Today, Azerbaijan celebrates Od Chershenbesi, the second of the four Tuesdays of the month of Boz Ai, preceding Novruz Bayram. In fact, preparations for Novruz begin a month before the most festive date, because the awakening of nature begins on these days.
Therefore, the Azerbaijani people celebrate this event very solemnly and festively, observing rituals and traditions. According to folk tales, Novruz is preceded by four Tuesdays ("chershenbe akhshami"), each of which is dedicated to the awakening of one of the natural elements. These are Su, Od, Yel, and Torpag (or Ahyr) chershenbe, respectively, the Tuesdays of Water, Fire, Wind, and Earth (or the last, pre-holiday).
The awakening of these elements heralds the arrival of a new bright day - the Novruz holiday, the beginning of the rebirth and revival of the earth.
In Od chershenbesi, it is customary to light a bonfire and jump over it. Moreover, it should be lit by a boy, then the fire is considered clean.
According to popular belief, he cleanses from filth, ennobles, conjures dark forces, and all the worst that happened in the old year burns down in the flames of this bonfire. Diseases, sufferings, natural disasters, sins are "consumed" by fire, a person is reborn.
You need to jump over the campfire three, or preferably seven times. It is never extinguished with water, it must extinguish itself. The ashes are collected and taken away from the house, so that the misfortunes and troubles of all family members who jumped over the fire will disappear along with the ashes.
On this day, the obligatory pilaf with lobio (beans) is prepared, but you can also just have toug-pilaf (pilaf with chicken). Fire is considered an extension of the Sun, embodying the warmth that people need so much after winter. For the ancient Oghuz people, the ancestors of the Azerbaijanis, fire and bonfire were a symbol of solidarity and unity. It is no coincidence that in the ancient Azerbaijani epic "Kitabi Dede Gorgud" fire carries one of the main semantic loads of the work.
Yel Chershenbesi will be celebrated in Azerbaijan on March 11, and Torpag Chershenbesi on the 18th. Spring in our country this year will come on the day of the vernal equinox - March 20 at 13:01:25 Baku time.
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