By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

 

Navruz is one of the brightest, most joyful and beautiful holidays, not only in Uzbekistan, but in the whole Muslim East! Spring festival of Navruz, the oriental New Year, is directly connected with the coming of spring and is celebrated on 21 March, on the spring (vernal) equinox, when day becomes equal to night and continues to win from it several minutes with every next turn of the Earth, and when the New Solar Year brings a new phase of renewal.

 

 

On the eve of Nowruz holiday, the managing editor of "Diplomacy Journal" Lee Kap-soo held an interview with Vitaliy Fen, the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to South Korea, about how this holiday is celebrated in Uzbekistan.

 

When the parks are filled with the hubbub of the birds and the buds on the trees swell, when springs and irrigation ditches wake up from hibernation, the long-awaited holiday of spring Navruz comes to Uzbekistan. It is always celebrated on the vernal equinox, on the 21st of March, said Vitaliy Fen.

 

Nаwruz is a holiday of good traditions, values, renewal, the beginning of the season of living. This wonderful, special holiday, which has been an ornament of our spiritual life for thousands of years, brings endless joy and pleasure to our hearts today.

 

Navroz, recognized as an international holiday by the United Nations, is being celebrated with great joy these days in all cities and districts of our country, in the most remote villages and villages.

Especially today, in the conditions of New Uzbekistan, where the value of human beings is increasing in our society, and attention is being paid to our priceless wealth - our land, water and nature, and our several thousand-year-old traditions in this regard, the role and importance of this holiday in our lives is increasing even more. 
Navruz holiday 2024 in Uzbekistan " May the world be filled with light with you, Navruz! based on the main idea, it is widely celebrated in the form of national festivals with a high spirit and a high level.

 

Celebrating Navruz as a pastime in every neighborhood and village serves to further strengthen its ancient roots, to develop young people in the spirit of loyalty to our national traditions and respect for universal values.

  

It is worth noting that during this year's Navruz holiday, a number of practical activities are being carried out to further improve the social and household life of the elderly. In particular, information is received from lonely elderly people and persons with disabilities, they are provided with material and moral support, information is received from homes where elderly parents live, sick people live, and gifts are distributed.

At the same time, beautification works are being carried out in an organized manner in neighborhoods and villages. Fruit and ornamental trees are being planted en masse, ditches and ditches are being cleaned. Our people, who have received strength and inspiration from the noble values of Nowruz, are making hedges in the neighborhoods, planting seedlings and flowers, creating new parks and parks. 

 

Navruz is the most important holiday in the development of Uzbek national spirituality. On this day, special attention is paid to spring dishes and various national games in every corner of the Uzbekistan. In particular, our national dishes such as “Sumalak”, “Halim”, “Ko’ksomsa”, “Ko’kchuchvara” will be the highlight of the holiday table. Especially “Sumalak” feasts have a special flavor.

Navruz is tied to the natural environmental conditions of the continent and the actual astronomical events. The holiday marks the joyous awakening of every living thing after winter, when farmers begin sowing season.

Originally the festival of Navruz was the custom among farmers, and then through them it became the custom of settled and nomadic Turkic peoples. Over the centuries traditions of different nations to hold Navruz adapted to their way of life and ideology.

Navruz holiday in Uzbekistan is music of karnays, joyous voices of children in nice clothes on their way to a holiday in the morning, set up tables in homes as a symbol of abundance and hospitality. There are many traditions, precisely handed down from one generation to another, which are coupled with this holiday.

How Navruz in Uzbekistan is solemnized in our day? It is celebrated in a circle of kinsmen and pals. Following the main day - March 21, there are 13 public holidays, when there is a rule to act as host, as well as to walk-in guests. During the holidays young fruit trees are traditionally planted in orchards and parks.

  
Residents of cities and towns of Uzbekistan are preparing for Navruz in advance. In each makhalla (neighborhood community) khashars (joint work) are held. People give the city or village a proper festive look.

On Nowruz the tables should be served in a special abundantly. There is an omen - the richer the table, the richer the whole coming year will be. The holiday-like menu is of utmost significance. The main fest dishes: pilaf, shurpa, samsa from the first spring greens should be cooked. Also, plenty of snacks, sweet stuff and fruit should be on the table.

There are three main dishes of Navruz. These are “Sumalak”, “Ko’ksomsa” and “Halim”.

The fun of the fair on Navruz day is a plate with germinated wheat! This dish is necessarily present on every festive table.

The greater diversity of food there will be on people’s holiday tables, the more crops the following year will bring. The dishes that are invariably found on the holiday table are pilaf (also spelled pilaff, plov, pilau, pilav, polow, pulaw, pulao), shurpa, boiled mutton and kok-samsa (pasties filled with young herbs), together with food symbolising revival and a new life, such as sprouting wheat grains, boiled eggs and others.

For the next 13 days that follow 21 March people visit their relatives, neighbours and friends, organise joyful festivities, holiday bazaars and sports competitions, plant young trees and start working in the field.
  

According to popular belief, the first guest of the New Year should have a soft and good character, a good sense of humor, a kind name and reputation, and most importantly - to have a "happy foot", that is, to bring stroke to the house.

Since ancient times, in Uzbekistan on Navruz customs were arranged. Many Nowruz traditions have survived until today.

Navruz is a new life, new anticipations, and the people’s smile. The brighter Navruz will be, the more generous nature will reward people in the New Year.

Navruz is a holiday, which is being waited for impatiently, because it's the end of the harsh winter, the beginning of a new life when in advance there are only warm sunny days. The trip to Uzbekistan in this holiday is a great opportunity to get to know the culture, cuisine and fun of the locals.

You can also take part in the cooking of festive dishes “Sumalak”. You will be able to think of your fondest wish, throwing into the cauldron a walnut or a small pebble. We assure that it will not boring!

I would like to emphasize that noble ideas such as goodness and tolerance, harmony and solidarity, preserving the environment as the apple of an eye, which are embodied in the spirit and philosophy of Navrozi world, are fully in harmony with the goals and content of the historical changes being implemented in New Uzbekistan.