Navruz is one of the main celebrations for Tajiks. This time — more than ever — it means end of one of the harshest winter in several decades. People could hardly wait for these warm days that have come with the beginning of spring. Navruz has been celebrated throughout the country during the last six days.

Aisha saysthat it's a nice time because “Tajik people seem to gain energy after the hardships of winter”:

In Tajik language Navruz means “New Day” and the 21st of March is also a kind of New Year eve. This year, the president came to Khujand and all people were walking in the streets and parks, taking boats on the river, eating ice-cream and watching street performers. Women wore national satin spring-colored dresses and friends and families got together to make sumanak — a sweet paste made from wheat.

During the last six days Tajik broadcast media were covering only Navruz celebrations attended by higher officials in different parts of the country. Tojvar comments that it is too hard to see one and the same face on TV all the time [tj]:

If a foreigner watches Navruz on Tajik television, he would think that it is either a president's birthday or his pre-election campaign.

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