Janova: Solstice

It may seem sometimes that we, the people of big cities, have long broken off the fine threads that used to tie our minds to the natural cycles. In our daily life, at least. And still, there are several very special moments in the year that change something around – in the air, in the sky, in our emotions and thoughts. And as such moments come, they make you feel a particle in the infinite universal and still unknown system and, at the same time, evoke deeply intimate and personal emotions that overfill you but can be sometimes neither described, nor shared.

For me, midsummer or, to be exact, the moment of summer solstice is a moment like this. I wait for it anxiously every time, and as soon as the sun reaches its highest point, its apogee, the chillness of bitter irreversibility emerges deep in my soul. The larger part of summer is still ahead, but the days are growing shorter – minute by minute. Time never stops and it is merciless…

It is hard sometimes to share your emotions with people. Then – try to share them with places. And here is probably the best point on the map to let solstice flow through you.

Every day, thousands of people pass by this place taking the picturesque road from Lepel to Polack. I think, they look with admiration at gentle hills, thick forests and shining mirrors of lakes seen from here. But few of them know: it is enough to branch off the highway, take an overlooked sandy track and then cross the field – and you will find yourself in one of the most mysterious places of Belarus.

More than 30 years ago, Belarusian scientists pointed out that this locality, the peninsula shooting out into the Janova lake between the villages Sviacica and Bikulničy, was truly unusual due to several groups of huge boulders of red and pink granite. The landscape of this area with numerous hills and valleys, lakes and rivers was formed by glacier thousands of years ago. And, certainly, as it was melting, the powerful streams of water brought numerous stones here. But these boulders were not chaotically scattered across the meadow. They formed a strict system oriented at cardinal points that helped our ancestors in determining the very moment when the nature reached its annual heyday – the summer solstice. In other words, this place was a kind of an ancient observatory and now, it is often called “the Belarusian Stonehenge”. Scientists prove that it was constructed about 10 thousand years ago, and the stones are not just natural boulders – they are dressed and shaped by people, and some of them even have ancient signs on their surface.

The local toponymy is also remarkable: the name of the lake – Janova – is obviously associated with the ancient festivity of summer solstice. The village located nearby is called Sviacica – its name derives from the word “sviaty” meaning “holy”. Observing the sunset from a special point, one could see the sun setting right behind the topmost hill of the surrounding called Valatouka. It is the general name of high hills supposed to be graves of “volats” – legendary giants that were believed to inhabit Belarus in the pre-historic past.

Thus, as soon as the sunny disc hid behind the Valatouka, it meant that the shortest night of the year began. At that very moment, they started burning fire on the top of that hill, and there was deep symbolism in this action: the heavenly fire of the sun lit up the holy and purifying festive flame for people.

Kupalle – this is the Belarusian name of the festivity of summer solstice, the main pagan holiday of the sun, warmth, vegetation and fertility. It is the time when everything is possible – grasses are healing, animals and birds can talk to people and even fern is in blossom this moment! And people always chose special places for celebrating it – the ones that could accumulate the energy of fire, water and plants on the culmination moment of the year. Just look – they found a perfect location!

Having once come to the Janova lake on the longest day, I understood something about this place and myself. Looked at the breathtaking panoramas of hills and lakes. Listened to whisper of wind. Tracked endless caravans of clouds sailing across the sky. Smelled water and grass. Touched rough and mossy surface of stones warmed up by the sun. And realized that it has been quite the same for centuries and millennia. Year by year, generations of people came to these boulders by the lake to feel the solemnity of one moment – and grandiosity of the eternal and endless circle of moments, years, generations. They never felt alone, since they realized their origin and their continuation, just like a link in the chain. And they certainly knew that the endurance of the chain depends on each link. Isn’t it the same about us today? Everyone is so small in the endless turnover. Everyone is much more than it may seem.

Sincerely yours,

Volha Blazhevich

Back to Main Page