Turkmenistan celebrates Nowruz with great fanfare

Celebrations take place in the foothills of the Kopetdag Mountains. Dances in traditional costumes take place near snow-white yurts, meat is cooked over a fire, and carpets are sold in the palaces. National songs and poems dedicated to the holiday are recited.

Participants also demonstrate their skills in ancient crafts, such as silk and carpet making, and the preparation of traditional delicacies. In the evening, a bonfire is lit in the Nowruz Valley. It is believed to burn away all illnesses and misfortunes.