Regarded as one of the most spiritual festivals in the national calendar of Russia, Ivan Kupala Day, popularly known as Kupala Night, is linked to the summer solstice and the nature heyday. The celebration relates to the summer solstice when nights are the shortest and includes a number of Slavic rituals. On this day, women gather medicinal herbs and it is even believed that on Kupala day morning, mermaids would give people amulet plants. On this festival, it is believed that girls read their fortunes about their marriage. Bathing, dousing and washing were important rituals. They also burnt cleansing bonfires on Kupala night. Over the time, many festival rituals and ceremonies were gone but this spectacular element such as divination of wreaths has remained. The atmosphere of Ivana Kupala can be sensed if one just goes out in the nature and get immersed into the world of smells.
