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19. NAR Uz, R.34-fund, list-1, collected volume-2727, -p.192.
20. NAR Uz, R.34-fund, list-1, collected volume-2727, -p.193.
Dilshadkhan Kurbanova, PhD in History, Assitant-Professor at the
Andizhan branch of Tashkent State Agrarian University, Andizhan,
Republic of Uzbekistan
FROM THE HISTORY OF NAVRUZ HOLIDAY
D. Kurbanova
Abstract: The article analyzes the history of the ancient national holiday
of the Uzbek people Navruz, its symbolic meaning, historical roots with the
help of scientific literatures.
Keywords: Navruz, national holiday, historical holiday, Central Asia,
culture.
To begin with, in the 11th century, the great scholar of the East, Mahmud
Kashgari, wrote the truth: “The holiday is a day of joy and happiness of the
people” [1, p.55]. Indeed, we are sure that the ancient holidays and customs,
which have become ingrained in the life of the people, will help us to gain a
deeper understanding of the paths traversed by mankind, to be proud of our
victories and to look to the future with hope.
If we rely on the idea that the holiday is the primitive form of human
culture, we can trace the buds of the holidays to the earliest times when the
human race began to emerge in Central Asia; for the deep roots of the
festivals go back to the infancy of mankind. The great encyclopedist Abu-
Rayhan Beruni in his book “Monuments of Ancient Peoples” used a
wonderful phrase that is characteristic of nature and humanity, that is, “Just
as the Sun and the Moon are the two eyes of the sky, Navruz and Mehrjan
are the two eyes of time” [2, p.45].
According to Beruni, the Sogdians celebrated the first day of the month
of Mavsard - Navruz (new day, or the beginning of the year) in the spring at
the same time of day and night, that is, on March 21 or 22. “Mehrjon” is a
holiday that celebrates this state of autumn. The autumn equinox, which
lasted until September 22, and Navruz and Mehrjon benefited each other in
the Zoroastrian calendar. The wise poet of the East, astronomer,
mathematician Umar Khayyam in his work “Navruznoma” notes that the
word “Navruz” was first mentioned in the holy book of Zoroastrianism
“Avesta”. “Avesta” is an important source of information about the life,
culture and spiritual life of the peoples of Central Asia, Iran and Azerbaijan.
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So, it has been thousands of years since spring attracted the game of thought,
kindness and passion of our ancestors. Avesta, which mentions Navruz as a
holiday, also states that the meaning of human life should be embodied in
three senses. These are good thoughts, good words, good deeds. It teaches
that man, with his whole being, must strive to cultivate and perfect these
three meanings in himself. Ancient monuments once again testify to the fact
that labor is highly valued in Navruz.
Oriental scholar Umar Khayyam wrote in Navruznama: “If everyone
celebrates Navruz, his life will inevitably pass with joy and happiness until
the arrival of Navruz next year”. There are many theories and legends about
the origin of Navruz, and if we look at some pre-Islamic Zoroastrian ideas,
the first day of spring was celebrated as a holy day when the god of good
overcame the god of evil. This date coincided with the day of Navruz [3,
p.32].
In other ancient legends, the day of meeting Adam and Eve is recognized
as the holiday of Navruz. In Firdavsi’s work “Shohnoma” the origin of the
New year “Navruz” is connected with the name of King Jamshid. In
particular, Jamshid trains people for a profession in order to do good to the
country. He spins yarn, weaves baths, houses palaces, reveals medical
secrets, builds ships, builds gardens, and so on.
The Central Asian historian Abu Nasr Narshahi (899-959) wrote in his
History of Bukhara that on the day of Navruz, people kissed a rooster at the
tomb of Siyavush, and that more than three thousand years had passed.
Alisher Navoi’s work “Tarihi mulki ajam” also states that “Navruz” was
invented at the end of Jamshid's great discoveries. It is clear from the
historical sources that have come down to us that the celebration of Navruz
in Iran, Central Asia and Afghanistan was widespread during the
Achaemenid period (6th century BC), and if this is true, the history of Navruz
dates back to the 6th century BC. It becomes even clearer that it has a history
of more than 2,000 years, and a history of four thousand years in general.
According to one of the ancient Iranian legends, Jamshid made a royal
throne and polished it with various rare stones, wore a precious crown with
several different jewels, and sat on the throne in the morning. At that
moment the sun rises and the golden rays of the sun illuminate Jamshid's
crown. The whole environment is enlightened. Seeing this strange miracle,
the people were surprised and celebrated the day when Jamshid ascended
the throne as “Navruz”, ie “New Day” (according to Abu Rayhan Beruni).
Based on this fact, SP Tolstov concludes that Navruz was once not only a
celebration of the vitality of sunlight, agriculture, abundant harvests and
spring celebrations, but also a celebration of the new heir to the throne in
the New Year.
