Celebrating Nowruz has deep roots and this national holiday has been celebrated with all its attributes for more than 3500 years. Rituals organized until Nowruz are associated with the four elements - Water, Fire, Air and Earth - that take part in the creation of the world, occupying an important place in the system of national moral values of our people.
The first of the Wednesdays leading up to the holiday is related to water. Because water is the beginning of life, the main source of living.
Water Wednesday has its own characteristics. Until this Wednesday, the things in the house are cleaned with water. On that day, there is no campfire, no candles are lit, and after the day is over, relatives and neighbors are not given anything from home. Water containers are filled with fresh water, water is placed in a carafe on the table.
Earlier...
During the Water Wednesday ceremony, when the earth was removed, the people would go to the running water and wash their hands with cold water. People jumped over the water and threw water on each other. According to old customs, when the Sun appeared at dawn, the water caressed by its rays was considered cleaner and more holy. A person who bathes in this water will get his wish. They say that the day when Prophet Khizir drank water from the spring of life and Koroglu took sparkling water from Goshabulak was the day of Eternal Water Wednesday.
In our western zone, before these four important Wednesdays, two more Wednesdays were celebrated: herald and false Wednesdays. Children would take stolen-birth eggs from fortune-telling and feed them, and they would either return empty-handed or with a bowl full of broken eggs. They would collect rags, make flakes, prepare for Fire Wednesday.
Today...
Our people traditionally celebrate Wednesdays before Eid together with all family members. On that day, relatives, friends, acquaintances congratulate each other on Wednesday. They express their wishes, applaud, say pleasant words: may you live as long as water, may you attain clarity, may your life be as pure as water, etc. In the evening, the whole family gathers at the table decorated with sweets, and has dinner together.
Our people have many beautiful traditions related to spring. But in the urban environment, it is impossible to implement most of these in buildings. Our duty is to keep these traditions alive in our thoughts and memories and pass them on to future generations.
Happy Water Wednesday!
Zarifa BASHIRGIZI
XQ
