ABOUT THE RITUAL
At the end of the winter, on the first Sunday before Lent (also called “Pokladi”) the Strandjan people perform the “Palikosh” ritual.
On this day the young ask the old for forgiveness so that they live happily during the whole year.
When the elderly ones are asked for forgiveness, they say: “May the Lord and I forgive you!”, and urge the young to sing a song, because no holiday is a real holiday without songs. The hostesses have made cheese pastry in the early morning. The night before the holiday people in every house tie an egg or a piece of white khalva (special candy) on a thread hanging from the ceiling.
The eldest woman in the family shakes the thread and each child tries to bite the candy without using his or her hands.
On this day (this is a natural ending of the mummer’s holiday), at the village square people burn up a basket filled with straw.
The burning basket is lifted high up by strong men with the help of long rods.
The people start dancing around the burning basket.
When the basket falls to the ground everybody tries to jump over it for health.
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