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Although such interpretations of the origin of Navruz can be analyzed
from different angles and it is difficult to show exactly how it came into
being, it can be said that this holiday was invented by wise people and dates
back to the most ancient times - the transition of primitive people to
agriculture and then goes to the spring holidays held in the fields before the
start of the new work season. On the basis of all the customs of “Navruz” is
the only noble intention of the people the hope and desire lies in the fact that
the New Year will be a year of abundance and abundance. Because the origin
of “Navruz” was associated with the scientifically based laws of the universe
and nature, that is, the entry of the sun into the zodiac sign, the equality of
night and day, the concentration in nature and the arrival of spring.
This brief information is related to the history of the emergence of
Navruz. Now let’s take a brief look at the ways in which this holiday is
celebrated, in which case the pre-Islamic customs of the common people in
“Navruz” attract attention. On the day of the holiday, people shared sweets
with each other to make your life sweeter, presented flowers with the
meaning of being beautiful, sprinkled water on each other in the sense of
plenty of water in the year.
Eating sweets on Navruz is one of the most important rituals. On the
morning of Navruz, before talking to someone, they licked three tablespoons
of honey and smelled it. This ritual was performed with the intention of
protecting that person from any calamities throughout the year. Among the
customs for preparing for Navruz, wheat or barley grains were grown in a
wooden container and placed in the center of the table as a spring tree. On
the eve of the holiday, a porridge consisting of 7 varieties (wheat, barley,
peas, corn, rice, mosh, beans) was prepared and distributed to the
neighbors. In Iran, 7 different blue plants beginning with the letter “S” are
placed on the table. Dried fruits are put in juices, painted eggs. Candles were
also lit to cheer the spirits of the ghosts. Water was poured into the pot and
greens were added to it. In ancient times, in some villages, in the first days
of Navruz, children sang in groups at the doors of their homes. The owners
of the house gave the children presents and a variety of food. The children
distributed some of the gifts to the widows and orphans in the village. This
tradition is still preserved in our people.
From ancient times the peoples of Central Asia had a strong belief in
water. Beruni writes that on the morning of Navruz, people go to canals and
pools, often standing in front of running water, and pour water over them to
be blessed and to prevent disasters. “Navruz” is celebrated in some nations
for a month, in others for 5 to 6 days. One of the values and advantages of
the ancient pre-Islamic colorful festivals is that they arose not on the basis
of the ruling classes, but on the basis of the natural needs of the people. For
this reason, they are inextricably linked with nature and are dedicated to the
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important events of life, and are celebrated only when nature creates a state
of joy and happiness.
Indeed, the arrival of spring, the awakening of nature, the green
dressing of the fields, awakens the festive mood in people. That is why
Beruni says “Navruz is the beginning of the world”, Firdavsi says “Navruz is
the horn of holidays”. Navoi wished people “every night is worthless, every
day is Navruz,” while Ahmad Donish said, “On Navruz, not only nature was
revived, but also human nature was awakened”. Another celebration of
Navruz is Sumalak, which is mainly prepared by women and includes heart-
warming ceremonies. Today, everyone participates in the sumalak festival,
regardless of nationality, religion or race. Members of 17 religious
denominations in the Republic of Uzbekistan also celebrate these holidays
[4, p.56].
According to Mahmud Kashgari’s Devonu lugotit turk, the word
“sumalak” is derived from the ancient Turkic word “suma”, which means
“barley harvested for juice” or wheat. For centuries, our ancestors have
known that the evening of Navruz on the eve of Navruz is a symbol of the
coming New Year to be blessed, prosperous and fruitful. Respect for bread
has always been a tradition among our people. Sumalak is valued just as
much as bread. In its preparation, special procedures and moral criteria are
followed. Sumalak is a sacred and sacred food. Even the water that washes
the sumac cooked pot is spilled under the fruit tree, not where it is
encountered. The educational value of such myths has long been great.
There are many legends about how the Sumalak festival was formed.
One of the closest to the truth of BC legends is that the last grain that a farmer
takes for planting is first soaked in water to be planted as soon as possible.
But suddenly the weather deteriorates and the wheat sprouts and grows.
When the weather does not improve, the family takes a risk and asks the
housewife to grind the sprouted wheat so that the family members do not
completely destroy the wheat when they are hungry. The housewife puts the
plant in a pot and boils it for a long time. You see, the intention of the white-
hearted grandfather-farmer is sincere, it gives off a pleasant, fragrant smell,
and from him comes a sensual, sweet dish. As a result, the farmer will be able
to harvest wheat for another year, not only for planting, but also for life-
giving sumalak. Sumalak has long nurtured a sense of solidarity and
harmony in people. In recent years, the Navruz and Sumalak festivals in
Uzbekistan have provided an opportunity to restore this love among the
people. Thus, the old “Navruz” and “Mehrjon” began to see life again.
