While Babinden is celebrated on January 8th throughout Bulgaria, in the heart of Pirin the real holiday is yet to come. Come to Bansko on the 21st to see the most colorful dance of the year.
This is not just a holiday for doctors and midwives. It is a day of the triumph of life, of respect for the elderly woman (the grandmother who helped with childbirth in the past) and the young mother. If you want to see authentic costumes and the unique custom of "strainers", be in the central square on this day.
📅 When and where?
The holiday takes place on January 21 (old style). The climax is usually around noon at the central Nikola Vaptsarov Square, where the grand horo (traditional Bulgarian dance) takes place. Check the current municipality program for the exact time of the procession.
The unique ritual: Babies in strainers
What distinguishes Babinden in Bansko from the celebrations in other parts of the country, is the incredible sight of the young mothers ("brides"). They dress in their most beautiful traditional costumes, passed down from generation to generation. But the most important accessory is the so-called. strainer.
The tsidilka is a sturdy, hand-woven woolen cloth with bright patterns, with which the baby is tied to the mother’s back. In the past, women carried their children in the fields in this way, so that their hands were free to work. On Babinden, the tsidilka is a symbol of pride. The newest addition to the family – the „babincheto“ (the baby born in the past year) – is „smothered“ in it.
“The sight of dozens of women in costumes carrying their babies on their backs in colorful colanders is one of the most powerful and emotional images you can see in Bansko. It speaks of continuity and love without words.”
Watering Grandma: Respect for Experience
Before going out into the square, the ritual begins in the homes or at the home of the "grandmother" (today this role is often performed by respected midwives and doctors from the city). The young brides go to "pour water" on the grandmother.
The ritual is symbolic and purifying:
- 🌹 Watering: The bride pours water for the grandmother to wash her hands under a fruit tree or rose bush.
- 🧼 The soap: Soap is donated so that babies can "slip" easily at birth.
- 🎁 The gift: The grandmother gives herself a towel and a shirt, and she in turn ties a red thread with a coin on the baby's hand - to ward off evil spirits and for health.
Grandma's Dance: The Finale of the Holiday
After the rituals in a narrow circle, the celebration moves to the square. There the famous Babino horo (Babino dance). It is led by the midwife-grandmother, adorned with strings of dried peppers and wool (symbols of fertility). After her, young mothers with strainers on their backs follow, and after them – all the women and grandmothers of the city.
The music of zurna and drums echoes through the center, and the colorful costumes contrast with the white snow of Pirin. This is a moment of universal joy, in which the grandmothers from the pensioner clubs also join in, who often prepare humorous skits recreating birth in the past.
Why visit Bansko on January 21?
Babinden is the last big holiday of the January cycle in Bansko. It is an ideal occasion to combine a ski vacation with cultural tourism. Here you will not see a staged spectacle for tourists, but a living tradition in which entire families participate. The emotion of seeing how the youngest residents of the town become part of a centuries-old custom even before they can walk is unforgettable.
Don't miss out on trying the traditional Bansko dishes in the taverns after the dance – the celebration always ends with a rich meal and toasts to the children's health.
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