Dushanbe

The Navruz Holiday is one of the greatest national holidays of Persian nations, including Tajiks.

The Holiday takes place in the day of vernal equinox according to Solar calendar, which was composed by Iranian nations seven millenniums ago, long before the origin of Islam According to this calendar, the year started on 20-21 March, in the day of vernal equinox, when the nature revived, and the spring finally started.

Navruz is the most ancient New Year holiday on Earth, and its history amounts to 3-4 millenniums.

During Navruz days Tajiks arranged various games: wrestling, poiga – horses race, buzkashi – fight on houses for taking the goat carcass, the fights of animals – hurusjang -cockfight, budanajang-quail, fight, sagchangak – dogs fight and other games. In Ishkashim and Vahan young men played polo, in the plains they organized running in sacks.

In February 2010 the 64 session of UN General Assembly declared 21 March as “International day of Navruz”.