Centuries later, after the introduction of a new religion (Islam) instead
of Zoroastrianism, “Mehrjan” became, as Beruni points out, “the love of the
sun and the soul”. Abu Rayhan al-Biruni interprets the word “Mehrjan” in
connection with the words “sun” and “love of soul”. This is not in vain, of
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course. Because in the most ancient times, like many ancient peoples in the
northern part of the globe, Central Asians also worshiped the Sun. The holy
book of Zoroastrians, the Avesto, also recognizes the sun as the creator of
great light and heat. The Huns, one of the Turkic peoples, also worshiped the
sun.
However, there have been many instances in history where Navruz has
been banned, especially since it was inaccessible to invaders. They were
frightened that they did not conform to their religion, colonial policy,
customs, and laws, and that on this holiday the local people could be
spiritually united in the cause of freedom. Therefore, Navruz is not an official
holiday in the palace of the invaders, in the circles of officials and clergy. But
despite this pressure, Navruz continued to be celebrated among the
common people. “Navruz” was not included in the list of official holidays in
the former Soviet Union and was unofficially banned, but with the
determination of Uzbek scholars, it received attention in the mid-60s.
Radio and television began to cover it, and cooking sumalaks in various
ways came to life. However, in the mid-1980s, new obstacles arose in the
celebration of Navruz as a national holiday in Uzbekistan. In 1985-1987, the
media bypassed the holiday. There was a heated debate about this. Leading
writers, scientists and cultural workers of the republic have said that Navruz
is a real national holiday that has been going on since ancient times, its
essence is not related to religion, but to the laws of nature, and it should be
developed on the basis of best traditions. As a result, “Navruz” is widely
celebrated as a real national holiday. Since 1990, March 21 has been
declared the day of celebration of Navruz. Since the independence of
Uzbekistan, Navruz has become a real, official holiday of our republic. In
independent Uzbekistan, Navruz is celebrated every year with great
festivities.
After gaining independence, Uzbekistan has been celebrating these
holidays in its own way, without losing its ancient essence, on the basis of
ancient traditions, enriched with modern innovations. Because, during the
years of Independence, our girls have become more tolerant in the
preparation of food and pastries, and have been increasing the variety of
dishes and pastries with pastries of different nations. “Navruz” is a blessing
in disguise. In this regard, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh.
Mirziyoev every year prays that Navruz will come to our country, protect
our Motherland from evil eyes, bring kindness, happiness and peace to every
home, and may God help us in our good deeds. And our citizens always open
their ashes in prayer for the continuation of these lofty wishes.
References:
1. Makhmud Kashgari. Devonu-lugatit turk.-Tashkent: Chulpon, 1994.
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2. Firdavsi A. Shohnoma.-Tashkent: Kamalak, 1995.
3. History of Uzbekistan.-Tashkent: Shark, 1998.
4. Independent Uzbekistan.-Tashkent: Uzbekistan, 2000.
Talantbek Madumarov, Dean of the Faculty of Social Economics of
Andizhan State University, Doctor of Sciences in Law, Professor, Republic
of Uzbekistan
BABUR’S VIEWS ON THE STATE
T. Madumarov
Abstract: The article analyzes the fact that Zahiriddin Muhammad
Babur, as a great statesman and an advanced enlightened thinker, put
forward his own political views.
Keywords: Babur, statesman, enlightenment, political views, central.
Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur, as a great statesman and an advanced
enlightened thinker, put forward his own political views. central to his
political views is society and public administration. When thinking about
states, Babur divided them into two types:
1. A just, centralized state;
2. An unjust, scattered state.
Babur, who was always a supporter of a just, centralized state, believed
that the state should be ruled by a just, enlightened king. He spoke negatively
of the unjust, fragmented state, describing the dual power that emerged as
one of the unjust forms of government in Khorasan at the time, following the
death of Sultan Hussein Baykara, as follows: “... Muhammad Burundukbek
and Zunnunbek, as well as Sultan Hussein Mirza, and the princes who were
with these mirzas came together and made an alliance, and Mirza
Baduzzaman and Mirza Muzaffar Husayn made him the king of Bashir.
Zunnunbek at the door of Badi'uzzamon mirzo, Muhammad Burunduqbek
at the door of Muzaffar Hussein mirzo. Yusuf Ali Kokaldosh by Bidi'uzzaman
Mirza. It was a strange command, no company was ever heard in the
kingdom ... ”[1, p.140].
According to Babur, the downside of dual power is that neither of these
two kings assumes personal responsibility and initiative in defending the
state, commanding the army. As a result, the country is occupied by the
enemy and the country is in chaos. According to Babur, the dual kingdom
would lead to sectarian strife, various conspiracies, and the country's
disintegration and destruction. “.. At that time, I used to say to Baqibek
