As is the case every year, the island grew crowded starting from the early hours of the morning. The festive atmosphere lasted all day long with music, halay dances, and the water games that have become the symbol of Vartavar. While adults had fun together, children both played to their hearts' content and learned this deeply rooted tradition by experiencing it. Father (Hayr Surp) Harutyun Damatyan also attended the celebrations, as he does every year, sharing the festive joy with the community.
On this feast, which also symbolizes the day Noah sacrificed an offering and released a dove to express his gratitude to God for saving him and his family from the Flood, Armenians splash water on one another or push each other into lakes or rivers to remember the rain. Aside from people soaking each other, traditions like releasing doves and making vows are observed, and large-scale festivals are organized.
The word 'Vartavar', which was a name for a festival in the past just as it is today, is a combination of the words 'vart' (rose) and 'var' (glow/brilliance). In pre-Christian Armenia, cities were founded and festivals were organized in the name of the rose, which was associated with holiness. In different regions of ancient Armenia, nature-oriented festivals were celebrated according to various traditions. Brides and grooms who aligned their wedding dates with Vartavar were presented with baskets full of apricots and cherries, and young girls wore crowns adorned with roses in their hair.
'The Water Festival'
Vartavar is also called 'the water festival'. On the day of Vartavar, doves are released and roses are scattered. In the past, rose petals were distributed, and people would wet each other with rosewater. Jesus Christ told people, "You must become like children." People become like children and have fun during this holiday. On Vartavar day in Armenia, everyone splashes each other in the streets; while walking down the road, a bucket of water might suddenly be dumped on you. In the past, people would ride horses into streams and try to knock each other off the horseback into the water, and the person who stayed on the horse the longest would receive a prize.
