Yazidis celebrate Charsham Sarsale festival
Çarşama Sarsale (Çarşema Serê Salê), or as it is also called "Sersal" - meaning New Year's Eve, celebrated at the beginning of April according to the Eastern calendar, corresponding to the Julian calendar. This is a very ancient holiday that dates back to the earliest cults of Mesopotamia and elements of which are still preserved among many peoples.
During this festival in Lalesh, the clerics recite prayers and sacred hymns and light oil lamps towards evening. The Yazidi temple of Lalesh is located in a deep picturesque valley with one exit. The slopes of the peaks are covered with dense greenery of walnut, mulberry and olive trees. On both slopes of the four mountains - Mshat, Arafat, Mshrugia and Hazrat - there are rows of small buildings in which people who come to worship the shrine settle on festive days. The water flowing from the underground spring, winding through the network of underground caves, coming out under each of the towers of the ancient temple, bears the stamp of sanctity. The portals that served as the entrance to the temple are decorated with deep relief carved in stone with various symbols. In the centre is a large vaulted hall with seven columns supporting the dome. Since time immemorial, people have flocked here from all directions to seek knowledge. The Lalesh Valley at this time is ablaze with the lights of hundreds of lamps that make it look marvellously beautiful.
On Tuesday, the day before the festival, every house prepares treats, paints eggs and gathers spring flowers to decorate their homes. Eggs and flowers are the main symbols of Charsham Sarsale.
This important holiday for Yazidis has been partly forgotten by the Yazidis of the former USSR. Perhaps the reason was the centuries-long migration from the centuries-old - historical homeland of Lalesh. But now, due to the increased interest in preserving cultural heritage, the Yazidi community, especially in the countries of the former Soviet Union, has become more active in preserving and passing on their traditions to the next generations. This may include organising festivals, restoring rites and rituals, and strengthening public awareness of the importance of their cultural heritage.
Tags: #yazidisinfo #newsyazidis #aboutyazidis #cultureyazidis #traditionyazidis
Yazidis celebrate Charsham Sarsale festival
Çarşama Sarsale (Çarşema Serê Salê), or as it is also called "Sersal" - meaning New Year's Eve, celebrated at the beginning of April according to the Eastern calendar, corresponding to the Julian calendar. This is a very ancient holiday that dates back to the earliest cults of Mesopotamia and elements of which are still preserved among many peoples.
During this festival in Lalesh, the clerics recite prayers and sacred hymns and light oil lamps towards evening. The Yazidi temple of Lalesh is located in a deep picturesque valley with one exit. The slopes of the peaks are covered with dense greenery of walnut, mulberry and olive trees. On both slopes of the four mountains - Mshat, Arafat, Mshrugia and Hazrat - there are rows of small buildings in which people who come to worship the shrine settle on festive days. The water flowing from the underground spring, winding through the network of underground caves, coming out under each of the towers of the ancient temple, bears the stamp of sanctity. The portals that served as the entrance to the temple are decorated with deep relief carved in stone with various symbols. In the centre is a large vaulted hall with seven columns supporting the dome. Since time immemorial, people have flocked here from all directions to seek knowledge. The Lalesh Valley at this time is ablaze with the lights of hundreds of lamps that make it look marvellously beautiful.
On Tuesday, the day before the festival, every house prepares treats, paints eggs and gathers spring flowers to decorate their homes. Eggs and flowers are the main symbols of Charsham Sarsale.
This important holiday for Yazidis has been partly forgotten by the Yazidis of the former USSR. Perhaps the reason was the centuries-long migration from the centuries-old - historical homeland of Lalesh. But now, due to the increased interest in preserving cultural heritage, the Yazidi community, especially in the countries of the former Soviet Union, has become more active in preserving and passing on their traditions to the next generations. This may include organising festivals, restoring rites and rituals, and strengthening public awareness of the importance of their cultural heritage.
Tags: #yazidisinfo #newsyazidis #aboutyazidis #cultureyazidis #traditionyazidis
