”Bourani” is a Turkish word and means spinach, takes place in Tyrnavos and closes the cycle of carnival events. The materials to be done is spinach, rice, vinegar and nettle. The roots of this custom come from very old from the ancient Dionysian cults. Residents gathered in the streets and neighborhoods lighting fires, cooking ”Bourani”, drinking tsipouro (a strong local drink) and saying profanity, teasing each other and playing sexual jokes on other people. In custom, men hold in their hands phallic replicas like scepters, made of wood or pilo. The phallus at ”Bourani” symbolizes the rebirth of nature, life, becomes the beginning of spring, man’s euphoria and man’s fertility. The past years only men participated on the premises was the custom, women and young children did not approached but with the passage of time involved and perhaps more than men now.
Every year Bouranites (people that cook Bourani) goes to the grove of Prophet Elias pave the ground and various bean dishes and a bottle shaped of phallus with wine in ”Clean Monday”. Replicas of phallus are found across the city in all its forms, in balloons, in clay and wooden effigies in small and large sizes. The fun continues in the center of the town square and in different places where ”teasing” continue throughout the duration of the cooking Bourani with fun dancing and appropriate songs! So arm yourself with humor and a visit to Tyrnavos will be unique!
How to Get There
Tyrnavos is a small city, located 20 km from Larissa.
