Many Chuvash rituals and festivals are connected with seasonal works and are timed for crucial moments of the astronomical year. In ancient times the Chuvash considered the nearest to the new moon spring solstice to be the beginning of the year. On the 21st, 22nd of March they had a ritual of seeing the New Year in (munkun) and the Old Year out (kalam, seren, virem).
Another important landmark for Chuvash people is the middle of summer (21st, 22nd of June) when the sun is in zenith. It was the beginning of the holiday chinche which lasted for a fortnight. People didn't work during this holiday, made sacrifices to the God asking for good harvest, health. Young people played, sang songs, danced.
During autumn solstice (21-22^1d of September) the Chuvash celebrated chukleme when the harvest time was over. It was the ritual of transition from a warm, favourable season into a cold severe season. According to the Chuvash pagan religion summer and spring is the time of good deeds and fertility while winter symbolizes evil and distraction. The highest peak of evil power was considered to be on the 21-22nd of December, when the ritual surchury was performed. People performed different rites in order to banish evil power. The struggle of evil forces with good ones lasted till the spring solstice when the Great Day came, the day of good forces’ triumph. People began to celebrate this holiday on Wednesday and it lasted for a week. Children went out in the morning to greet the Sun then other inhabitants of the village followed their example. They visited friends and relatives, treated them to tasty things, played games, gave presents to each other.
The Chuvash lived in contact with many peoples: Mary, Tatar, Arabians, and Iranians. They all influenced the Chuvash traditions and rituals.
For more than 400 years the Chuvash have been living within Russia. Of course, Russian culture have enriched the Chuvash one. The Chuvash perceived such Russian festivals as Shrove-tide and others.
After the Chuvash had been converted to Christianity many new festivals and rituals appeared: Christmas (Rashtav), (Verpanny), Nicola's Day (Mykulan), Trinity (Truisky), Ilya's Day (Ilem), Savoir (Sapas), Peter’s Day (Pitrav).
In 1700 the Chuvash calendar blended with the Russian one. It influenced the Chuvash folk traditions greatly.
Munkun is the holiday of seeing the New Year in according to the ancient Chuvash calendar.
Munkun is translated as the Great Day. After spreading Christianity the Chuvash Munkun coincided with the Easter.
People celebrated Munkun during the days of spring solstice (March 21-22). People began to celebrate it on Wednesday and it lasted for a week.
On the every day of Munkun, early in the morning, children and then other inhabitants of the village went to its eastern part to greet ancient fairy-tales and legends about the fighting of the Sun with the cruel witch Vupar. One of the legends said, that the Sun was attached by Vupar's servants for many times during winter and it appeared in the sky very seldom. Then the Chuvash heroes, batyrs, decided to defend and save the sun. For 7 days and nights Chuvash batyrs fought with Vupar's servants and at last they were able to save the sun.
After the sunrise children came back to the village. Here they were met by adults, who treated them to sweets, nuts, and cookies and, of course, coloured eggs. It's considered that the children who greeted the sun early in the morning brought happiness, wealth and health to the house.
It was a tradition to set the first guest on the chair with a pillow and treat him to tasty dishes.
At the central square adults often made a marry-go-round for children to enjoy. In the evening, when children went home, adults, and youth came there and had a lot of fun.
During the holiday week adults visited their relatives. It was necessary to take many presents, beer and about 7 or 9 kinds of food stuffs. In their turn the hosts also tried to present the guests.
Shrove-tide (chavarni) is a merry holiday of seeing spring in and winter out. It corresponds with Russian maslyanitsa. The celebration of chavarhi was arranged for spring solstice and began on Thursday. Most of the Chuvash celebrated it during two weeks. The first week was called alsa chavarni (big maslyanitsa) and the second one was kechen chavarni (small maslyanitsa). Later on chavarni coincided with the Russian Maslyanitsa and was celebrated during a week, from Sunday to Sunday. Usually children opened the holiday. Everyone tried to reach the hill first, where the holiday took place. The one, who was the first, was entrusted to start ploughing. He (she) won everyone’s respect.
The day of seeing maslyanitsa out was very festive and interesting. Songs and music were heard everywhere. People gave presents to each other, treated to pancakes (ikerche), nuts, and sunflower seeds.
