Presentation "Kalmyk folk holiday Tsagan Sar" presentation on the topic. Tsagan Sar - Kalmyk spring holiday Kalmyk holidays Tsagan Sar

Orthodox believers are holding a number of fasts during 2020, both one-day and multi-day. associated not only with dietary restrictions, but also with voluntary refusal from all kinds of entertainment. For example, during multi-day fasts it is not customary to “play” weddings.

In this material we will list all the Orthodox fasts of 2020 (one-day and multi-day) and tell you when they will take place (dates and deadlines).

In 2020, after the end of the Nativity Fast on January 6 and the holidays associated with the Nativity of Christ and Christmastide, the first one-day post will be January 18, 2020 on Epiphany Christmas Eve.

Further, after Epiphany (after January 19, 2020), one-day posts believers hold every Wednesday and Friday for three weeks in a row (until Friday 7 February 2020). These days you should stick to plant foods, but you can cook them in vegetable oil. Fast days are canceled on February 12, 2020 (Wed) and February 14, 2020 (Fri), in connection with the continuous week in memory of the divine parable of the publican and the Pharisee. Next week again Wednesday February 19, 2020 and Friday February 21, 2020 Lenten.

After Easter week ( during which there is no fasting on Wednesday and Friday) before Trinity, i.e. from April 27, 2020 to June 7, 2020, every Wednesday and Friday fasting, but with a fish permit.

After Trinity and the festive Trinity Week ( when fasting on Wednesday and Friday is canceled) Petrov fast 2020 begins on June 15, 2020. Petrov's fast in 2020 lasts almost a month, more precisely 27 days, ending on Saturday June 11 before the day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. During this fast, on many days it is allowed to add oil to dishes and eat fish, so this fast is quite mild. Only on the first Monday of Lent, June 15, 2020, on Fridays, June 26, 2020, and July 3, 2020, should you adhere to a strict lean diet.

On the following summer days after the day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (July 12, 2020), Orthodox believers adhere to fast days only on Wednesdays and Fridays(however, with permission to use vegetable oil), up to until the Assumption Fast.

Dormition Fast 2020 begins on Friday, August 14, 2020 and lasts until Friday August 28, 2020, ending on the day of the Assumption Holy Mother of God. The Assumption Fast lasts 15 days and is strict. All his days are truly fast except Saturdays and Sundays, when oil is allowed. On the holidays of August 19, 2020 (Transfiguration of the Lord or Apple Savior) and August 28, 2020 (Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary), dishes with fish are added.

In September, October and November 2020 one-day posts follow on Wednesdays and Fridays when dairy products, meat and eggs are not consumed, but are allowed vegetable oil. Strict one-day posts awaits believers September 11, 2020 on the Day of the Beheading of John the Baptist and September 27, 2020(Exaltation of the Holy Cross).

The Christmas (or Filippov) fast 2020 begins on November 28, 2020, last long post of the year 20. It continues until the Nativity of Christ 2021, ending on Christmas Eve January 6, 2021. The Nativity Fast lasts 40 days, but is not strict. Fish is allowed on holidays and weekends, and oil is allowed on almost all days. Only four days should be noted when one must fast strictly. These are Mondays 7 and 21 December 2020, Wednesday 9 December 2020 and Friday 25 December 2020.

All Orthodox posts for 2020 (briefly):
* All Wednesdays and Fridays 2020, except for Christmastide and continuous weeks (Publican and Pharisee, Cheese/Maslenitsa, Easter, Trinity).
* Epiphany Christmas Eve- one-day, January 18, 2020
* Lent - multi-day, from March 2, 2020 to April 18, 2020
* Petrov post- multi-day, from June 15, 2020 to July 11, 2020;
* Dormition post- multi-day, from August 14, 2020 to August 28, 2020
* Beheading of John the Baptist- one-day, September 11, 2020
* Exaltation of the Holy Cross- one-day, September 27, 2019
* Christmas (Filippov) post- multi-day, from November 28, 2020 to January 6, 2021.

One of the main national holidays Tsagan sar ( White month), symbolizing the onset of spring and the awakening of nature, noted the residents of Kalmykia. In Elista, festive events took place in the Central Khurul and on Victory Square, where Maslenitsa was celebrated together with Tsagan Sar, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

The "Caucasian Knot" wrote that Tsagan Sar begins on the first day of the dragon month lunar calendar. On this day, in a number of regions - in China, Mongolia, Buryatia, Tyva, Tibet - Buddhists meet New Year. Usually Tsagan Sar also coincides with Maslenitsa.

New breed for the year of the dog

This year Tsagan Sar fell on February 16th. By tradition, by decree of the head of Kalmykia, this day was declared a non-working day.

In the central khurul "Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni" prayer services dedicated to the offensive of Tsagan sar were held on February 14 and 16. In addition, on the evening of February 16, the Shajin Lama (Supreme Lama) of Kalmykia Telo Tulku Rinpoche gave a lecture on the basics of Buddhism.

