With the warming of the weather, when the cemre will fall has also been among the topics researched. There are 3 cemre, which are believed to fall into the ground, air and water while passing from the winter season to the spring season. It is believed that the cemre warms the place where it falls. It falls every seven days, in the last week of February and the first week of March.
Some clues, known as nature’s calendar, have been followed by humans since past years. The fall of cemre, which heralds the arrival of spring, is one of these clues. It is one of the determining factors of the work to be done especially by those who are engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry. As the cemre falls on the ground, the soil begins to warm up and wake up. Thus, the seeds sown take action and spring comes.
What is Cemre? When Does It Drop?
Jamra is a word of Arabic origin. The Turkish dictionary meaning is “cor”, that is, “fire”. The decrease in cemre is known as an increase in temperature among the people. It falls every 7 days before spring arrives. The air warms when it falls into the air, the water when it falls into the water, and the soil when it falls to the ground. With the fall of Cemre, the celebrations of Hıdırellez and Nevruz begin.
Cemre, which falls at one week intervals; On February 19-20, the first cemre falls into the air. On February 26-27, the second cemre falls into the water. On March 5-6, the third cemre falls on the ground.
The Place of Cemre Fall in Turkish Culture
The fall of Cemre has an important place in Turkish culture. It has also found an important place in the field of culture and literature. Poems called “Cemreviye” were written by divan poets during the Ottoman period for the cemre to fall. It is not known exactly when the cemre, which is included in the Arab calendar, was accepted by the Turks.
The cemre falling from the Caucasus and Anatolian geography has an important place especially for societies interested in animal husbandry. In societies living as nomads, it has become even more important for them to observe nature as the grasses collected in autumn as preparation for winter are approaching to end. Ancient Turkish societies have more experience in observations of nature. The fall of cemre by Turkish societies is an event that has been followed for nearly a thousand years. Cemre is followed for Nowruz celebrations on 21 March. After the last cemre falls, preparations for the celebration begin.
In Turkish and Altai cultures, it is believed that there is a genie called “Imre or emire” in mythology. Seen in the spring, this genie rises to the sky, emitting flickering lights. Then it falls on the ice and melts them, and from there it falls to the ground, warming the soil.
Steam rises from the heated soil, representing the arrival of spring. The heating of the soil, air and water has been attributed to the performance of this genie.
In Bulgarian societies, it is known as “Zemire”. The name used as “Cemre” because it came to Turkish geography from Arabic has changed from these names by analogy. Zemre means humidity and steam. The metaphorical meaning of the concepts of ember and fire in Sufism represents rebirth and purification. Cemre is a term associated with this meaning as well.
In the ancient Arabs, on the other hand, with the warming of the weather, people went to high places and continued their lives there until the weather got cold. When the winter months entered, they returned to their old places. The fall of cemre, which finds its place in the culture of many societies; It represents the warming of the air and the arrival of spring. For this reason, they have adjusted some behaviors in their lives according to the cemre.
