Today marks the last day of the Novruz holiday - İlaxır çərşənbə (Torpaq çərşənbəsi).
Unlike the other çərşənbəs, the people celebrate the last çərşənbə with special ceremony.
On İlaxır çərşənbə, the all-day ceremony becomes even more lively with evening festivities. Incenses are burned, bonfires are lit, people jump over the bonfires, bags are hung from chimneys, belts are thrown, earlobe talismans are prepared.
On the last çərşənbə, regardless of age or gender, everyone must jump over the bonfire; the bonfire must not be extinguished, and once it goes out by itself, young men and women collect the ashes of that bonfire and throw them away from the house to a remote place or wilderness. This means that all misfortunes of the family members who jumped over the bonfire are removed from the family along with the ashes thrown away. It is customary that only good words are spoken on the evening of the last çərşənbə.
According to ancient folk customs and beliefs, on that day neither salt, water, money, bread, fire, matches, oil, nor dairy products are given from the house. On the day of the last çərşənbə, candles are lit according to the number of family members; by tradition, the candle is not put out halfway. Also, on the night of the last çərşənbə, one should make a wish before going to sleep. It is said that you must celebrate the night of the last çərşənbə in your own home. Otherwise, you will celebrate Novruz for seven consecutive years in other places.
It should be noted that spring will enter Azerbaijan on March 20 at 18:45:53 Baku time. The Novruz holiday is celebrated in Azerbaijan on March 20-21.
The sun moves along the ecliptic, crossing the equator from the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere. From that moment, spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. The length of the spring season will be 92 days 17 hours 38 minutes 28 seconds.