Meanwhile, on Victory Square in Elista, together with Tsagan, we celebrated Maslenitsa. The festive concert consisted of Kalmyk and Russian numbers folk dances. During the intermission, Buddhist and Orthodox clergy read prayers from the stage, after which a ritual of “purification by fire” was performed: those gathered in the square were asked to throw a handful of salt into a vat of fire, mentally imagining that all kinds of negativity would burn together with this salt.

Along the perimeter of the square, yurts were installed, where one could try traditional treats on this day: Kalmyk tea, bortsoki ( crumpets from butter dough ), as well as Maslenitsa pancakes.

Educational institutions in Elista organized an exhibition and sale of decorative and applied works by students and teachers. The exhibition and sale of dogs of the Kalmyk breed “Barg”, timed to coincide with the onset of the Year of the Dog according to the Eastern calendar, also aroused keen interest among those gathered.

According to the breeder, author of the breed, State Duma deputy Bator Aduchiev, the barg is not afraid of wolves.
“I had a dream - to revive the Kalmyk breed of dog. Together with fellow scientists, I managed to turn the dream into reality. Now in the steppe, along with the four traditional types of main farm animals (camel, sheep, cow, horse - editor's note), a guard appeared and assistant livestock breeder,” Aduchiev wrote on his Facebook page.

In addition to the still exotic dogs, the attention of Elista residents and city guests was attracted by Bactrian camels, which were offered for everyone to ride.

The celebration of Tsagan Sar sets Kalmykia apart from other Buddhist regions

Builder Arslang Dordzhiev, by his own admission, celebrates Tsagan Sar without attaching much importance to the symbolism of the holiday.

“For some it’s the New Year, for others it’s a spring holiday. To be honest, I don’t delve into this issue. I don’t remember whether Tsagan Sar was an official holiday in Soviet times, but I remember well how, during construction work in the steppe, I saw a gopher with my own eyes, although there was snow all around and the temperature was below zero. Before this, there were doubts when the old people said that gophers woke up on Tsagan Sar. Still, it’s not for nothing that Tsagan Sar and Maslenitsa usually coincide - this day is truly a turning point. For our nomadic ancestors, the approach of spring meant great importance. For me, it’s just a tradition, one of my favorite holidays since childhood,” Dordzhiev told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

In turn, student Alina believes that celebrating Tsagan Sara as a spring holiday, and not as a New Year, sets Kalmykia apart from other Buddhist regions.

“I know that in other Buddhist regions they celebrate the New Year, but we have already celebrated the Year of the Dog... Today for me is a spring holiday. It’s great that we have our own holidays, this distinguishes our republic from the background of the Buddhist world. Emphasizes our uniqueness ", Alina told the Caucasian Knot correspondent.

According to her, on the night of Tsagan Sar, she baked bortsoki with her mother and in the morning she visited relatives and friends with gifts, “as is customary among the Kalmyks.”

Pensioner Svetlana Andreeva says she has been celebrating Tsagan Sar “as long as she can remember.

“I am Orthodox. But since I was born in Kalmykia, I always celebrated Kalmyk holidays. In turn, my Kalmyk friends, acquaintances, neighbors always congratulate me on Christmas, Easter and other Christian holidays. And Tsagan Sar also coincides with Maslenitsa, so here God himself ordered us to celebrate in harmony, together,” Andreeva told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

A resident of Volgograd, Dmitry, according to him, is interested in Buddhism, so he decided to come to the Central Khurul for holiday prayers.

“It’s not that I’m interested in these particular rituals, it’s just that more experienced practitioners recommended that I listen to live lectures on the basics of Buddhism - they say that some points cannot be gleaned from books. I came to the lecture with Telo Tulku Rinpoche. But, unfortunately, I did not specify the time . I don’t know yet whether I can stay in Elista until the evening. But in any case, I don’t regret the trip. I was here for the first time with an excursion group from Volgograd, today I came on my own - it seems to me that your city is conducive to leisurely walks. Celebration on the square I wouldn’t call it particularly bright, but I like that people here have not forgotten how to enjoy simple things,” Dmitry said in an interview with a “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

Let us note that earlier, Doctor of Historical Sciences Elza Bakaeva told the "Caucasian Knot" that Tsagan Sar is a pre-Buddhist holiday, which was celebrated by the ancestors of the Kalmyks as the New Year, but not in the spring, but in the fall. According to her, the holiday was moved to spring by the willful decision of Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan dynasty.

“However, in the period from the 13th to the 16th centuries, the Oirats were not always part of the Mongol Empire, sometimes they were at enmity with it, and in the 17th century they completely separated and migrated to the lower reaches of the Volga. That is why the Kalmyks preserved the tradition of that ancient, hunting, New Year, and Tsagan Sar turned into a separate holiday, which over time began to mark the onset of spring,” Bakaeva explained.

