28 March 2024

Thursday, 17:27

THE PHILOSOPHY OF NOVRUZ

The wisdom of the festival also lies in its amazing, life-asserting attributes

Author:

08.04.2014

It is a day full of Novruz rites and ceremonies. By evening all is ready for the festival. The apartment is squeaky clean and the festive stove emits a pleasing aroma. Spring will come to Azerbaijan on 20 March at approximately 15.02, Baku time. On 19 March the sun moves from the southern hemisphere to the northern. When the sun reaches this point it will be the equinox and in the northern hemisphere the astronomic spring begins and it will last until 21 June.

This year, the pre-festive evening has coincided with axir cersenbe, the last Tuesday before the Novruz holiday. It seems that this only increases the abundance of ceremonies, rituals and fortune-telling that are held both on bairam axsam and axir cersenbe. And if you think about the traditions linked with Novruz, you begin to understand the fine and wise philosophy of this spring festival, the festival of the equinox. It seems that this is the time when absolutely everything comes to an equilibrium. We go back to basics and purify our souls with generosity and plenty. For many of us Novruz is a symbol of togetherness and philanthropy, true earthly happiness.

The Novruz is limited. It arrives on the day when the periods of light and dark are equal and it seems that peace is restored over the earth. There is festive excitement in hearts and minds. It is a time for summing up. Everyone rushes to settle debts, ask for forgiveness for petty feuds and quarrels and prepare happy surprises and gifts. Since ancient times it has been the custom to visit relatives, loved ones and the elderly, receive guests with special reverence, say good words about the departed, visit their graves and pray God rest their souls. This is a time to help your neighbours and friends, visit the sick and infirm, the lonely and the elderly and regale them with generous gifts and Xonca sweets.

 

Healthy Novruz

The wisdom of the Novruz also lies in its amazing - one might say life-asserting - cuisine. The festive procurements of Novruz, as well as the dried fruits and nuts that accompany them, are a true vitamin supplement to any run-down organism. History tells us that the ancient fire worshippers believed that vegetables, greens, butter, nuts, meat, milk and various sweetmeats were the most useful products. And it is from these that the dishes for the festive table during Novruz and other national festivals are prepared. As R+ was told by Farid Alekperli, the head of the department for translation and information of the Institute of Manuscripts of the Azerbaijani National Academy of Sciences, President of the Azerbaijani Medical History Society, member of the board of the International Medical History Society and candidate of biological sciences and doctor of history, the Azerbaijani people's diet has not changed very much in the more recent, Muslim period. Shekerbura, baklava, halva and other sweetmeats, made with honey and an addition of groundnuts, almonds and other ingredients are still popular. The feast started with pilaf and other hot dishes and ended with sweetmeats, regularly accompanied by sorbet. Tea and coffee became popular much later. At that time it was believed that all these dishes were not only useful but cured many diseases.

"Fasting and diets were not popular in ancient Azerbaijan. The Zoroastrian religion instructed a model fire worshipper to be "well-nourished, rosy-cheeked, healthy and happy in equal measure". Austerity, insufficient and irregular eating and other forms of damaging the organism by a restriction of food were believed to be "the greatest sin".

One may dispute how correct the Zoroastrian concept of a healthy way of life was, but one should recognize the fact that according to ancient Greek sources the people of ancient Azerbaijan were noted for their enviable health and longevity, the academic stresses.

 

Pilaf and sweetmeats

Eminent doctors of the medieval period tell of the health-giving properties of the dishes brought to the table during Novruz. Medieval Azerbaijani medical manuscripts speak about the health-giving properties of pilaf as the secret of longevity. Contemporary science confirms that rice is a useful dietary product, rich in protein and carbons. And shekerbura was believed in ancient times to be one of the "health-giving" sweetmeats. "Back in the 4th century BC culinary delights such as shekerbura from granulated sugar and nuts were the favourite foods of the kings of Atropaten (ancient Azerbaijan). Being true Zoroastrians, they were more afraid of growing thin and acquiring a sickly appearance. The fire worshippers believed that a sick person will fall under the power of the evil God Ahriman and become impure. That is why the ancient rulers tried to remain "well-nourished", and shekerbura was a great help in this," the scholar said.

Yusuf ibn Ismail Hoya also wrote about the health-giving properties of baklava in 1311. According to ancient Greek medicine, it strengthens fertility and is useful for the brain. That is why people engaged in intellectual pursuits - scientists, writers, poets and civil servants - were advised to eat baklava. It was believed that one portion of baklava, eaten in the morning on an empty stomach, improves digestion, cleans out the bowels, has a laxative effect, is useful for constipation and also increases bile secretion during chronic colecystitis. It is recommended that both shekebura and baklava be taken with a small quantity of liquid.

 

Nuts and dried fruits

As regards the nuts (hazel-nuts) which go into shekerbura, baklava and other sweetmeats, Muhammad Mumin, a doctor in medieval Azerbaijan, said: "The hazelnut increases fertility and is useful for the bowels but is not good for the digestion. The hazelnut is useful for the chest and lungs and especially the heart…" Stressing the advantages of hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, shekerbura and baklava, medieval authors advised you to eat them in equal measure in order to prevent heaviness in the stomach and indigestion.

Dried apricots, sultanas and jujube (innab), which are brought to the table as sweets, are believed to be useful for the heart. Prunes, died figs and albuhare were believed to have laxative properties. The experience of traditional medicine shows that these are excellent remedies for constipation. Leblebi, specially cooked peas or nohud, has a tonic effect and is rich in protein, but if used excessively it can cause swelling and indigestion. Pistachio nuts, especially green inner peel walnuts, were well known as a remedy for tachycardia (rapid heartbeat), but only if used regularly and over a long period of time. At that time sweetmeats were prepared with a honey additive, which substantially increased their nutritional value and health benefits.

 

Syamyani

It would be a sin to fail to mention the useful properties of syamyani - sprouted wheat, a symbol of Novruz, from which Azerbaijani experts prepare "Isfahan halvasi". It is well known that the sprouted grain of wheat does not treat a particular illness but cures the organism as a whole. The sprouted grains of wheat are easily digested by the organism, help it to combat adverse ecological factors and restore the infected tissues and systems of the organism. Besides this, sprouted wheat contains an immense amount of useful micro-elements and vitamins which not only nourish our organism but also purify it. If sprouted wheat is taken over 12 days it will not be long before there are positive changes in the organism. And Azerbaijani sources, which speak about the useful properties of sprouted wheat, confirm this.

National festivals and traditional cuisine are treasures of the national culture of the Azerbaijani people, and the recommendations of the medieval healers have not lost their significance today, especially during the Novruz festival, the scholar claims. All this shows that we still have much to learn from our ancestors.



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