Friday Photo: Nauryz Celebrations

Nauryz, is the second longest holiday in the Kazakh Calendar (New Year being the longest) with a full three days off from work.  It is an ancient Persian holiday that celebrates the rebirth and renewal of spring and, according to Guek-Cheng Pang in his book "Kazakhstan", the symbolic victory of good over evil .  The primary symbol of this holiday is a young woman who is often (but not always) dressed in a white dress with a cone hat.

The photo this week is of a poster that is commonly found around town, and of the giant Nauryz sign and lady outside of the Mega Mall in Almaty.  For more reading on the Nauryz celebration, click HERE.

P.S. You might also notice the instrument at the top of the poster.  This is a kind of  Kobyz (see earlier post on musical instruments).  It is also a similar shape to the dipper used to serve the traditional drink.