Navruz in Uzbekistan
navruz uzbek navroʻz наврўз celebrated widely uzbekistan day vernal equinox mark beginning spring northern hemisphere celebrated territory corresponding modernday uzbekistan least two thousand year uzbekistan part soviet union celebration navruz generally unofficial time even prohibited currently navruz official public holiday uzbekistan always celebrated march still holiday celebration spread several day navruz widely celebrated vast territory central asia ritual practice acquired special feature festival legitimized prayer mosque visit mazars muslim saint sacred stream emirate bukhara broad official celebration navzur started muzaffar bin nasrullah sought strengthen image manghud dynasty crisis political legitimacy preparation holiday people tidy home mahallas neighborhood buy new clothes navruz customary prepare sumalak main ceremonial dish holiday sumalak sweet paste made entirely germinated wheat cooked large kazan prepare sumalak friend relative neighbor – usually woman – gather around kazan taking turn stir mixture ready sumalak distributed among neighbor relative friend navruz people also visit relative friend give present child navruz often cited popular holiday uzbekistan march elaborate holiday concert organized across country notably capital city tashkent book fair concert game special televisision radio program last whole month march noted uzbekistan gained independence government official promoted navruz main national holiday tightly controlled content form festivity navruz uzbekistan