Moscow: Maslenitsa festival in Russia is one of the most awaited festivals of the country.
Natives of Russia celebrated the week long festival with gaiety and enthusiasm.
This year the celebrations were started on 16th February and ended on 22nd February.
This spectacular colorful festival week is popularly known as Butter Week, Pancake week, Cheese-fare Week etc.
The Maslenitsa festival celebration commemorates the end of the long freezing winter season in Russia.
Since it is a combination of Pagan and a Christian culture, it adds extra flavor to the festival week as it highlights the features of dual ancestry.
Though this festival goes back to the Pagan times, the present day celebrations are in connection with the Christian tradition of Shrovetide pancakes.
It is a week long thrilling carnival by which natives are enjoyed with troikas through the snow-filled streets, parades of Russian fairy-tale characters, open-air theater play, dancing, fireworks and folk songs.
Each day of the week-long festivities has a specific theme while the activities are performed with respect to that traditional belief.
The forthcoming long desired season is welcomed with the torching of the scarecrow of winter.
Video on Russian Maslenitsa festival