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Contents 1 History of the holiday 1.1 Origin 1.2 Tsagan Sar in the 13th century. 1.3 Buddhist traditions of celebration 1.3.1 Rituals 1.3.2 Popular mythology 1.4 Tsagan Sar in modern times 1.5 Holiday in modern times 2 Traditions and rituals of celebration 2.1 Ritual mutual greeting 2.2 Visiting 2.3 Gifts 2.4 Offerings 3.TSAGAN SAR - KALMYK SPRING HOLIDAY

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History of the holiday Origin The Tsagan Sar holiday dates back to the ancient national and religious traditions of the Mongolian peoples. It is a symbol of renewal of man and nature, openness and purity of thoughts, hope and good expectations. The name of the holiday comes from the words “tsagaan” - white and “sar” - month. "White Month" was originally considered a holiday of dairy products and was celebrated in the fall. At this time, the preparation of dairy products for future use, which were consumed during the holidays, was completed.

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Tsagan Sar in the 13th century. Grandson of Genghis Khan - great khan Yuan Dynasty Kublai moved the New Year celebration from autumn to late winter under the influence of Chinese astrology. Thus, the Mongolian Tsagan Sar was timed to coincide with the beginning of the year on a twelve-year cycle. The court “white holiday” is described as follows by his witness and contemporary of Kublai, Marco Polo:<<Год у них начинается в феврале; великий хан и все его подданные празднуют вот как: по обычаю все одеваются в белое, и мужчины и женщины, всякий как может. Белая одежда почитается у них счастливой, поэтому они и делают это, одеваются в белое, чтобы во весь год было счастье и благополучие… Приносят ему большие дары… чтобы во весь год у великого хана богатства было много и было бы ему радостно и весело. Скажу вам ещё, князья и рыцари, да и весь народ друг другу дарят белые вещи, обнимаются, веселятся, пируют, и делается это для того, чтобы счастливо и по добру прожить весь год. В этот день, знайте ещё, дарят великому хану более ста тысяч славных и дорогих белых коней. В этот же день выводят пять тысяч слонов под белыми, зверями и птицами вышитыми, попонами; у каждого слона на спине по два красивых и дорогих ларца, а в них посуда великого хана и богатая сбруя для этого белого сборища. Выводят еще многое множество верблюдов; они также под попонами и навьючены всем нужным для дара. И слоны, и верблюды проходят перед великим ханом, и такой красоты нигде не видано! …А когда великий государь пересмотрит все дары, расставляются столы, и все садятся за них… А после обеда приходят фокусники и потешают двор, что вы уже прежде слышали; когда все это кончится, идут все к себе домой.>>

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Buddhist celebration traditions With the beginning of the widespread spread of Tibetan Buddhism among the Mongolian peoples in the 17th century, the Mongolian Tsagan Sar incorporated Buddhist rituals and mythology. Rituals The main imperative of all Buddhist rituals associated with the New Year was getting rid of all sins and defilements accumulated in the previous year. The central ritual still remains a one-day penitential fast (Tib. Sojong), accompanied by a ceremony of burning “sor” - a black pyramid symbolizing accumulated evil, sacrificed to the spirits of the area. The rituals of the first two weeks of the new month are associated, firstly, with the celebration of the new year, and secondly, with the “fifteen great miracles” of Buddha Shakyamuni and his victories over six non-religious teachers. Thus, the celebration of the new year in Buddhist Mongolia came in accordance with canons of the celebration of the Tibetan New Year celebration - Losar.

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Popular mythology Buddhist popular mythology connects the holiday of Tsagan Sar, the beginning of spring, with the name of the Buddhist deity Dharmapala, the goddess Baldan Lhamo. According to legend, every year after another victory over the mangus and saving the sun, swallowed by the lord of hell Yama (Mongolian: Erleg nomyn khaan), she descends to the earth, warms it with her warmth, and spring begins. The cold weather is receding, the winter lack of food is disappearing, new season V economic activity pastoralists. They count the losses caused by winter and rejoice at the approaching warm season. The image of an angry Buddhist goddess is sometimes adjacent to the image of the White Old Man (Mongolian: Tsagaan өvgon), the traditional Buddhist embodiment of fertility and longevity. Tsagan Sar in Modern Times Since the 19th century, with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, Tsagan Sar in Kalmykia was not celebrated specifically as the beginning of the calendar year, however, among the Volga Kalmyks, who migrated in 1771 from Russian Empire, traditional rituals have been preserved: their descendants living in Xinjiang (PRC) celebrate Tsagan Sar as the New Year. The strengthening of the New Year's character of the spring celebration was facilitated by the fact that the Chinese celebrate the traditional New Year at the same time. Holiday in modern times In the 1930s, the celebration of Tsagan Sar in the USSR was prohibited. The revival of the celebration traditions occurred only in the post-war period; the status of a national holiday was received only in 1990. Today, the first day of Sagaalgan in Buryatia and in the territories of ABAO and UOBAO was declared a day off. It is also celebrated and is a day off in Tyva, the Altai Republic and Kalmykia.

