Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

World famous Granny Marta

Photo: library

The quiz which Radio Bulgaria conducted among our multilingual audience from all over the world showed clearly that our listeners are well acquainted with the spring traditions of the Bulgarians and especially with the image of Baba Marta.

75% of the online users of Radio Bulgaria answered correctly to the question "Who is Baba Marta - a good fairy, a witch, a mythical folklore character, a fortune teller or a fairytale hero". And here is the correct answer:

Baba Marta is a folklore personage associated with the most colorful and popular Bulgarian tradition.

Bulgarians dedicate a range of colorful traditions to Baba Marta on the first day of March, symbolizing the coming spring. We have been telling you about these traditions in our folklore section.

Baba Marta is a symbol of new beginnings and brings wishes for health and fertility. Since time immemorial, Bulgarians have decorated themselves, their children, domestic animals and pets with martenitsa (twisted white and red threads).


In the past, throughout the month of March, the ancestors performed rituals to drive away snakes and lizards, and made divinations according to the behavior of migratory birds.

Свързана публикация в текста:

The tradition of exchanging martenitsi is still preserved today. It brings joy, faith and hope to both children and adults.

According to traditional belief, Baba Marta is a capricious and capricious old woman. She is the sister of Big and Little Sechko (the months of January and February) and is constantly annoyed with them, mostly because her two brothers have drunk her wine.

Who is Baba Marta? See more in the article Granny Marta and her brothers from the collection of Radio Bulgaria.

To this day, Bulgarians like to say that March is a lady's month because of its capricious and fickle temper. How about you - do you agree with that?

Write to us at radiobulgaria@bnr.bg/or English@bnr.bg and be sure to take our new quiz. The next question will appear soon on the website of Radio Bulgaria.

Compiled by: Veneta Nikolova

Photos: library


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Flowing wine, dragons, bears and folklore – Delchevo celebrates together with Northern Greece municipalities

Wine will spout from two drinking fountains over the weekend in Delchevo. Perched on top of the mountain, the village located close to Gotse Delchev, has made a name for itself as a tourist attraction with its ancient architecture and the beautiful..

published on 2/1/24 7:30 AM

Babinden in Razlog - a city that is keeper of traditions

At the beginning of each year, The Bulgarian city of Razlog and the surrounding villages start feverish preparations for Babinden or Midwives’ Day. The holiday is dedicated to the “grannies” who helped women give birth. Every year it is celebrated on..

published on 1/20/24 11:14 AM

Surva holiday celebrated in Graovsko and all over Western Bulgaria

The Surva festival begins with the lighting of bonfires and mummers dancing the horo chain danie around the fires on the night of January 13-14.  The power and timelessness of the masquerade tradition has led UNESCO to declare it a World Heritage..

published on 1/14/24 6:30 AM