At midnight the scarecrow of maslyanitsa (chavarni karchacke)was solemnly put into fire and was rolled down the hill. The heat of the fire symbolized the last days of winter and the coming spring.
SPORTS IN CHEBOKSARY
Cheboksary is a big industrial, cultural, scientific and educational center, a dynamically developing city, which during the last decade was awarded different titles and by rights is recognized the most comfortable city in Russia. The citizens of Cheboksary are especially proud of it as the leading sport centre of Russia. The development of mass sport and propaganda of the wholesome mode of life today are raised to one of the priority state tasks. The developed sport infrastructure in the zone of moderate continental climate with clearly marked change of the seasons makes it possible to do both winter and summer sports.
The wide spectrum of possibilities of recreation ensured the unique situation when every fourth citizen is a sportsman. More than 60 kinds of sports are popular in Chuvashia. But the most favorite is track and field athletics. There are some reasons for it. In 1952 Ardalion Ignatyev beat the way to the sport Olympus for the republic. He was a 400meters runner who 4 year later became the bronze prizewinner of Melbourne Olympic champions in marathon and race walking. Thanks to the success of the highest level during many years track-and-field athletics in the rating of the most popular and mass kinds of sports in Cheboksary permanently has the first position.
There are several stadiums in Cheboksary. A special pride of the citizens is the main sporting arena of Chuvashia – the Olympiisky Stadium. The Olympiisky Stadium is recognized by the international sporting experts not only as the best stadium but as the best track and field complex in Russia. After the recent large-scale reconstruction 18hectares of the land in the centre of Cheboksary turned into the best track and field athletic centre of Russia. The complex meets all modern requirements of the International Association of Athletics Federations.
Successfully designed sectors for Jump Disciplines, the wide field with the natural lawn for throwing the discus and putting the shot, the standard 400meters long track with artificial surface, the stands with wide field of vision and plastic seats, Electronic indicator panel (with the projection vision screen) comfortable rooms under the stands, the training field with 200m long artificial track – all this makes this complex a unique sport construction of the Russian Federation. The results of the track and field athletics championship of Russia in 2002 exceeded all expectations. The contest was highly appreciated by specialists of All Russian Athletic Federation and the management of the Moscow Regional Centre of the IAAF Development.
Almost 20 All Russian contests are carried out in Cheboksary during the sporting season and all the stands are always full of fans. Children are the main spectators of these contests and they have free pass.
The best examples of the activity of the fans were the V European Cup held in the capital of Chuvashia in May 2003 and the XXIII World Cup of race walking held in May 2008. The strongest walkers of Europe were competing in the most picturesque part of Cheboksary on the embankment. Placed in the natural amphitheatre the 2km track could be seen from any place and almost one hundred thousand fans of sport were able to watch the competition close to the scene of action. The movable 30square meter screen showed all nuances of the non-compromise struggle. More than 250 sportsmen from 27 countries fought for the European Cup. The ceremony of rewarding prizewinners of the continental cup of race walking took place at the foot of a new monument. Nowadays the Monument to Mother the Patroness is a new symbol of Chuvashia.
NOVOCHEBOKSARSK
Nine cities and towns are situated on the territory of the Chuvash Republic. Each of them has its own look and history. Some of them are centuries old, others are very young. Novocheboksarsk is the youngest of 9 cities and towns in Chuvashia.
Novocheboksarsk was founded in November 1960. It appeared and developed thanks to the chemical enterprise Khimprom. The city is situated on the right bank of the Volga, 15km away from Cheboksary.
The economic-geographical situations of these two cities have much in common: they have one construction and energetic base, water purification and supplying system, the same methods of transport. Nowadays there is close cooperation in economic and social-cultural spheres.
Novocheboksarsk has a very favourable geographical and transport location: an automobile highway crosses the Volga and goes to Ioshkar-Ola and Kazan. Novocheboksarsk takes the second place in Chuvashia in the economical potential and population (126,000 people). It is a big industrial and cultural centre of the republic. The city occupies the territory of 51 square km. The city plan is very simple: there are 3 districts in the western part of the town and the industrial area is located in its eastern part. There is also a beautiful Yelnikovskaya grove taking 190hectares on the territory of the city.