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Traditions and rituals of the celebration Meat and sweets are modern treats on the Tsagan Sar holiday. They prepared for the celebrations in advance, slaughtered livestock for future use, since it was forbidden to do this directly on the days of the holiday. Celebrations took place in every home. They hung new outfits on the line and shook out all the clothes. They cooked meat - lamb, beef or horse meat, and prepared buuzas. Ritual mutual greeting Traditional greeting was an important ritual with which two people who met on that day addressed each other. The meaning of this greeting is so great and the duration of its effect is so long that, for example, Tuvans could not say hello for a whole year, arguing that they had already said hello during the White Month. When meeting Kalmyks, they asked: “Did your members and livestock come out of winter safely?” The pronunciation of these words was accompanied by special gestures, depending on the gender and age of those greeting. During the White Month, Mongols, Buryats and Tuvans made the following gesture: the younger one extends both hands to the older one (woman to man, if they are the same age), palms up, the older one puts his hands on top of them, palms down, the younger one supports the older one under the elbows. This gesture contains both respect and a promise, if necessary, of help and support. The Kalmyks made similar greeting gestures differently. The younger one extended both hands to the older one. The elder gave him one right hand. The younger one wrapped his arms around her on both sides. Both bowed their heads in a slight bow. The elder could offer both hands; in this case, the two made exactly the same gestures, clasping each other’s right hands. This gesture could be used to greet people of equal age. In this welcoming gesture, the woman was obliged to lower her sleeves as much as possible in order to completely hide her hands in them. In someone else's house, congratulations were made as follows: the greeter got down on his right knee, raised his folded palms to his forehead and said the traditional greeting: “We have come out of winter safely!”

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Visiting Visiting is an indispensable component of the Tsagan Sar holiday. Even those living far away these days came to meet their relatives. There were certain norms: the order of visits and the nature of gifts depended on the person’s position. They visited their parents and maternal relatives - they always enjoyed special veneration; daughters-in-law came to the house of their husband's parents with their children to worship their ancestors and patrons. An indispensable element of holiday gifts was a bunch of wrestlers. Gifts A traditional ritual gift is the national flour dish “bortsok”. Bortsoki were made from rich unleavened dough and fried in boiling fat. They were used to make sets for presenting the “first portion” to Buddhas, as well as gift sets for giving to relatives during holiday visits. The shape of the wrestlers included in the sets had a symbolic meaning: the animal figurines expressed the wish for the offspring of the corresponding livestock; in the form of a reason - good luck. Thus, the “khuts” wrestlers, sculpted in the form of a ram figurine, meant the wish for a large offspring of this type of livestock and reflected to some extent the ancient ritual of animal sacrifice, that is, they replaced the real sacrifice with its image. A similar role was played by the wrestlers “kit”, the shape of which resembled part of a horse’s entrails, and the wrestlers “Ovrte tokhsh”, symbolizing cattle. Bortsok "moshkmr" - twisted, small "horja" (literal translation: insects), reminiscent of the national dish of boiled lamb entrails. The “jola” wrestlers, depicting a rein, were supposed to invoke endless luck. And by offering the wrestler “shoshhr”, they expressed the desire to live as a united family, and also to have protection from enemies.

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Offerings Early in the morning on the day of the holiday, the ritual of sprinkling was performed (kalm. zulg orgh): having crossed the threshold of the house, the owner sprinkled the first cup of freshly brewed tea around as an offering to the ancestors and the White Elder. Bortsoks in the form of the sun and lotus were used as symbolic offerings to the Burkhans. Among the Don Kalmyks, the type of wrestlers “burkhan zala”, or “tsatsg”, in the form of a tassel, symbolizing a lotus, was especially popular. He was placed at the top of “Deeji boortsg”. Bortsoks in the shape of the sun are large flat cakes, called “khavtha” in some ethnic groups, and “tselvg” in others. “Khavtha” is a whole flatbread with tucks along the edges or with four holes in the center; the “tselvg” wrestlers have smooth edges, and small holes are located radially around their circumference. “Khavtha” or “tselvg” was prepared first and was invariably placed as deeji. All the other wrestlers listed above were also included in this set.

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TSAHAN SAR - KALMYK SPRING HOLIDAY The most solemn and important holiday of the Kalmyks is Tsahan Sar (White Month). The name had several meanings: white, happy, month of greetings, congratulations. The main content of the holiday is the welcoming of spring, the beginning of the time of migration to new pastures. It was considered a great sin to remain in the same place after the holiday for longer than seven to eight days. Tsahan Sar began on the first of the first spring month Lu (dragon) lasted the whole month, but the main events took place in the first seven to eight days. They prepared for the celebrations in advance, slaughtering livestock for future use, since it was forbidden to do this directly on the days of the holiday. Celebrations took place in every home. They hung new outfits on the line and shook out all the clothes. They cooked meat - lamb, beef or horse meat. An important point The holiday included the preparation of a national flour dish - boortsg (a type of flatbread). Boortsg was prepared from rich unleavened dough and fried in boiling fat. They were used to make sets of “deeҗ boortsg” for presenting “deeҗ” - the first portion to the Burkhans and gift “gerə belg” - for presenting to relatives during holiday visits. The shape of the boortsg included in the sets had a symbolic, sometimes deep, meaning.

