Today Armenians are celebrating Vardavar - one of few ancient Armenian festivals that has survived until present. This day falls on the 98th day after Easter.

Although now a Christian tradition, Vardavar’s history dates back to pagan times. The ancient festival is traditionally associated with the goddess Astghik, who was the goddess of water, beauty, love and fertility. The festivities associated with this religious observance of Astghik were named “Vartavar” because Armenians offered her roses as a celebration (“vart” means “rose” and “var” mean “rise”), thus it was celebrated during the harvest time. On this day people of all ages drench each other with water and rose petals. It is common to see people pouring buckets of water from balconies on unsuspecting people walking below them.

After the adoption of Christianity the holiday had some changes and nowadays it is being celebrated as a holiday dedicated to Christ’s transfiguration.

Speaking to Tert.am Rev. Shmavon Ghevondyan said how Jesus Christ appeared to his disciples on the Mount Tabor in his brightened appearance. “The holiday is called Vardavar being compared with a rose bud – you can’t know what color the rose will be until it blossoms. The same is Jesus Christ,” Rev. Shmavon Ghevondyan said. While ethnographer Armenuhi Stepanyan told Tert.am that the word Vardavar is of Indian origin meaning pouring water on each other.

 “Few people know the meaning of the name of the holiday. It has no connection with word “rose”. The holiday dates back to BC and is connected with harvest time,” the ethnographer said. She said during the ancient times the holiday’s celebration varied, while now only the tradition of pouring water on each other has remained.

Armenuhi Stepanyan said according to tradition while pouring water on each other people become free of fears, diseases. While the church says the tradition is connected with the Flood, when Noah orders his sons to pour water over each other for the memory of the Flood.

“People are saying it is just a pagan tradition but there is nothing like it. This holiday is marked both with a liturgy in churches and folk traditions – games, water pouring,” Rev. Ghevondyan said.