• Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • flickr
  • blogger
  • youtube

blog-logo

  • Home
  • UAE Armenians
  • Hrach Kalsahakian
  • Հայերեն բաժին
  • Archives
    • News
    • Articles
    • Directory

Navasard

December 24, 2008
A+ A-
Email Print


 


Azad-Hye Special


The article is adapted and translated by Christina Hayrapetyan from the book ?Armenian National Holidays? by Hranush Kharatyan-Arakelyan (Yerevan, Armenia 2000).  


In pagan Armenia the New Year was celebrated on August 11. The feast was called Navasard.


Ancient sources bear out that Navasard-New Year was adorned with solemn and splendid festivities, which lasted several days. There were carnivals, cavalcades, various games with participation of the king, noblemen and plain folk. Various open-air celebrations were often held at night around the fire at holy shrines.


Many legends have been told about this most beloved feast; it is said that on this very day our forefather Hayk had a stunning victory over his enemy Bel and gave start to the history of Armenians. It was also believed that this day Noah?s Arc landed on the peak of Mount Ararat, and so the yearly celebrations of Navasard-New Year were to reconfirm the beginning of the new era of humanity.


After the adoption of Christianity in Armenia this feast, along with many others, was officially reformed. The pagan temples were destroyed, the known celebrations and pilgrimages were forbidden. Navasard found its place neither in the church nor in civic calendar, but the people didn?t forget their tradition and they kept celebrating it for many centuries, but this time on the first Sunday after November 10. A question may rise:


Why in November?
Because it marks the end of farming year, the harvest is over, the storehouses are full and the cattle is not put out to pasture any more. That?s why this holiday started to be called also as Nakhratogh (release the cattle).


Till the beginning of the 20th century in some regions of Armenia people used to celebrate two New Years; the national Navasard-Nakhratogh in November and the official one on January 1. These celebrations of Navasard were, of course, different from the ones held by our ancestors. No pilgrimages were organized and the feast was celebrated at home with family and relatives.


On Saturday evening the table was decorated with dried and fresh fruits, nuts and pastry. The same night some cheerful groups of young boys of 10-12 years old used to stroll along the villages singing and demanding goods by hanging socks through the lucarnes (erdik ? something like a dormer window). The socks were, of course, filled with sweets by the hosts. 


It was also usual to throw nuts, fruits and baked goods through the relatives? lucarnes. 
 
The main dish of the holiday was called ?Korkot? or ?Qyashka? (?Harisa? in Yerevan). They put wheat and meat in layers into a big saucepan and placed it on a quiet fire in ?tonir? (underground earthen oven). Qyashka was left to be cooked all night long. No ladle was to touch the dish; it was to stay unstirred in order to have the forthcoming year pass peacefully and without disorders.  


This dish was considered to be very powerful and those with unclear conscience didn?t deserve to eat it. Qyashka was placed on the table on Sunday early morning. 


Starting from the morning everybody was to take care to provide the success and prosperity of the coming year; all water jars were to be full, no plate on the table was to be empty, the cattle was to be fed and some grain was to be scattered over the lands.


At sunrise everyone was ready to make reciprocal visits and to pass on good wishes to each other. The hosts used to strew dried fruits and raisin over the guests, while the guests were to give full trays to the hostess wishing a fertile year. 

author-avatar

Posted by Azad-Hye

Like to share?

Social Media

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • flickr
  • blogger
  • youtube
Newer PostHow can anyone believe there is 'progress' in the Middle East?
Older PostChristmas and Baptism

POPULAR

item-thumbnail

Rebecca Malikian’s novel “The Caravan of Death”

July 10, 2015
item-thumbnail

Erebouni pen launched in Dubai and other cities

April 12, 2015
item-thumbnail

Vardavar (water pouring) international festival in Armenia gains popularity

July 17, 2015
item-thumbnail

Essam Nagy’s documentary “In The Beginning Was Armenia” (Interview)

January 11, 2020
item-thumbnail

Anna Dolabjian: I feel life coaching as a dream coming true

January 18, 2018

LATEST

item-thumbnail

Liana Ghaltaghchyan is the new Managing Director at the Children of Armenia Fund

January 10, 2023
item-thumbnail

Indian Journalist Venkatesh Remakrishnan mentions the Armenians of Chennai

October 30, 2022
item-thumbnail

Renovation of the Ghukasavan Cultural Center’s main hall

December 1, 2021
item-thumbnail

Nobel Prize winner Ardem Patapoutian

October 7, 2021
item-thumbnail

Armenian Church of the Virgin Mary in Basra, Iraq

August 30, 2021

COMMENTS

Azad-Hye on In memory of AUB Medical Alumni who died during the First World War
Azad-Hye on Kessab Ousoumnasirats celebrates centennial
Lawrence Danny CPA on Kessab Ousoumnasirats celebrates centennial
Stephensmith on Pizza making vending machine invented by Puzant Khachadourian
ALEXANIAN on Astghik Voskerchyan: Every element in my environment has a role in my creations

Categories

  • Applications
  • Art
  • Books
  • Business
  • Celebrations
  • Chinese Armenians
  • Courses and Camps
  • Cyprus Armenians
  • Diaspora Armenians
  • Documentaries
  • Education
  • Egyptian Armenians
  • Energy
  • Ethiopian Armenians
  • European Armenians
  • Festivals
  • Genocide
  • History
  • Hrach Kalsahakian
  • Indian Armenians
  • Interviews
  • Iraqi Armenians
  • Language
  • Lebanese Armenians
  • Music
  • Poetry
  • Politics
  • Religion
  • Rural Armenia
  • Science
  • Syrian Armenians
  • Tourism
  • Turkish Armenians
  • UAE Armenians
  • Websites
  • Հայերեն բաժին

CUSTOM LINKS

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact

RANDOM POSTS

item-thumbnail

Nana Aramyan’s art and her exceptional inspiration

item-thumbnail

Շաբաթվա թեման հաղորդման հյուրն է Ստեփան Գրիգորյանը՝ քաղաքական անցուդարձ։ Հաղորդումը վարում է Էմմա Կանտը:

item-thumbnail

Անցկացվեց հայ կինոյի զարգացման ռազմավարություններին ուղղված կոնֆերանս

TAG CLOUD

Armenian Art Armenian Catholics Armenian Christmas Armenian Costumes Armenian Genocide Armenian Songs Armenian Velvet Revolution Azad-Hye Celebrations Cyprus Armenians Daniel Varoujan Hejinian Diaspora Diaspora Armenians Education Emma Kant Emma Karapetyan Ethiopian Armenians Garni Geghard Genocide Goris Greece Hidden Armenians History Iraqi Armenians Kessab Kessabtzis Language Lebanese Armenians Meri Martirosyan Music Music Application Nana Aramyan Nikol Pashinyan Norway Ottoman Empire Paris Speech Therapy Syrian Armenians Syunik Turkey Turkish Armenians UAE Armenians Vardavar Western Armenia

Search this website

© 2023 Azad-Hye . Designed by Wpinhands
Scroll