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Thus, boortsg “khuts”, sculpted in the form of a figurine of a ram, meant the wish for a large offspring of this type of livestock and reflected to some extent the ancient ritual of animal sacrifice, that is, they replaced the real sacrifice with its image. A similar role was played by the boortsg “whale”, the shape of which resembled part of a horse’s entrails, and the boortsg “өvrtə tokhsh”, symbolizing cattle. The wish for a rich offspring - the most important thing for a cattle breeder - is embedded in the symbolism of many forms. This meaning was also carried by boortsg “moshkmr” - twisted, small “horja” (literal translation: insects), reminiscent of the national dish of boiled lamb entrails. Boortsg "Khola", depicting the occasion, was supposed to invoke endless luck. And by offering boortsg “shoshhr”, they expressed the desire to live as a united family, and also to have protection from enemies. Among the Don Kalmyks, a particularly favorite type was the boortsg “burkhn zala”, or “tsatsg”, in the form of a tassel, symbolizing a lotus. He was placed at the top of “Deeҗ boortsg”. But the most obligatory thing was to make a boortsg in the form of the sun. These are large flatbreads, called “khavtha” in some ethnic groups, and “tselvg” in others. “Khavtha” is a solid flatbread with tucks along the edges or with four holes in the center; the boortsg “tselvg” has smooth edges, and small holes are located radially around their circumference. “Khavtha” or “tselvg” was prepared first and was invariably placed as deeҗ. All the other boortsg listed above were also placed in this set. True, the sets differed in different subethnic groups. When preparing “gerə belg”, one “havtha” or “tselvg”, one “Khola”, one “moshkmr”, three “shoshhr”, one “kit”, six “өvrtə tokhsh”, and one “khuts” were strung on a white thread. . Large boortsg were made for adults, and smaller ones for children.

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Early in the morning on the day of the holiday, they performed the “zulg orgh” ritual: having crossed the threshold of the tent, the owner of the house sprinkled the first cup of freshly brewed tea around; “Tsatsl”, or sprinkling, is a kind of offering to the ancestors and the White Elder - Tzahan aav. Congratulations took place in the house - the greeter got down on his right knee, brought his folded palms to his forehead and said the traditional greeting: “Uvləs sən harvt!” (“We came out of winter safely!”). On the day of Tsagan Cap, people say the good wishes - yorel:

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Oh, khairkhan, Okon Tengri, many Almighty Ones! Let us appease the spirit of Okon Tengri, Let people live in peace and prosperity! Let's celebrate Tsagan Sar together, Let's bow to Okon Tengri, Prepare hot food, Let's dedicate the deeji to Okon Tengri, Let there be plenty of food and drink, Let's live in peace and prosperity at all times, Without itching and bad weather, without poverty and disease. We will emerge from winter completely safe with people and livestock. We will greet each other: “Mende!” Let's live without fear and disease! At all times we will observe the laws and customs of our ancestors! Let everything you plan come true in accordance with what has been said! Let us appease our Burkhans, Let us appease the spirits of earth and water. Let the eul lit on this holiday Illumine us! Live in prosperity, May the Almighty protect you! And we, the elderly, who have lived our lives, We will look at your happiness, We will live long, We will teach the young the laws of our ancestors, We will live without showing bad traits. Khairkhan! Let's meet on this holiday Tsagan Sara, When the earth has already thawed after a long winter!

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Visiting is an indispensable part of any holiday, this is especially typical for Tsahan Sara. Even those living far away these days came to meet their relatives. There were certain norms: the order of visits; the nature of the gifts depended on the person's position. They visited their parents and maternal relatives - they always enjoyed special veneration; daughters-in-law came to the house of their husband's parents with their children to worship their ancestors and patrons. An indispensable element of holiday gifts was a bunch of boortsg. The etiquette of the holiday also included symbolism of gestures based on age. Peers and people of the same social rank extended both hands to each other, wrapping them around the right arm of the person being greeted up to the elbow on both sides. The elder gave one hand to the younger, who clasped it with both hands. At the same time, women who wore traditionally cut formal clothes for the holiday lowered the cuffs of their sleeves, thus covering their hands. On the one hand, hiding your hands is a tribute to the tradition of modest behavior. On the other hand, thanks to this, the woman’s costume acquired a finished look, because in complex symbolism women's suit every detail was significant, and the cut of the dress included sleeves covering the wrists. According to researchers, the sleeve women's dress“terlg” with lowered cuffs is semantically associated with the image of a deer; the outer dress “tsegdg” symbolizes the swan, which was especially revered by the Mongolian peoples. The traditional costume of a married woman included both dresses, and a girl’s Kalmyk dress, cut with a sleeve similar to the “terlg” sleeve, was usually trimmed with lace and fringe, which is also apparently associated with ornithozoomorphic symbolism.

Chitanov Bosch

The most solemn and important holiday of the Kalmyks is Tsagan Sar. The main content of the holiday is the welcoming of spring, the beginning of the time of migration to new pastures. Tsagan Sar began on the first day of the first spring month of Lu (dragon) and lasted the entire month, but the main events took place in the first eight days.

