After so many holidays in January comes the turn of another festival — Maslenitsa (Shrove) — which lasts a whole week. It has no fixed date and moves around according to Easter.
This year, it started on Feb 28 and ends today. This holiday is considered the echo of pre-Christian times when the Slavs were still pagans.
Although the Christian religion, which replaced paganism, rejected all previous cults, this holiday could not be erased as it was so loved by the people.
Maslenitsa is a symbol of Russian folk holidays with a thousand-year history. No other country in the world celebrates anything like this!
The name Maslenitsa comes from the word "maslo" (butter). During this festival, eating meat is prohibited, but having milk and butter is allowed.
Today in Russia, Maslenitsa is celebrated as in the old days, on a grand scale with mass folk festivals, fun and games.
Shrovetide rituals are very unusual and interesting as they mark the completion of the winter holidays and rituals and the start of new spring holidays and rituals, which should have contributed to a rich harvest.
At this time, what is usually cooked is a pancake, which is called "blini" in Russian, symbolising the sun and the coming of spring. It is round and golden in colour.
"Blini" is served hot with butter, sour cream, honey, caviar, mushrooms or sturgeon — for every taste! In addition, every housewife has her own recipe for "blini".
Russian "blini" is similar to the French crepe — it's thin unlike the thick American pancake.
"Blini" is served to children. The first "blini" is never eaten; it is offered to deceased family members. The mother-in-law is obliged to treat the son-in-law with "blini".
Tasting the most delicious, scalding pancake in the cold is an incomparable pleasure after which it's time to plunge into a whirlpool of Maslenitsa fun: ride a sleigh, sculpt a snow house or drive round dances.
Maslenitsa is also a time for parades, concerts, carnivals and fierce fighting, and children to build snow slides.
Maslenitsa has its own traditional activities: on Monday it is "reunion"; Tuesday, "entertainment"; Wednesday, "sweet meal"; Thursday, "party"; Friday, "visiting mother-in-law" and Saturday, "visiting sister-in-law".
Sunday is the Day of Forgiveness, just like Hari Raya in Malaysia.
On this day, people ask each other for forgiveness for all the misdeeds and troubles caused to them, and kiss each other three times.
They bow to each other and say: "God will forgive you."
On the last day, the most interesting action is seeing off Maslenitsa with the solemn burning of an effigy of winter.
People also throw pancakes and leftover treats into the big fire. The children are told that all hearty food is burned in the fire, thereby explaining to them why only fast food is eaten during Lent.
Farewell to Maslenitsa ends on the first day of Great Lent called "Clean Monday", the day of cleansing from sin and food containing meat and milk products.
On this day, the people clean their houses, including the tableware, washing it thoroughly of fat and remnants of meat.
For foreign guests who have arrived in Russia, it is considered a great treat to attend the Maslenitsa celebration and witness the traditions.
This year, due to the tense political situation, Maslenitsa is celebrated modestly without noisy fairs and festivals.
"Blini", however, is still cooked in every home. You can taste it in any restaurant and even a grocery store.
And, of course, as always, the Russians will hug each other and ask for forgiveness from friends and other people.
The writer, who is writing from Russia, is a former lecturer of Universiti Malaya
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times