Azerbaijan celebrates Fire Tuesday of Novruz Holiday – most-beloved ancient holiday of Azerbaijani people

Baku, March 1, AZERTAC Today, Azerbaijan is celebrating Fire Tuesday, one of the four festive Tuesdays before the most-beloved ancient holiday of Azerbaijani people - Novruz Holiday. The four Tuesdays in the run up to Novruz symbolize the four elements called Su Charshanbasi (Water Tuesday), Od Charshanbasi (Fire Tuesday), Torpag Charshanbasi (Earth Tuesday), and Hava or Akhir Charshanba (Wind or Last Tuesday). Fire Tuesday honors fire. Fire means warmth and comfort. Ancient legends associate fire with the Sun and light. Fire is the symbol of purification and clarification. The fire is never put out by water; it burns down by itself. On all four Tuesdays and on the eve of Novruz, and especially on Fire Tuesday, it's traditional to light bonfires, dance around them, and jump over them to cleanse their souls and ward off evil spirits. For thousands of years, the Land of Fires – Azerbaijan has been a melting pot of various cultures and religions. All the way through their history, the Azerbaijani people carried on the ancient traditions of their fire-worshipping ancestors. Fire is somewhat sacred in Azerbaijan, the Land of Fire. There is a Zoroastrian pilgrimage in suburbs of Baku. Azerbaijan historically had reserves of oil and gas that caused flames of fire on the ground and this was interpreted as blessing. As a guide at the Yanar Dag (burning mountain) state historical, cultural and natural reserve of Azerbaijan Matanat Nabiyeva said in her interview with Euronews TV channel: “Yanar Dagh is always ablaze – in any weather, be it rain, wind, or even snow – it never goes out… This flame is a sacred national symbol of Azerbaijan. The word “Azerbaijan” itself means the “land of fire”, and fire-related symbolism is an important integral part of Novruz.” Fire has been used in Azerbaijani weddings from ancient times to symbolize a wish for the health and comfort of the newlyweds. Some of these traditions are still practiced today in the countryside. Sometimes, when a bride leaves her father's home, she usually walks around a fire three times and then takes a lamp lit in her father's home carrying it to the new home where she will live with her husband. Novruz holiday is one of the most important and favorite holidays of the Azerbaijani people. It marks the arrival of spring, renewal of nature, and is celebrated on the vernal equinox, March 20-21 – the beginning of the astronomical New Year.