Theme: festivals and traditions

Morning Osh Palov
Ceremony of the morning palov usually held during the wedding and memorial services, other holidays like birth of child or anniversaries. Normally, host of the palov, after discussion with close relative and community, fix the date of palov long beforehand and send invitations. The day before the actual palov, in the house of the host family, preparations starts for the palov, including clearing and preparing of all necessary ingredients for the palov, and other food on the table. Normally all close relative and friends of the family taking part in this process. After preparations ended, all guests are invited for the dinner. Usually artists are also invited for “Sabzi Tograr”. Also, during the “Sabzi tograr” elders are distributing the tasks among youngsters for tomorrow’s palov. Morning feasting should be ready by the time when morning pray ends and first guests are arrived. Normally, in the summer time, it is about 4-5 am and in winter about 6-7 am. During the palov, Uzbek musical instruments like “Karnay” and “Surnay” “Doira” and “Nogora” played to please the guests and announce the celebration. Guests get comfortable around the tables and after blessing the hosts and good wishes, tea and famous Uzbek hot breads served. Palov is served in “lagans” (big plate) – one plate for two guests. After meal is finished, lagans are taken off and guests again make wishes and blessing of the host and leave. After, tables refreshed quickly for the new guests. Morning palov usually lasts no more than one and a half to two hours. During the feast artists are performing for the guests with classic songs. In morning palov, for honorable guests gifts are given – usually these are “Chapan” (traditional men's robes) which is another tradition of hospitable Uzbek people. Memorial palov is a bit different from the holiday palov. In this case, guests are reading the verses from Quran and remember with good words of deceased person, presenting condolences to the family of the deceased person. After palov, again they read the verses from Quran and leave. There are no artist invited for such ceremonies and tables are more modest. It is interesting to note that in both holiday and funeral palov, only men participating.