In years gone by, as Spring approached and the days grew longer and lighter, the folk of Valencia used to burn leftovers or off cuts from around the neighbourhood. The lamp was ceremoniously placed into the town square, surrounded by rags with a hat etc on (kind of like a Guy Fawkes) calling it a Ninot or Falla.
On March 1st, the first string of firecrackers which are known as Mascletas is lit and fired in the Town Square heralds the beginning of the festival period which runs from 16th March to Midnight on 19th March 2014.
On March 1st, the first string of firecrackers which are known as Mascletas is lit and fired in the Town Square heralds the beginning of the festival period which runs from 16th March to Midnight on 19th March 2014.
Las Fallas is celebrated each year beginning the first Sunday of March in the Spanish city of Valencia to commemorate St. Joseph's Day, the Patron Saint of Carpenters. Las Fallas literally means "the fires" in Valencian. The focus of the fiesta is the creation and destruction of ninots (“puppets” or “dolls”), which are huge cardboard, wood, paper-machè and plaster statues. The ninots are extremely lifelike and usually depict bawdy, satirical scenes and current events. A popular theme is poking fun at corrupt politicians and Spanish celebrities. The labor intensive ninots, often costing up to US$75,000, are crafted by neighborhood organizations and take almost the entire year to construct. Many ninots are several stories tall and need to be moved into their final location of over 350 key intersections and parks around the city with the aid of cranes on the day .
Every year the city of Valencia in Spain celebrates the ancient "Las Fallas" fiesta, a noisy week that is full of fireworks and processions in honor of Saint Joseph which climaxes in the burning of large papier mache figures displayed around the streets of the city.
Las Fallas is celebrated to commemorate St. Joseph's Day, the Patron Saint of Carpenters. Las Fallas literally means "the fires" in Valencian. The focus of the fiesta is the creation and destruction of ninots (“puppets” or “dolls”), which are huge cardboard, wood, paper-machè and plaster statues. The ninots are extremely lifelike and usually depict bawdy, satirical scenes and current events. A popular theme is poking fun at corrupt politicians and Spanish celebrities. The labor intensive ninots, often costing up to US$75,000, are crafted by neighborhood organizations and take almost the entire year to construct. Many ninots are several stories tall and need to be moved into their final location of over 350 key intersections and parks around the city with the aid of cranes on the day of la plantà (the rising).
Though Fallas is one of those cultural celebrations that reaches all your senses in many ways from the flavors of buñuelos and hot churros to the smells of gun powder and hot drinking chocolate, the feel of silks to the sounds and vibrations of fireworks, mascletás and music, it’s most known for the incredible sight of the monuments themselves, the huge works of art that can be as tall as 3 story buildings.
As soon as Fallas is over with every monument burned completely to the ground, they begin planning for the next, thinking of themes and drawing up designs. The Casal Faller will hire an artist who will construct and paint the monument itself which stays hidden in a warehouse until La Plantá on the 15th. It’s then that the city comes alive with art and color.
But we rarely see the insides. They go up in flames so quickly on the 19th, that even then, all we see is the wooden skeleton beneath, so unless you visit a warehouse in the months before Fallas, you may never see this.
The ninots remain in place until March 19th, the day known as La Cremá (the burning). Starting in the early evening, young men with axes chop cleverly-hidden holes in the statues and stuff them with fireworks. The crowds start to chant, the streetlights are turned off, and all of the ninots are set on fire at exactly 12am midnight. Over the years, the local bomberos (firemen) have devised unique ways to protect the town's buildings from being accidentally set on fire by the ninots: such as neatly covering storefronts with fireproof tarps. Each year, one of the ninots is spared from destruction by popular vote. This ninot is called the ninot indultat (the pardoned puppet) and is exhibited in the local Museum of the Ninot along with the other favorites from years past.
The ninots remain in place until March 19th, the day known as La Cremá (the burning). Starting in the early evening, young men with axes chop cleverly-hidden holes in the statues and stuff them with fireworks. The crowds start to chant, the streetlights are turned off, and all of the ninots are set on fire at exactly 12am midnight. Over the years, the local bomberos (firemen) have devised unique ways to protect the town's buildings from being accidentally set on fire by the ninots: such as neatly covering storefronts with fireproof tarps. Each year, one of the ninots is spared from destruction by popular vote. This ninot is called the ninot indultat (the pardoned puppet) and is exhibited in the local Museum of the Ninot along with the other favorites from years past.
This gallery contains pictures from this year’s Las Fallas celebration.
This beautiful and entertaining event which pokes fun at everyone equally, with references in a humorous way to sociopolitical situations all depicted by Dallas and Ninots since the mid 1800’s.
At midnight on the 19th, the festival closes with powerful imagery as the beautiful Falls and Ninots are set alight apart from one which is voted for by the Falleros which will be kept in the Fallero Museum. There are, of course, lots of fireworks and a massive bonfire too.
Every year, hundreds of pro mad men (not madmen) go over to Valencia for this absolutely fascinating event which is loud, full of Pyro and of course gives them a great opportunity to meet up before the wedding season starts in earnest and they are all back to being wet, muddy and smelling of fireworks day in, day out.
Good luck everyone in Valencia and we can look above some brilliant photographs.
About Valancia..
https://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-488734-valencia_vacations-i
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/betsy-talbot/top-10-romantic-things-to-do-in-valencia-spain_b_5352605.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/off-track-planet/valencia-spain_b_4020959.html
http://www.visitvalencia.com/en/home
To see the Fallas History..
2014 Festivel Schedule..
Prepared & Collection by M.Ajmal Khan.
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