Cultural Excursus

Uzbekistan is a Country of Festivals and Holidays

5-6/2022

 
     The fairy tale doesn’t take its toll quickly… Similarly, any city in Uzbekistan, in which a guest comes, does not immediately open the gates to its history and sights. On the first gaze, it seems that nothing special – ordinary streets, houses, people. But that’s just the first impression. Lock the comfort with a key in the room of your hotel where you stayed, for a while forget about the excursion cozy bus and go personally to get acquainted with the new and surprisingly beautiful world, which will gradually open up before you behind the creaking ancient gates of the history of Uzbekistan. And then slowly, step by step, absorbing the local tart air mixed with soft dust and intoxicating aromas of flowers, warming up under the generous rays of the sun and cooling down in the shade of luxurious old plane trees, pleasant surprises will begin to surprise and delight you around every corner – friendly people, clean and wide avenues, an abundance of greenery and fountains, gifts nature on the shelves of bazaars, a variety of architectural structures, interesting national souvenirs, clothes and, of course, the mind-blowing smells of Uzbek street food…
     But with the birth of a new life, which is personified by the spring holiday of Navruz, a surprise no less amazing for visitors to the country begins to open – a season of holidays and festivals unfolding throughout the country on an unprecedented scale until the deepest autumn. Therefore, tourists and travelers, researchers and experts, business people, and just those who want to live an interesting and to get rich knowledge about other countries and customs, people try to get to our country during this period of warmth and sun, bright colors and spectacular impressions.
     Uzbeks love to work very hard from dawn to dusk. And they also love to relax – to have a fun and heartwarming, with dances and songs, unfolding in them a panorama of their national customs and traditions. New, modern festivals, closely intertwined with ancient festive centuries-old traditions, carefully preserved and surviving to this day, create the very almost fabulous atmosphere of human happiness, joy and goodness, plunging into which any foreigner, and we, the inhabitants of our country, unite, charged with a powerful positive energy of bright, multinational folk art. It is at these festive events that the depth and beauty of the original cultural heritage, ancient traditions and customs of the Uzbek people are comprehended. At the same time, each region of the country has its own subtle differences and advantages, pronounced both in art and in gastronomy, as evidenced by the artistic products of hereditary artisans and craftsmen, folklore and ethnographic nuances of everyday life, work and leisure of urban and rural residents, a wide range of culinary delights. In the spring-summer-autumn period of holidays and festivals, guests of the country and tourists begin to feel not only spectators, but also accomplices of events, and a sense of commonality of their perception with local residents and festive euphoria, the pristine beauty of nature and many other attractive aspects of life in this country leave in their souls and hearts such indelible impressions that many again and again return here, to feel happy here again, and more and more often among them there are those who want to stay here forever …
     Certainly, the most important, popularly beloved event that has come from the depths of centuries, for which the country has been carefully preparing all year and from which the fan parade of holidays and festivals begins, that’s for sure, is Navruz – this is the beginning of all beginnings. And it is celebrated everywhere, in every city and village, in every house and apartment. And you will not find in the country a person who would remain indifferent to this event. During the celebration of Navruz, people spend days, rallying, cooking sumalak, halim together, cooking the best national dishes with fresh herbs and, according to tradition, go to visit each other with their treats and congratulations, everywhere you can hear the sounds of music, songs, dances. And any stranger, accidentally finding himself near the threshold of an open house, will be a welcome and honorable guest of its hospitable hosts. It is difficult to describe how many positive emotions and joy this holiday gives to people, in which there are no differences in nationality, faiths, cultural values and other differences. These days, everyone is equal and everyone feels happy, and this collective universal force of harmony, peacefulness and unity with each other and nature amazes foreigners. You can see this personally by coming to Uzbekistan, and, plunging into the atmosphere of spring holidays, feel these vibrating notes of humanity, kindness and happiness to the depths of your soul and heart
 
 
Irina BABENKO, correspondent of the magazine «EBU»
 
 
You can read the whole article in the printed version of the magazine.

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