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Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of the Republic of Kalmykia

Education Department of the Yashkul Regional Medical Education Administration

Municipal educational institution "Khartolga secondary school"

Regional competition of creative and research work dedicated to the Kalmyk folk holiday Tsagan Sar

Topic: “Tsagan Sar - Kalmyk spring holiday”

Head: Chetyrov U.B. - history teacher and

Social studies.

Khar Tolga village

2011

TSAGAN SAR - KALMYK SPRING HOLIDAY

The most solemn and important holiday of the Kalmyks is Tsahan Sar (White Month). The name had several meanings: white, happy, month of greetings, congratulations. The main content of the holiday is the welcoming of spring, the beginning of the time of migration to new pastures. It was considered a great sin to remain in the same place after the holiday for longer than seven to eight days. Tsahan Sar began on the first day of the first spring month of Lu (dragon) and lasted the entire month, but the main events took place in the first seven to eight days. They prepared for the celebrations in advance, slaughtering livestock for future use, since it was forbidden to do this directly on the days of the holiday. Celebrations took place in every home. They hung new outfits on the line and shook out all the clothes. They cooked meat - lamb, beef or horse meat. An important moment of the holiday was the preparation of the national flour dish - boortsg (type of flatbread). Boortsg prepared from rich unleavened dough and fried in boiling fat. They made up sets“deeҗ boortsg” for offering “deeҗ” - first portion of burkhanam and gift"gerə belg" - for giving to relatives during holiday visits. Form boortsg , included in the sets, had a symbolic, sometimes deep meaning. So, boortsg "khuts", sculpted in the form of a figurine of a ram, meant the wish for a large offspring of this type of livestock and reflected to some extent the ancient ritual of animal sacrifice, that is, they replaced the real sacrifice with its image. Performed a similar role boortsg "whale", the shape of which resembled part of a horse's entrails, and boortsg “өvrtə tokhsh”, symbolizing cattle. The wish for a rich offspring - the most important thing for a cattle breeder - is embedded in the symbolism of many forms. This meaning was also carried boortsg "moshkmr" - twisted, reminiscent of the national dish of boiled lamb entrails, small “horjas” (literal translation: insects). Boortsg “Khola”, depicting the occasion was supposed to invoke endless luck. And bringing boortsg "shoshhr", expressed the desire to live as a united family, as well as to have protection from enemies. Among the Don Kalmyks we especially loved, there was a view boortsg “burkhn zala”, or “tsatsg”, in the form of a brush, symbolizing a lotus. He was placed at the top“Deeҗ boortsg.” But the most important thing was to make boortsg in the form of the sun. These are large flatbreads called in some ethnic groups"havtha", in others - "tselvg". "Havtha" - a solid flatbread with tucks along the edges or with four holes in the center, boortsg "tselvg" The edges are smooth, and small holes are located radially around their circumference."Havtha" or "tselvg" prepared first and invariably served as deeҗ . All the other ones listed above were also included in this set. boortsg . True, the sets differed in different subethnic groups. Cooking"gerə belg", one was strung on a white thread“khavtha” or “tselvg”, one “Khola”, one “moshkmr”, three “shoshhr”, one “kit”, six “өvrtə tokhsh”, and one “khuts” . Large ones were made for adults boortsg , for smaller children.

Early in the morning on the day of the holiday, they performed the “zulg orgh” ritual: having crossed the threshold of the tent, the owner of the house sprinkled the first cup of freshly brewed tea around;"Tsatsl" or sprinkling - a kind of offering to the ancestors and the White Elder - Tsahan aav . Congratulations took place in the house - the greeter got down on his right knee, brought his folded palms to his forehead and said the traditional greeting: “Uvləs sən harvt!” (“We came out of winter safely!”). In a day Tsagan Cap people pronounce good wishes - yorel:

Oh, khairkhan, Okon Tengri, many Almighty Ones!
Let us appease the spirit of Okon Tengri,
Let people live in peace and prosperity!
We will all celebrate Tsagan Sar together,
Let us bow to Okon Tengri,
While preparing hot food,
Let's dedicate the deeji to Okon Tengri,
May there be plenty of food and drink,
We will always live in peace and prosperity,
Without itching and bad weather, without poverty and disease.
We will emerge from winter completely safe with people and livestock.
We will greet each other: “Mende!”
Let's live without fear and disease!
At all times we will observe the laws and customs of our ancestors!
May all your dreams come true
In accordance with what has been said!
Let's appease our Burkhans,
Let us appease the spirits of earth and water.
Let the eul lit on this holiday
It will illuminate us!
Live in prosperity
May the Almighty protect you!
And we, the elderly, who have lived our lives,
We will look at your happiness
We will live long
Teach young people the laws of their ancestors,
Live without showing bad traits.
Khairkhan! Let's meet on this holiday Tsagan Sara,
When the earth has already thawed after a long winter!

