Vardavar or Vartavar ( hy, Վարդավառ,

Homshetsi Homshetsi ( hy, Հոմշեցի, Homshetsi lizu; tr, Hemşince) is an archaic Western Armenian dialect spoken by the eastern and northern group of Hemshin peoples (''Hemşinli''), a people living in northeastern Turkey, Abkhazia, Russia, and Cen ...

: ''Vartevor'' or ''Behur'')) is an Armenian festival in

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...

where people drench each other with water.

Origin

Vardavar's history dates back to

pagan Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...

times. The ancient festival is traditionally associated with the goddess Astghik, who was the goddess of water, beauty, love, and fertility. The festivities associated with this religious observance of Astghik were named “Vartavar” because

Armenians Armenians ( hy, հայեր, ''hayer'' ) are an ethnic group native to the Armenian highlands of Western Asia. Armenians constitute the main population of Armenia and the ''de facto'' independent Artsakh. There is a wide-ranging diaspora ...

offered her

roses A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be e ...

as a celebration (''vart'' means "rose" in Armenian and ''var'' means "to burn/be burning", this is why it was celebrated in the harvest time). Some claim it comes from a tradition dating back to

Noah Noah ''Nukh''; am, ኖህ, ''Noḥ''; ar, نُوح '; grc, Νῶε ''Nôe'' () is the tenth and last of the pre-Flood patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5– ...

, in which he commanded that his descendants should sprinkle water on each other and let doves fly as a symbol of remembrance of the

Flood A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrol ...

Date

Vardavar is generally celebrated 98 days (14 weeks) after

Easter Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...

in the republic. In some regions, however, it is held on different days, and traditions differ too.

Festival

During the day of Vardavar, people from a wide array of ages are allowed to douse strangers with water. It is common to see people pouring buckets of water from balconies on unsuspecting people walking below them. The festival is very popular among children as it is one day where they can get away with pulling pranks. It is also a means of refreshment on the usually hot and dry summer days of July or late June.

Federation of Youth Clubs of Armenia A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government ( federalism). In a federation, the self-governi ...

(FYCA) each year organizes the "Vardavar International Festival" which is cognitive, educational, cultural festival. Every year it takes place in medieval monastery of Geghard and old pagan temple of Garni. The festival aims to present the Armenian national and traditional culture. In addition to the celebrations, the traditional ceremony of splashing water on each other and the blessings of the youth, the Armenian folk songs are also included and performed by the Nairyan Vocal Ensamble. The Vardavar holiday theme pavilions represent the traditions and handmade works of different regions of Armenia.

Outside Armenia

Vardavar is also celebrated by Armenians in Russia

Gallery

File:Vartavar 001.jpg File:Vartavar.jpg File:Vartavar vardavar.jpg File:Vardavar Vartavar.jpg File:Vartavar vardavar 10.jpg File:"vardavar" International festival1.jpg File:Armenian folk dance during "Vardavar".jpg File:FYCA organizers of "Vardavar" International festival.jpg

References

{{Reflist

External links

Vardavar. No comment
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Midsummer fun: Armenians pour water on each other to bridge pagan and Christian traditionsVardevar (abovyan.com)
Armenian culture Holidays based on the date of Easter Observances in Armenia Armenian festivals June observances July observances Summer events in Armenia