Before the Tajiks accepted Islam, they believed in Zoroastrianism for a long time.
Zoroastrianism is a very ancient primitive religion. It praises and worships fire. It believes that fire has a soul and can communicate with it. Through certain rituals, fire can drive away disasters and bring happiness to people.
Animism is polytheism, which is firmly opposed by Islam. However, after the Tajiks accepted Islam, they still worshiped fire, but replaced the original mantras with Islamic prayers and chanting, and the time of sacrifice was also changed to the Islamic calendar.
The Tajik “Pilik” Lantern Festival lasts for two days.
On the first day, the whole family put on festive costumes and sat around the fine sand plate in the center of the kang.
The sand table is filled with butter lamps representing family members.
The number of butter lamps is equal to the actual number of people in the family.
If there are visitors, butter lamps in the sand table will be added according to the number of people.
If a family member passes away before the festival, most of his lights will be kept in the sand table.
When the whole family sits down, the parents first pray to the oil lamps, and then point to each butter lamp and loudly announce the name of the person it represents, and the person should answer “yes” or “yes”.
For those who have passed away, the family members will answer on their behalf.
Then, the parents tightly twisted all the butter wicks in the sand table together and lit them. After they are burning, they will be separated one by one. At this time, all the family members looked at the oil lamps, chanted scriptures, and prayed for blessings. Best wishes and longevity to each other. Afterwards, under the leadership of the parents, the whole family stretched out their hands and held the heat of the flames to their faces, signifying the end of the whole family’s prayer ceremony for the “long-lived lamp”.
The next day, neighbors and new friends visited each other to worship each other. After the memorial service is over, those who come to the same cemetery to sacrifice will first slaughter the sheep, no matter how much, everyone will gather the food together, and the respected people will distribute it equally to everyone present. After the distribution, each family squats in front of the tomb of their ancestors to pray and bless, and light the small oil candles dedicated to the ancestors. At this time, the cemetery is full of lights, which is both spectacular and mysterious.
The Pirik Festival in 2017 happened to be on May 10th and 11th. When everyone brought food to prepare for ancestor worship, an earthquake occurred, so everyone did not enjoy the food. People from all the surrounding villages brought mutton. When they arrived at Kuzigun Village, which was the most affected by the disaster, they spontaneously distributed the mutton to the affected people.
If the ancestors had spirits, they would certainly be proud of the behavior of future generations.
It is this festival that reminds Salman of a person, his brother–BK who died of depression.
The reason why Salman’s stage name is called BK is also to commemorate his brother.
The following is the eulogy written by Salman
Hey BK
I still remember the homes we went to, the graves we went to, the people we commemorated, the smile on your face and the tears in your eyes every year on the Pirik Festival.
You sit in front of your loved one’s grave, that helpless and sad look
But today I can’t find you when I’m around
I went to the houses I went in together, it seemed like I walked all over the place where I can remember you
but did not find you
I stand by the graves of all my loved ones and hope that when I open my closed eyes I can see you standing beside me too
But I found out that the last one I was standing in front of your grave
Only then did I wake up. It turned out that I had been chatting with you with my eyes closed.
At this moment, I have forgotten the whole world, I have forgotten everyone around me who is crying for you
I looked at your mother’s helpless look and remembered how helpless you were at that time
I’m not capable of comforting her just like I was not capable of comforting you before
I see how she longs to hold you again
But now you have become part of the soil of this hometown
Yes, you are gone, leaving us only to miss you with sadness and tears
But you forgot that you took our souls and we left this world with you
It’s just that you have laid down comfortably and made your body a part of your hometown
And we’re like walking dead, let our bodies be punished
I’ve held on to this day in your name I’ve tried my best to tell myself you’re alive
But today I’m sure again I’m sticking to deceiving myself
Of course it’s not your fault
It’s because the flame of love keeps burning and doesn’t want to go out
I would like to commemorate the lives lost in this article
