Tajikistan: Gathering Around the Seven Sacred ‘S’s
In Tajikistan, Navruz is not just a day off — it is a true symbol of national identity. The celebration lasts from March 21 to 24, filling cities and villages with noisy festivities, the aroma of pilaf, and the clinking of teacups.
In every home, a dastarkhan (traditional table spread) is laid, on which seven items whose names in Tajik (or Persian) begin with the letter «s» (sin) must be placed. This is not just food, but a magical set designed to bring prosperity to the house:
• Sabza (sprouted wheat) — a symbol of rebirth;
• Sipand (wild rue) — protection against the evil eye;
• Somonu (sweet paste made from wheat sprouts) — a sign of satiety and strength;
• Sir (garlic) — health;
• Seb (apple) — beauty;
• Sangid (oleaster berries) — love;
• Sirko (vinegar) — patience and wisdom.
Around this table, families gather to let go of old grievances and make wishes. The culmination of the holiday is the preparation of sumalak — a ritual dish made from germinated wheat, cooked all night in huge cauldrons to the rhythm of songs, with constant stirring.
The Middle East and Central Asia: Echoes of Antiquity
In Iran, the historical homeland of Navruz, this holiday is the most important of the year. Iranians prepare well in advance, doing a thorough spring cleaning (khooneh tekouni), and greet March 21 with joy. The celebration lasts a full 13 days! Twelve days are dedicated to happiness and visiting relatives, while the last day, Sizdah Be-dar, must be spent outdoors, casting out all bad luck along with the sprouted greenery.
In Kyrgyzstan call this day Nooruz. Here, too, a lavish table is indispensable. The main treat is kojo (or zharma) — a nourishing soup made from sprouted grain, meat, and milk. This dish symbolises the unity of man with the earth-nurse, and horse races and rider competitions add a spirit of daring to the festivities.
Similar traditions live in Turkey, where Nevruz is a day of special political and cultural resonance. Turks take to the streets, light bonfires, and jump over the flames, symbolically cleansing themselves of winter’s hardships and illnesses. The day ends with a communal meal right in the open air.
India: An Explosion of Colours and the Triumph of Good
If Navruz is a celebration of order, then the Indian festival of Holi is a celebration of joyful chaos. It is tied to the lunar calendar and often falls in March, heralding the arrival of spring.
Holi is a spectacle for tourists, but a deep philosophy for locals. It is the day when evil (in the form of the demoness Holika) is mystically burned, and good triumphs. People shower each other with colourful powders (gulal) and splash coloured water. Differences in social status, age, and gender dissolve in this rainbow whirlwind. Essential attributes are the intoxicating milk drink bhang and sweets like gulab jamun.
East and West: Other Voices of Spring
But what about countries where the roots of the holiday are not so deep?
In Japan, the spring equinox is called Shunbun no Hi and falls on March 20–21. Unlike the noisy Asian festivities, it is a quiet, family-oriented, and even a little melancholic day. Japanese people dedicate it to honouring their ancestors, visiting graves, and praying for a good harvest. Yet even here there is a gastronomic tradition — rice dumplings ohagi, coated in sweet soybean flour or red bean paste.
In China, the celebration of renewal is more often associated with the Lunar New Year (Chunjie), which occurs in late January or early February. This is perhaps the largest festival on the planet. The sky over cities lights up with fireworks, streets are decorated with red lanterns (red being a protective colour), and families gather around tables filled with dumplings and tangerines to welcome the beginning of a new life cycle.
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In each of these traditions there is its own poetry. Somewhere it is quiet peace and prayer, somewhere an explosion of colours and fiery rituals, and somewhere tea drinking around a dastarkhan. But the main thing remains unchanged: the spring equinox gives us hope. It reminds us that light once again triumphs over darkness, life is always stronger than death, and people, regardless of borders, are equally happy to see the sun, warmth, and a new encounter with nature.
