The Republic of Tatarstan is home to Muslim ethnic groups. We want to get to know the culture of these people. Stay with Saed News.
The Republic of Tatarstan is one of the republics of Russia. The capital of Tatarstan is the city of Kazan. The Tatars are one of the largest Turkic-speaking ethnic groups scattered across Russia and some other republics of Central Asia and the Caucasus. The term "Tatar" originally referred to the people living along the Volga River and the Crimean Peninsula. The first state established in the area of present-day Tatarstan was Volga Bulgaria, which ruled this land and some surrounding regions from the 7th to the 13th centuries AD. This state extended its trade relations over vast regions of Eurasia, the Middle East, and the Baltic area.
Russia has a population of over 150 million, of which 81% speak only the official Russian language. The rest of the population use Russian as a second language. Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan in the Russian Federation, according to the 2010 Russian census, with a population of 1,143,535, is the eighth most populous city and one of the most important cities in Russia. The geographical location of Kazan, situated on the border between Europe and Asia, has caused its people—a mixture of Russian and Tatar ethnicities—to coexist peacefully with both Islamic and Christian cultures living side by side. Besides these two major religions, other faiths are also present in Kazan. The Christians in the city are mostly Orthodox, although a small group of Catholics also reside in Kazan and have their own church.
Kazan is not only one of the oldest cities in Russia but also one of the oldest cities in Europe. In fact, Kazan is 150 years older than Moscow, founded in the year 1005. In the 13th century, it became part of the Mongol-Tatar Empire. Eventually, in the 16th century, Ivan the Terrible, one of the Russian Empire's tsars, conquered the city and made it part of the Russian Empire. Kazan, as the capital of Tatarstan, is the cultural center of the ancient Tatar people and has well preserved its cultural status even in its modern appearance. Most people in Kazan are fluent in both Russian and Tatar. Interestingly, the Tatar language originally used the Arabic script, but in the 20th century, the Tatar language's form changed considerably, and today, the Latin alphabet is used for writing Tatar.
Kazan is culturally very rich, and its people live alongside diverse cultures. For this reason, Kazan's cuisine is very varied, and the highest quality and tastiest dishes can be found in Kazan's restaurants. Among these many dishes, if you want to try just one dessert in Kazan, the most attractive and unique dessert of Tatarstan—chak-chak—is recommended. This dessert is made from eggs and flour and is served with honey syrup, offering a distinct taste. It is interesting to know that chak-chak is considered the national sweet of Tatarstan and is served at most celebrations and weddings. In 2015, during the 1000th anniversary of Kazan, 20 people together made the world's largest chak-chak weighing 1000 kilograms, setting a world record.
Islam is the second official religion of Russia. Muslims enjoy many social freedoms in Russia, and there are no prohibitions for Muslims; they can work and participate in educational and administrative environments like ordinary citizens. According to a 2012 nationwide survey in Russia, the Muslim population is about 10 million, constituting 6.5% of the total population. Most Muslims reside in the republics of Chechnya, Dagestan, and Kazan (Tatarstan). However, significant Muslim populations are also found in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Tatarstan is the main residence of the Tatars, the largest Muslim ethnic group in Russia with over 3.8 million people. Given the dispersion and ethnic diversity of Muslims in Russia, various longstanding rituals are practiced during the holy month of Ramadan. These include attending mosques and worship centers, family Iftar dinners with elders after prayers, Quran recitation, and nightly social gatherings, which families consider obligatory. In the mosques of various Tatarstan cities, especially in Kazan, Ramadan Iftar tents are held every year to provide Muslims a chance to meet and pray together. At the Zakabani Mosque in Kazan, a communal Iftar called "social feeding" is organized, where needy guests are served generously and assisted with their problems. The main social Iftar event is held in Kazan’s stadium the day before Eid al-Fitr, hosted by the Tatarstan government, inviting over three thousand needy people, large families, and families with disabled members. Charity programs to support children from needy families are also arranged. Quran education, especially for children with instructors in Quranic recitation and sciences, is another popular Ramadan program held mostly before congregational prayers or after Iftar.
Nowruz in Russia (Tatarstan) includes a wide range of customs and traditions of the various ethnic groups in the country, each celebrating according to their own customs. On this day, elders usually warmly receive younger people who wear new clothes according to tradition. Festivals and celebrations are held, and people joyfully bid farewell to winter in traditional costumes. The Tatars are among the ethnic groups in Russia that celebrate Nowruz or "Navruz" in their local language. Nowruz among the Tatars is the New Year celebration based on the solar calendar or a festivity for the arrival of spring. The symbol of this festival is the sprouting of wheat buds. For this purpose, wheat seeds are planted 15 days before Nowruz, and when the green shoots emerge from the soil, it signals the start of the solar new year or spring festival. The special Nowruz food called "sumalyak" is then cooked on the holiday using these wheat sprouts. Tatars also place great importance on house cleaning and believe that all debts must be settled before Nowruz arrives. Many Nowruz customs among Tatars are related to the number seven. The holiday table has seven elements, seven types of food are served, and other traditions in this republic include celebrations with dancing, public outings, singing local songs, and jumping over fire.
Islam was first introduced to the people of Tatarstan by Muslim missionaries sent from Baghdad in 922 AD. The majority of Muslims in the Republic of Tatarstan reside in the Volga Federal District. Nowruz is considered a cultural heritage of Russian Muslims, deeply rooted in society with centuries of tradition. After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the rise in the Muslim population in Russia, Nowruz is celebrated regularly every year in the country.
