“We have been so accustomed to Shusha that we celebrate the last Wednesday of the year like a holiday. Back then, residents of Shusha would roast kavurma at home. Dried fruits, nuts, and seeds were added to it. We never threw hats. We had special bags, wrote our names on them so people would know whose they were and put good gifts inside (laughs). There was a bonfire, we would jump over it. After the bonfire ceremony, we would go to throw the bags. Girls wore boys' clothes, decorated their faces with coal, boys tied scarves around their heads to avoid being recognized. I also blackened my face with coal and drew a mustache on myself. We went around the neighborhood by neighborhood. What we collected in that bag was enough for ten days. We also took it to school and shared it with our friends.”
This was stated in an interview with Medianews.az by the People's Artist, actress of the Academic National Drama Theater, Firangiz Mütəllimova.
She then spoke about the holidays celebrated in Baku:
“This year, too, we celebrated the last Wednesday of the year at home with my family. True, we didn’t see any bonfire. Because in our area, buildings are close to each other, so they refrained from lighting it for safety reasons. Also, there were many cars in the yard. We put seven blessings on the table and cooked pilaf. We marked it as it should be. But I must admit that holidays in Baku are not celebrated like in Shusha.”
The People's Artist says she won’t be able to rest during the 11-day holiday:
“I won’t be able to go anywhere. Because we work during the holidays. On March 22, I have my play “Rich Woman.” When spring comes to Shusha, when the flowers bloom, I will go. I keep in touch with the people in Shusha every day, I have relatives and loved ones there. Now beautiful snow is falling there. A part of my heart is in Shusha. I sincerely congratulate all our people, our audience, our artist friends. May this Novruz and the sacred Ramadan holiday always refresh them like the scent of the violet flower. Most importantly, may there be tranquility and peace in our country. I wish health to everyone. Once you have health, everything is possible.”
Ali Asgar,
Medianews.az
