One of the oldest holidays in Azerbaijan is Novruz, which is announced by four Tuesdays. The third Tuesday is called Yel Chershenbesi (Wind Tuesday ), representing the breath of spring and nature awakening.

Many interesting beliefs and customs are linked to Yel Chershenbesi. On this day, people watch the wind's direction to guess the weather. It is said that if a warm wind blows, spring will arrive early, but if the wind is cold, winter will stick around.

According to old beliefs, on this evening, the wind can make wishes come true. People go outside and whisper their wishes to the wind, believing it will take them far away and deliver them to the Almighty.

Folklore experts say that ancient beliefs tell of four winds that sleep deep underground, known as the "black river" (qara n?hr), and sometimes rise to the surface, taking different forms. In Azerbaijani stories, each wind has its own color: the white wind (a? yel) is white, the black wind (qara yel) is black, the cold khazri is blue, and the warm gila-var is red.

On Yel Chershenbesi, all these winds come together, fly around the world, and wake up water and fire, signaling that spring is coming.

In Azerbaijani mythology, the wind also acts as a guide. Yel Baba (often shown as an old man weak from age) helps lost people in dense forests find their way. He gives them a ball of thread and tells them to drop it on the ground. The wind from Yel Baba rolls out the thread, showing the path back home. Over time, this story has turned into a fairy tale about Fatma Nene's ball of thread (Grandmother Fatma).

In ancient beliefs, there was a saying about harvests. Before Yel Baba arrived, no one would take grain from the threshing floor: it was believed that taking unripe grain would lead to tragedy, but taking the first threshed grain would bring a son.

Older people would say, "Those who make the wind blow aren’t cursed," because they believed the Almighty was on their side. There was also a belief that spitting into the wind would bring bad luck to the person who did it.

There are special places people visit to honor the wind. They would go to the "Mountain of Wind" (Yel da??) to make wishes and offer sacrifices. If Yel Baba accepted the offering, people believed they would have good luck and their dreams would come true.

According to one belief, on Yel Chershenbesi, you should visit a willow tree, make a wish, and call out to Yel Baba. If he hears you and shakes the branches so they touch the ground, your wish will definitely come true.

On Yel Chershenbesi, people light bonfires everywhere as a sign of cleansing and renewal. They prepare traditional foods like sudlu pilaf or bulgur pilaf, and decorate the holiday table with dried fruits, nuts, and grain treats.

Women start getting ready for the last Tuesday before Novruz: they clean their homes, beat carpets, and air out bedding. They sew new clothes for children and prepare nuts for holiday baking. On this day, they tie red ribbons around growing seeds, symbolizing life and prosperity.