernews/7615_en.php, retrieved 2009-03-22  ^ Azerbaijan Marks Novruz Bayram, Trend News Agency, 2008-03-20, http://en.trend.az/news/official/chronicle/1160709.html, retrieved 2009-03-22  ^ a b International Day of Nowruz- 21 March ^ Azerbaijan marks Novruz holiday ^ Azerbaijani traditions ^ Studentsoftheworld - Azeri Traditions ^ Krasnowolska, Anna. "KUSA". Encyclopædia Iranica. http://www.iranica.com/articles/kusa. Retrieved 2009-03-19.  Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР Novozybkovsky District Novruz Mammadov Look at other dictionaries: Azerbaijan — This article is about the country in Eurasia. For other uses, see Azerbaijan (disambiguation) …   Wikipedia Novruz Mammadov — (b.18 March 1947) is an Azerbaijani professor of French. He was born in Nakhchivan, the Republic of Azerbaijan, and received a PhD in Philology in 1991 from the Azerbaijani Pedagogical Foreign Languages Institute (APFLI), where he then became an… …   Wikipedia Novruz Temrezov — Personal information Born January 6, 1981 Medal record Men s Freestyle wrestling …   Wikipedia Azerbaijan–Iran relations — Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan have had diplomatic relations since 1918. Context For most of her history, the territory of the present day Republic of Azerbaijan was a part of Persian Empire, specifically during the reign of dynasties such… …   Wikipedia Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic — This article is about the former Soviet republic. For other uses, see Azerbaijan (disambiguation). Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic Азербайджанская Советская Социалистическая Республика Азәрбајҹан Совет Сосиалист Республикасы …   Wikipedia Culture of Azerbaijan — Part of a series on Azerbaijani people Culture Architecture  …   Wikipedia Geography of Azerbaijan — Continent Asia and Europe Region Caucasus …   Wikipedia Religion in Azerbaijan — The religions of Azerbaijan comprise different religious trends spread among the people and ethnic groups residing in the country. There are several confessions in Azerbaijan.Azerbaijan is a secular country, in article 48 of its Constitution… …   Wikipedia Ministry of Internal Affairs (Azerbaijan) — Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan Republic Azərbaycan Respublikasının Daxili İşlər Nazirliyi Insignia of Ministry of Internal Affairs …   Wikipedia Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources (Azerbaijan) — Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Republic Аzərbаycаn Rеspubliкаsının Ekologiya və Təbii Sərvətlər Nazirliyi Coat of Arms of Azerbaijan …   Wikipedia 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”