Surkharban is a national holiday drilled. This is one of the most common and popular holidays, which is celebrated by all Mongol-speaking peoples in Buryatia, Mongolia, Yakutia. Naadan, as it is called in Mongolia, which means "three games of husbands." It is celebrated at the beginning of summer once a year, on Sunday. What kind of holiday is Surkharban? When and how did it arise? What traditions are associated with it? It is about the Surkharban holiday that will be discussed in the article.
What does Surkharban mean?
The word "Surkharban" means literally "shooting at the Sur." Sur is a target made of a peg that is wrapped in a leather belt and stuck in the ground. The word "harban" is translated as "competition."
In the ancient Indian language, "surya" means "sun", perhaps the Mongolian "sur" has exactly this meaning, hence "surkharban" can mean "archery in the sun." It is with this interpretation of the name that the Mongolian legend is associated.
Legend
The Mongolian peoples have a magical game called "tarbagans and wolves", which is played in early summer. There is a legend that connects the festival of Surkharban with Tarbagan. What kind of holiday is Surkharban, and how is it related to the traditions and beliefs of the Mongolian peoples?
According to ancient legend, Tarbagan was a very well-aimed shooter. Once in the sky three suns appeared at once, it became unbearably hot, everything burned out. The shooter decided to help people and shoot down the extra sun with an arrow. He shot and missed. Because of shame, he chopped off his thumbs, began to live underground and lost his human appearance.
It is with this legend that the Surkharban festival, or competitions in archery, is associated. At this holiday, the Buryats ask the Earth to show mercy and not send three suns.
Traditions
Since ancient times, the Sagalgan was considered the main holiday among the Buryats, which means “the arrival of the White Sun”. This solemn worship of the Earth is celebrated in the summer.
The ritual part of the celebration took place on the mountain, where a sacrifice was made to the spirits of the area (obo). At dawn, people rose to the spirits, asking them for permission to serve the earth and its mercy.
After the prayers below came the next part of the celebration - games and competitions, which included archery, horse racing and Buryat wrestling. Competitions - this is Surkharban.
The history of Surkharban. What holiday is it?
Surkharban is a holiday drilled, initially its task was to honor the spirits of the Earth, but later it became a kind of military show, at which the best soldiers were selected.
A huge number of people gathered for the celebration, each clan exhibited its best wrestlers (bators), well-aimed marksmen (mergenes), the most dexterous riders and the fastest stallions.
Archery was the most important type of martial art drilled, so at the festival it was in this contest that everyone sought to show the best result.
The most spectacular was the struggle. And the third kind of competition was horse racing. There was a whole set of rules for the selection of horses. Prizes have always been very substantial - hundreds, and sometimes thousands of livestock.
On a holiday men of all ages and social status were allowed, women were allowed to be present only unmarried and children.
Previously discussed the venue of the competition, conditions and prizes.
For the holiday women put on the best clothes, jewelry. Men chose their best harness, took with them decorated bows, pipes and knives.
At the festival, the elderly were seated in the front ranks, young people, as a rule, stood, children were assigned separate places where they could play and see the competitions at the same time.
At the festival they competed, sang ritual songs, played, danced. Obligatory was the performance of the Yegor dance, which symbolized the unity of the Buryats. The dance is of ancient origin. For example, in Buryatia, there are more than a dozen of its options. The ritual dance begins in the evening and lasts all night until sunrise. The dancers move in a circle in the direction of the sun and hum the words-spells.
Description of Surkharban holiday
The holiday is held on the first Sunday of July. Since ancient times, the traditional content of the events of the Buryat festival Surkharban has developed. Summary of the celebration: archery, Buryat wrestling and horse racing. The culmination of the holiday is the dance - ehor.
For shooting competitions, as a rule, a flat place was chosen on which suras were placed - traditional targets were drilled. Shooting is carried out from a distance of 20 and 30 bows (the Buryat bow is 160 cm).
Immediately after the shooting ranges, fighters (bators) competitions are held. The Khorinsky Buryats lost the one who touched the knee or hand to the ground. At the Aginskoye Buryats, in order to win the competition, it was necessary to lay the enemy on the shoulder blades. In modern times, the rule of three points is used; weight categories do not exist. The winner traditionally performs an eagle dance and is awarded a live ram, which he must carry in his arms. At the end of wrestling competitions, the best wrestler challenges anyone who wants to face off against him.
Horse racing is usually held at a distance of 4 kilometers. The horses are prepared for the competition a few weeks before the start of the holiday. Riders are usually teenagers. At the competition they drive the horse with two lashes, not holding on to the bridle. At the finish line, special catchers are catching horses. At the end of the race, a praise song to the winner horse is read.
