21/02/2022
The Navruz Holiday is one of the greatest national holidays of Persian nations, including Tajiks. The word Navruz consists of two roots – «nav» (nay, nav) new and «ruz» (ruch, ruz)- day, that means New Day. The word Navruz originated from basic Pahlavi language, where it is pronounced as Nuk Ruj (nuk ruj) or Nug ruz (nugruz). The population of the ancient Soghd called this day as «Nav Sart» (Navsart). Various nations pronounce the word Navruz differently: Novruz, Naviyz (Arabs), Navruz (Persians and Tajiks), Nauryz (Kazakhs and Kyrgyzs).
The Holiday takes place in the day of vernal equinox according to Solar calendar, which was composed by Iranian nations seven millenniums ago, long before the origin of Islam According to this calendar, the year started on 20-21 March, in the day of vernal equinox, when the nature revived, and the spring finally started. There is a legend, that even the First Man (Kayumars) was created just in the moment of equilibrium of the day and night.
Navruz is the most ancient New Year holiday on Earth, and its history amounts to 3-4 millenniums. Literary monuments state the legend that origin of Navrus is linked with legendary Persian Padishah Djamshed. His great grandfather, Persian King Kayumars, who is considered to be the First Ancestor of the whole humanity, gave names to the days, years and months. Having identified the day and the moment (morning), when the Sun enters the constellation of Aries, he ordered all the priests (mubadam) to start the calendar from this moment.
His great grandson traveled a lot round the world. Having arrived to Azerbaijan, he gave the order to build the throne on the highest mountain at the level of sun, and decorate it with gold and jewelry. When the sheikh sat into the throne, his radiance, and also shining of his crown together with the Sun lighted up the surroundings with marvelous glitter. The amazed nation called this day as a new day (Navruz) in the honor of their sheikh and gave the name Djamshed to their governor, which means "shining" и "radiant". Djamshed organized the feast, and called it Navruz, and ordered people to celebrate it every year as the beginning of year. The sheikh ordered the people to clean their houses, make ablution, as Almighty likes cleanness. That day Djamshed cut the sugar cane and drank its sugar. From that time during celebration of Navruz, according to traditions, people when meet, treat each other with fruits and sweets.