Visiting is an indispensable part of any holiday, this is especially typical for Tsahan Sara. Even those living far away these days came to meet their relatives. There were certain norms: the order of visits; the nature of the gifts depended on the person's position. They visited their parents and maternal relatives - they always enjoyed special veneration; daughters-in-law came to the house of their husband's parents with their children to worship their ancestors and patrons. An indispensable element of holiday gifts was a bunch boortsg .

The etiquette of the holiday also included symbolism of gestures based on age. Peers and people of the same social rank extended both hands to each other, wrapping them around the right arm of the person being greeted up to the elbow on both sides. The elder gave one hand to the younger, who clasped it with both hands. At the same time, women who wore traditionally cut formal clothes for the holiday lowered the cuffs of their sleeves, thus covering their hands. On the one hand, hiding your hands is a tribute to the tradition of modest behavior. On the other hand, thanks to this, the woman’s costume acquired a complete look, because in the complex symbolism of a woman’s costume, every detail was significant, and the cut of the dress included sleeves covering the hands. According to researchers, the sleeve of a woman's dress"terlg" with lowered cuffs is semantically associated with the image of a deer; the top dress"tsegdg" symbolizes a swan, especially revered by the Mongolian peoples. The traditional costume of a married woman included both dresses, and the girl's Kalmyk dress, cut with a sleeve similar to the sleeve"terlg" , usually trimmed with lace and fringe, which is also apparently associated with ornithozoomorphic symbolism.

According to the Buddhist tradition, Tsahan Sar was celebrated for 15 days, during which services were held daily in temples. This holiday (in Tibet it is called Monlam) was established by Tsonghawa in 1409 in honor of the victory of the Buddha over false teachers and to “restore” the 500th anniversary of the existence of Buddhism, lost allegedly due to the admission of women to the monastic order. The Kalmyks, celebrating Tsahan Sar, recognized only the first part of the motivation of the Tibetan Monlam. Various mythological events were associated with the days of Tsahan Sara:
1) on the first of the month of the dragon, Buddha entered into a dispute with the “six unfaithful teachers” and waged it for 15 days, ending with a brilliant victory and a display of miracles;
2) at the same time, the goddess Okn Tengr, called Lhamo in Tibet, returned from the country of evil spirits, pacifying the inhabitants of the hostile country and fleeing from them;
3) the dragon king Luusun Khan, who had been inactive all winter at the bottom of the ocean, raises water from the rivers to the sky, coming to the surface;

4) the days of Tsahan Sara were also popularly associated with the salvation of the world from the son of Okn Tengr, born from a marriage with the king of the Mangus, since the baby, having turned into a giant, could eventually destroy the entire human race. That is why, during the feast in honor of Tsahan Sara, a sacrifice was made to the fire (hearth), which was perceived as a sacrifice to Okn Tengr. After three times of good wishes, boiled meat was eaten at the feast, and each dining companion was allocated a certain portion.

Before the onset of the first day of the holiday, a service was held in the temple all night dedicated to the gods-defenders of the faith - “Dokshits” in order to appease them. Moreover, if in some khuruls this service, called “khuuchn khural,” lasted one day, then in others it could last the entire previous week. The main event usually took place at dawn, with a huge crowd of people. A sacrificial table was placed on the south-eastern side of the khurul tent or temple. The ceremonial procession passed from the khurul (temple) along white felt mats -"shirdg" - to the table, where an icon with the image of the Tengr Window was placed and a prayer was performed, after which everyone returned to the temple to eat consecrated food. At sunrise, one of the Gelyungs (clergy) ran towards the khurul (temple) tent, carrying in his hands the image of the Tengr Window, which was supposed to symbolize the arrival of the goddess. The child depicted in the icon was symbolically “put to death” as the personification of evil, by blows from two copper plates"tsang". In different khuruls, the scene of the meeting of Okn Tengr could vary, but the meaning of the ceremonies - the propitiation of the goddess - remained. After completing the service and eating the consecrated food, the clergy blessed the laity, touching their shoulders with a ribbon"orkmҗ" and saying good wishes: “Uvləs sən harvt!” (“We came out of winter safely!”)

The spirit of unity, goodwill, and an atmosphere of community of people reigned in the celebration of Tsahan Sara.

References.

1. Bakaeva E. P. Buddhism in Kalmykia. Elista, 2007.
2. Bakaeva. E.P. Pre-Buddhist beliefs of the Kalmyks - Elista, 2003.
3. Dushan U. Customs and rituals of pre-revolutionary Kalmykia // Ethnographic collection. No. 1. – Elista, 1976.
4. Olzeeva. S.Z. Kalmyk folk traditions. – Elista, 2007.
5. Erdniev U.E. Kalmyks - Elista, 1985.

04.03.2011 22:48

Tsagan is one of the most beloved national holidays of our people. Since ancient times, Kalmyks revered it as a holiday of the onset of spring, the awakening of nature. Therefore, when meeting on the days of the Tsagan holiday, the Kalmyks, after the generally accepted greeting, asked the question: “Have you had a good winter?” To which the usual answer was: “Yes, we overwintered well” or “Everything is fine, the cattle also overwintered without losses.”