The Coat of Arms of Novocheboksarsk was designed by V. A. Shipunov in 2005. Three ducks with green oak branches in their beaks are depicted on it.
More than 200 enterprises of all forms of ownership make up the industrial potential of Novocheboksarsk. It is called a city of chemists, power engineers and construction workers.
The Cheboksary hydroelectric power station was built in 1980s. It produces electricity for the republic and neighbouring regions. It is also used as a bridge to the other bank of the Volga.
The Khimprom employs more than 6000 people. It is one of the biggest suppliers of chemical articles not only in Russia, but abroad as well. It cooperates with enterprises of the USA, Hungary, Latvia, India, and Great Britain. It has business partners in 38 countries. About 300 types of chemical substances are produced there.
The most actual problem of the city is ecological and is connected with air and water pollution because of the chemical and electric power enterprises which are situated there.
One of the priority trends in the work of city authorities is the development of social infrastructure. The educational system includes 44 kindergartens, 20 secondary schools, an evening secondary education school, a chemical- mechanical college, 3 vocational technical schools, a branch of the Chuvash State University, a branch of Kamsk Institute of Physical Training, music and art schools, and a branch of the Art Museum.
The unique sporting facilities include 4 children-youth sporting schools, a school for Olympic reserve, 14 swimming-pools. In the centre of the city you can see one of the largest sport complexes of Russia.
Not long ago in 1990s the only church in the city, the Cathedral of the Saint Grand Prince Vladimir, was built. Situated in the town centre, it forms a part of the architectural complex which also includes Cathedral Square with a fountain, a colonnade with arches and a monument to Prince Vladimir. The fountain is made to commemorate 13 villages on the place of which the town is built. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church Alexei II visited Novocheboksarsk twice. In 1996 he sanctified the cathedral. In 2001 he came to congratulate citizens with the holiday of the Icon of Our Lady of Vladimir.
In Novocheboksarsk tourists can visit the Museum of Local Lore, the City History Museum, and the Hall of Military Glory. The Art Museum is constantly exhibiting works by Chuvash, Russian and foreign artists.
The city also attracts tourists by its straight streets and high buildings, cozy playgrounds, public gardens and green avenues.
ALATYR
There are 9 cities and towns on the territory of the Chuvash Republic. The most ancient of them are Alatyr, Tsivilsk, Mariinsky Posad, and Yadrin.
Alatyr is situated in the south-western part of the republic, on the border with the Republic of Mordovia and the Ulyanovsk Region. Its population is 46,200 people.
Alatyr was founded in 1552 at the time of Ivan the Terrible’s conquest of Kazan. First it was a fortress. In the 18th century it lost its military importance and became an administrative and trade centre.
At different times Alatyr had different nicknames: the military stone, the sad stone and the white stone as there were many white buildings which reflected in the water and people thought that the town stood on a big cloud.
Today Alatyr is a quaint combination of modernity and tradition.
120 monuments of architecture are protected by state. The town is famous for its 18 churches and cathedrals. The most ancient of the monasteries is the Holy Trinity Monastery and the Kiev-Nicolas New Virgin Convent. The Holy Trinity Monastery was founded in 1584. From 1996 it began functioning again. Since the mid 18th century the monastery has been visited by many pilgrims from all parts of Russia. Its most famous inhabitant was monk Vassian, who lived there in the 17th century. He was famous for his holiness and miracle which took place in the monastery after his death. According to a legend the water of the holy well of Monk Vassian and his relics can be helpful for ill people. In July 2001 the monastery was visited by Alexei II who held there a divine service.
The Cathedral of Ioann the Precursor has a status of the federal historical monument. It was founded in 1553 and is one of the oldest churches in the town. It has 5 domes. The 4 columns at the front door symbolize the 4th of August, Alatyr's foundation date.
There are a number of significant historical and cultural monuments of the 17th -19th centuries in Alatyr, which are of great interest.
Alatyr is included into the Federal programme Revival, construction, reconstruction and restoration of historical small and medium-sized towns of Russia.
All this favourably influences further development of tourism business in this town.