Nardugan is a New Year holiday in old Turks. Pomegranate sun, dugan, tugan rising nardugan rising sun means “the rebirth of the sun” in Turks. Nardugan is celebrated every year on the first full moon after December 22. December 21 is the longest night, after which the days start to get longer. Therefore, December 22 is very important for Turks, and the first day of the first full moon following this day is the first day of the new year.

According to the mythological beliefs of the ancient Turks, they constantly fought day and night. Again in such a war on December 21, as a result of the long struggle, day defeated night and then a new powerful sun was born. The Central Asian Turks, who believe in the One God, perceive that newly born, powerful sun as a symbol of victory and welcome them with joy. According to them, they think that there are Maple Trees in the very heart of the earth and at the point where those trees reach, their Almighty God Ulgen is watching people. Turks consider the rebirth of the sun as a new beginning, new hope and new goals. The Almighty Ulgenden shared their joy and happiness under those trees, grateful to him for donating this new hope to people again. They put their favorite gifts for Ülgen as gifts at the bottom of the tree.
These trees were thought to provide the bond between humans and God. Thus, these trees were deemed sacred and adopted as the most important point where people share their happiness and joys with God. It is known that the traces of this traditional belief belonging to the ancient Turks are reflected in the handicrafts and cultural heritage of other Turkish tribes, as in all Central Asian Turks.
Over time, all Turks decorated the Maple Trees, which are the symbols of immortality and, according to Turkish Mythology, the tree from which all human beings originated, and they played various traditional games under it, sang songs and organized entertainments.
It is known that the origin of this tradition is again Central Asian Turks. It is thought that the tradition passed from the Turks to the Sumerians who migrated to Mesopotamia for different reasons over time, and from there it reached the Ancient Rome through Anatolia, and it has come up to the present day and formed the basis of the New Year’s Day.
It is also synonymous with the Pact and Koçagan holidays in the Turks. Tatars call this holiday “Koyaş Tuga”, that is, “Sun Rising” day, Bashkirs, Udmurt “Nardugan” or “Mardugan”, Miser Tatars “Rashtua”, Chuvash “Nartavan” or “Nartavan”, Zırizya “Nardava”, Moksha ” They call it “Nardvan”.
Shurubu Kayhan