Maslenitsa week begins and this year the first day of Maslenitsa coincided with another holiday International Women’s Day. Therefore, having congratulated women on the holiday, many men started their morning at the stove, making pancakes.
The celebration of Maslenitsa is connected with the farewell to winter, the people say: “Maslenitsa is coming spring is beginning”. Pancakes are baked not only in Russia, but also in all CIS countries, as well as in Turkmenistan.
Traditionally, the Forgiveness Sunday, when people gather to burn the scarecrow of Maslenitsa in a bonfire and relatives and friends ask each other for forgiveness, is the culmination of the celebration.
Last year, the festive event was held in the courtyard of the Ashgabat Turkmen-Russian secondary school named after Pushkin.There were farewell to winter with participation of children, who danced in round dances, sang songs and played traditional games of Maslenitsa week.
ORIENT figured out how to spend the Maslenitsa week and celebrate the holiday in accordance with traditions.The hot, round pancakes symbolized the sun and the Slavs believed that by eating pancakes, they got the power, light and warmth.
It was believed that the more pancakes you eat on Maslenitsa week, the more prosperous the year will be.Every day of Maslenitsa has its own traditions.
For example, Monday is the meeting of Maslenitsa.Having finished with holiday preparations, people go to visit each other, and the first pancake on this day is given to those in need.
Tuesday is a day of matchmaking, presentation of a marriageable girl, treating the alleged soul mate with hot butter pancakes.Wednesday is called “gourmet”, a day for those with a sweet tooth, as people begin to eat pancakes, and every mother-in-law is to treat their son-in-law as it was believed as rich the festive treatment as more the love of a mother-in-law for her son-in-law.
On Thursday there is a “wide celebration”, according to tradition, cheese and dill are added to the pancakes on this day.And the main fun of the holiday is sledding or ice skating.
Of course, it never came to snow slides in Turkmenistan, but an ice rink can be enejoyed at any time of the year in the Berkarar Shopping Center.Friday is called mother-in-law’s evenings and on this day, every son-in-law must treat their mother-in-law with pancakes baked on yeast dough.
Saturday is the celebration of daughters-in-law, including inviting her husband’s relatives to visit and treat them with filled pancakes. Custard pancake can be filled with fish or red caviar. On Sunday, the final day of Maslenitsa week, people should remember the deceased relatives, ask forgiveness from each other, and add curd cream to the pancakes.
The next day after the end of Maslenitsa week opens the Great Lent, that is, before important Christian holiday Pascha.