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Armenians in Uzbekistan keep Vardavar traditions strong
by Georgiy Saakov
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2012-08-13-armenians-in-uzbekistan-keep-vardavar-traditions-strong-
Published: Monday August 13, 2012
Tashkent summer weather is perfect for Vardavar. Gayana Avanesyan
Tashkent, Uzbekistan - Every year the most favorite holiday, joyful
and noteworthy Vardavar, is remembered and maintained in the
Uzbekistan Armenian community. This ancient holiday is particularly
relevant in mid-July summer heat when the thermometers rise in excess
of 40 °C (more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit). Young people become its
major participants. Having armed themselves with the basins, buckets
and other containers they spill water on each other and on those
around them with cheer and merriment.
According to tradition, our first Catholicos St. Gregory the
Illuminator after adopting Christianity did not deprive the people of
the old memorable summer national religious holiday, which dated back
from pre-Christian ages. And since then Vardavar has coincided with
the Armenian church services on the occasion of the Feast of
Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ are held. The holiday is
traditionally celebrated on the successive 14th Sunday (98th day)
after Easter.
There are two Armenian Churches in Uzbekistan: Saint Virgin Mary
Church in Samarkand and St. Philippos Church in Tashkent, the capital.
Tashkent parish priest Ter Garnik Loretsyanis a great promoter of the
summer ritual and as a rule the first generous splash of Vardavar
first comes from him. The young parishioners and activists of the
local Armenian Cultural Center then join in drenching everyone in
sight.
Other cultures have celebrated holidays similar to Vardavar. For
example Dai Ethnic Minority, living in the South-West China in the
Yunnan province hold three days traditional Water Splashing Feast
marking the arrival of the New Year.
The Poles refer to «Wet Monday» on the eve of Easter day and there is
important summer symbolic celebration in the Slavic cultural tradition
which occurs on July 7, known as Day of Ivan Kupala, a combination of
a church feast of Saint John the Baptist and a pre-Christian rite. It
is believed that on this day any kind of water, including morning dew,
is endowed with healing power.
During Vardavar children and teenagers lift barrels pouring water over
the heads to bless everybody with a happy life and good health.
According to legend, the Vardavar spreading water symbolize the
blessing to purify the soul, to rinse away human minds from evil
spirits.
Regrettably, most adults refrain from taking part and try to avoid
getting wet, even though they may need the associated blessings more
than the youth.
It may also be a great notion to introduce this ancient Armenian
ritual to various parts of the world for the purposes of humanitarian
exchange and Armenians' gift to the world.
Vardavar history tells us that to mark the original holiday our
ancestors would take a two-day supply of food to their sanctuaries
along decorated sacrificial animals dedicated to goddess Astghik.
According to this legend, the Armenian «showering roses» goddess of
love and beauty sowed the seeds of love in all the Armenian country
and her beloved fearless Vahagn guarded the seeds from the forces of
Evil. That is why the pilgrims always placed bouquets of roses on a
sacred place at the feast day and sacrificed in Astghik's temple.
The holiday may be related to the Great Flood as well. In memory of
the flood Noah who, according to Bible, found refuge on Mt. Ararat
ordered his sons to pour water on each other. Thus water and roses
became symbols of the national feast.
Water is essential to human existence and its role is particularly
great in the summer, and Vardavar is perfect symbolism for this
connection.
In our daily routine we have deprived ourselves of the traditions of
our ancestors. Even those who regularly go to church and stay for
Divine Liturgy and leave it with a sense of accomplished duty, for
most part learn so little. Communal traditions have largely been
reduced to primitive picnics where the focus is on tasteful dishes
accompanied by the fiery Rabiz-style music.
By spilling water on Vardavar, we receive the type of an emotional
charge that lasts.
Georgiy Saakov is editor for the "Depi Apaga" Uzbekistan Armenians
magazine; this is an edited version of his article.
by Georgiy Saakov
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2012-08-13-armenians-in-uzbekistan-keep-vardavar-traditions-strong-
Published: Monday August 13, 2012
Tashkent summer weather is perfect for Vardavar. Gayana Avanesyan
Tashkent, Uzbekistan - Every year the most favorite holiday, joyful
and noteworthy Vardavar, is remembered and maintained in the
Uzbekistan Armenian community. This ancient holiday is particularly
relevant in mid-July summer heat when the thermometers rise in excess
of 40 °C (more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit). Young people become its
major participants. Having armed themselves with the basins, buckets
and other containers they spill water on each other and on those
around them with cheer and merriment.
According to tradition, our first Catholicos St. Gregory the
Illuminator after adopting Christianity did not deprive the people of
the old memorable summer national religious holiday, which dated back
from pre-Christian ages. And since then Vardavar has coincided with
the Armenian church services on the occasion of the Feast of
Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ are held. The holiday is
traditionally celebrated on the successive 14th Sunday (98th day)
after Easter.
There are two Armenian Churches in Uzbekistan: Saint Virgin Mary
Church in Samarkand and St. Philippos Church in Tashkent, the capital.
Tashkent parish priest Ter Garnik Loretsyanis a great promoter of the
summer ritual and as a rule the first generous splash of Vardavar
first comes from him. The young parishioners and activists of the
local Armenian Cultural Center then join in drenching everyone in
sight.
Other cultures have celebrated holidays similar to Vardavar. For
example Dai Ethnic Minority, living in the South-West China in the
Yunnan province hold three days traditional Water Splashing Feast
marking the arrival of the New Year.
The Poles refer to «Wet Monday» on the eve of Easter day and there is
important summer symbolic celebration in the Slavic cultural tradition
which occurs on July 7, known as Day of Ivan Kupala, a combination of
a church feast of Saint John the Baptist and a pre-Christian rite. It
is believed that on this day any kind of water, including morning dew,
is endowed with healing power.
During Vardavar children and teenagers lift barrels pouring water over
the heads to bless everybody with a happy life and good health.
According to legend, the Vardavar spreading water symbolize the
blessing to purify the soul, to rinse away human minds from evil
spirits.
Regrettably, most adults refrain from taking part and try to avoid
getting wet, even though they may need the associated blessings more
than the youth.
It may also be a great notion to introduce this ancient Armenian
ritual to various parts of the world for the purposes of humanitarian
exchange and Armenians' gift to the world.
Vardavar history tells us that to mark the original holiday our
ancestors would take a two-day supply of food to their sanctuaries
along decorated sacrificial animals dedicated to goddess Astghik.
According to this legend, the Armenian «showering roses» goddess of
love and beauty sowed the seeds of love in all the Armenian country
and her beloved fearless Vahagn guarded the seeds from the forces of
Evil. That is why the pilgrims always placed bouquets of roses on a
sacred place at the feast day and sacrificed in Astghik's temple.
The holiday may be related to the Great Flood as well. In memory of
the flood Noah who, according to Bible, found refuge on Mt. Ararat
ordered his sons to pour water on each other. Thus water and roses
became symbols of the national feast.
Water is essential to human existence and its role is particularly
great in the summer, and Vardavar is perfect symbolism for this
connection.
In our daily routine we have deprived ourselves of the traditions of
our ancestors. Even those who regularly go to church and stay for
Divine Liturgy and leave it with a sense of accomplished duty, for
most part learn so little. Communal traditions have largely been
reduced to primitive picnics where the focus is on tasteful dishes
accompanied by the fiery Rabiz-style music.
By spilling water on Vardavar, we receive the type of an emotional
charge that lasts.
Georgiy Saakov is editor for the "Depi Apaga" Uzbekistan Armenians
magazine; this is an edited version of his article.