Tsagan is celebrated two months after Zul, on the first day of the first spring month, and this month is called Tsagan Sar.

Kalmyks were looking forward to this day. Firstly, because apart from holidays, Kalmyks had no more days for fun and meetings. Secondly, with the onset of spring, the difficult winter with piercing winds and snow drifts ended, green grass appeared in the steppe, which means it was possible to drive cattle out to pasture.

The Kalmyks have a legend that nature gives a sign of the coming of spring by the appearance of a gopher from a hole. Many did not believe in him, went to the steppe to check, and were often convinced: as it was, the gopher emerged from the hole.

People took their best clothes out of their chests and dressed themselves, the most delicious dishes were preparing for the holiday to treat the guests. Everything is according to the proverb: “Wear the best clothes yourself, serve the best food to the guest.”

Tsagan Sar was greeted by the Kalmyks before and now by the whole world, which is why it is called - folk holiday. And everyone tried to celebrate the holiday widely and cheerfully, because there was a belief: as you celebrate spring, you will reap the harvest (meaning, the richer you celebrate, the richer the harvest will be). Therefore, the tables were crowded with delicious and rare dishes.

Children loved the Tsagan Sar holiday very much, because they were dressed beautifully and elegantly, often new clothes were sewn for them on the occasion of the holiday, and they were allowed to visit relatives. And when visiting, they were presented with delicacies and given money. And the children ate plenty of sweets, filled their pockets with them, brought them home, and hid them there, stretching out the sweet holiday for several more days.

They prepared for the holiday long before its onset: they cleaned the house, sewed new outfits, and did a lot of laundry. Before the holiday, women always washed their hair and put on beautiful shivrlg (hair covers) on their braids, which were made of black velvet, although not everyone could afford to buy this expensive material at that time. The fattest, well-fed sheep were chosen from the flock and slaughtered, because it was difficult to even imagine a festive table without meat, and besides, meat is a traditional dish for the festive table set in Tsagan Sar. An equally traditional dish was the wrestlers, who on the occasion of the holiday made different types and different shapes. For example, they baked: tselvg, horkha bortsg, ket, zhola, khutsyn tolga. Each type of wrestler carried its own meaning. For example, the Jorja Borcicos tried to bake as many as possible, because it was believed that their number would contribute to the growth of livestock numbers.

The evening before Tsagan Sar, they place a deezh, in which you must put three tselvg, several horkha bortsik, ket, khutsin tolga, zhola bortsg, sweets, and cookies. They light a zul (lamp) and touch their rosary, because on this day, the last day of winter according to the lunar calendar, is a day of prayer and purification.

The treasure placed in front of the shrine must be eaten within three days, and it must be eaten with the family; it must not be given to strangers.

The name of the holiday “Tsagan” has one translation - white, because the Kalmyks associate everything pure, bright and good with white. There is even a wish: “Have a safe journey for you,” which means wishing you good luck. Milk is white, and therefore the attitude towards it is special, if not respectful.

Finally, the first day of spring arrives - the first day of the month of Tsagan Sar. In the morning of this day, the mother brews Kalmyk tea, which on this day should be especially aromatic and tasty, so milk, butter, and nutmeg are added in full, without sparing. Then the mother takes things out of the chest and hangs them out on a pre-stretched rope to ventilate them, to refresh them in the first spring sun. After which the mother dressed herself up, putting on an elegant dress, and always with a white collar.

By the time the mother makes tea and takes care of the housework, the children wake up. Parents congratulate them on the holiday and kiss them on the right cheek, saying: “Be happy, live long, and next year I will kiss you on the left cheek.” The next year the procedure is repeated in the same order and the same words are pronounced. According to popular belief, this ritual made children live in joyful anticipation next holiday, and happy children get sick less often. This ritual is called "tsagalgn".

A special, respectful attitude towards her father-in-law placed the daughter-in-law within strict limits that she was not allowed to cross. She had no right to show her father-in-law open parts of her body, except for her hands and face; the father-in-law, in turn, according to the same customs, had no right to touch his daughter-in-law. But on the day of the Tsagan holiday they had to congratulate each other. And it was done like this: the father-in-law extended his right hand to his daughter-in-law, while the daughter-in-law put her hands, but covered with sleeves, to her father-in-law’s hand, and bowed to him three times.

After performing all the above-mentioned rituals, the family sat down to drink tea. At the same time, the eldest in the family had to say yoryal, congratulating everyone on the advent of Tsagan, wishing the family happiness, health and long life.

And after morning tea, the Kalmyks went to visit themselves or received guests at home. Among the guests were relatives, friends, and neighbors. And everything that was most delicious in the house was presented to the guests so that they would go home full and satisfied, so that they would say from the heart a yoryal calling prosperity to your home.

In Tsagan, children must visit their parents’ house and congratulate them on the holiday. In former times, a daughter-in-law, going to the house of her husband’s parents, carried with her tea already brewed at home and, entering her father-in-law’s house, poured it into bowls and treated her. And the old people said yoryal in response.

Tsagan Sar lasts for a whole month, so you could visit every day, throughout the month.