«Region plus».-2015.-№5 (261).-P.58-61.

RAHMAT, UZBEKISTAN! After visiting this country, tourists will have long memories of Samarkand's wonders and the Uzbek people's hospitality

Ayaz Mirzayev

Translated from Uzbek literally, the phrase "Rahmat, aka" sounds like "Thank you, brother". The word "aka" meaning "elder brother" is the most popular honorific form of address to males in Uzbekistan and "rahmat" means "thanks". This is probably the first thing remembered by a person hearing Uzbek speech for the first time. To tell the truth, it seemed to me in the past that life had not changed much since Soviet times. However, when I saw Tashkent I understood how deeply mistaken I was. Long illuminated streets, new buildings and ones under construction, smiling youth…

They have Turkic roots too Hardly had we set foot on the ground at the capital's airport, than an Uzbek colleague who cordially welcomed us suddenly asked quizzically: "Why do you say in Azerbaijan: one nation - two states?" (meaning Azerbaijan and Turkey). I did not understand Shuhratjon's joke at once but he specified that the Uzbeks are also part of that single nation. He was speaking about our Turkic roots, likeness in customs and traditions, similar character, music, cuisine, architecture and language. This is the way Ilqar Valizada, a colleague from Azerbaijan, and I began to discover Uzbekistan for ourselves.

With monuments in mind I very much liked one peculiarity of this Central Asian nation. They must rightfully take one of the first places in the world for their tremulous and careful attitude toward their historical monuments. Since medieval times, Uzbekistan has always been an international transport centre. Even after the ruinous revolution in October 1917 and the earthquake in 1966, the country saved a lot of monuments that one can meet at every turn. First we went to the western part of Tashkent, to Khast Imam Square known as a religious centre of the Uzbek capital. There is a whole ensemble of monuments of Islamic culture and we familiarized ourselves with Kukeldash Madrasah built in the 17th century, also known as the Mausoleum of Abubakr Kafal Shashi. Just there is the library of oriental manuscripts keeping the world-famous Quran of Caliph Uthman. Probably in view of the high value of the legacy kept in custody here, in order to be admitted to [p.58-59] Khast-Imam, one must receive a special permit in advance. We can say we were lucky. After visiting this picturesque corner of Islamic civilization, we went to the Museum of History of Timurids - the largest historical monument of Tashkent. The Uzbek people regard it as their boast, saying that it was built in only eight months. There were things related to the life, activity and military expeditions of the famous general: his clothes, the books he read. As regards Emir Timur's grave, it is in Samarkand to which we agreed to go without hesitation. [p.59-60]

"The Pearl of the East" This city is believed to be equal in age to such ancient cities as Babylon and Rome. According to some sources, Samarkand is about 2,500 years old today. Different historical sources rightfully name it "the Rome of the East" and "the Most Beautiful City under the Sky". Given its history, beauty and importance, Samarkand can be described as the capital of entire Central Asia. This mysterious city is the greatest tourist attraction in Uzbekistan. With this in mind, the Uzbeks have taken care to shorten the rather long way one has to cover travelling from the capital. A car trip from Tashkent to Samarkand takes five to six hours. But the launch of the region's first- ever high-speed train has reduced the travel time as much as three times. The train named Afrosiab after the king of this ancient town brought us to the Pearl of the East within just two hours. After Uzbekistan gained independence, Samarkand with its 370,000-strong population turned into one of the biggest cultural and economic centres. Before leaving Baku, I was advised to visit the grandest architectural monuments of this beautiful city, such as the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, the Gur-e Amir Mausoleum and Registan Square. So we set off for the Bibi-Khanym Mosque first.

Wonders of Samarkand It is generally assumed that this monument of history and culture belongs not only to Uzbekistan but the entire Turkic world. The construction of the mosque started in 1399 after Emir Timur's return from India. It lasted five years. It is a peculiarity of the Palace Mosque that there is a huge marble support for the Quran. Another wonder of Samarkand is the Registan complex viewed as the heart of the city. Back in the Middle Ages, to succeed in the study of the Quran and its language, scholars and students went to a madrasah located just in this complex. Renowned religious figures of the 20th [p.60-61] century including Haci Allahsukur Pasazada, Sheikh ul-Islam and Head of the Directorate of Muslims of the Caucasus, received religious education just in Samarkand. Among such educational institutions, the best-known are the Ulugh Beg Madrasah, the Tilya-Kori Madrasah and the Sher-Dor Madrasah. No less interesting a monument of the ancient city is a shrine in which the 10 metre grave of Prophet Daniyar (Biblical Prophet Daniel). The things we saw were sufficient for us to make certain that it was no accident that Samarkand, where you can touch history in every street, was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. A good traveller on a visit to Samarkand is sure to visit the Gur-e Amir Mausoleum where Emir Timur and his dynasty repose. Emir Timur is one of the greatest generals of the Turkic world who founded the Timurid State. However, attitudes to him in different places differ. For example, he is a hero to the Uzbek people but people in the Caucasus, Iran, Asia Minor and other countries regards him as a conqueror who smashed their armies. Most his campaigns ended in expanding the borders of the Timurid State. One way or another, scholars worldwide concur that Emir Timur is a great name of history. The great general's mausoleum became the subject of numerous discussions and debates after World War II. All that started in March 1941 after Stalin's personal permission to organize a research expedition with the fundamental goal to find the grave of Emir Timur. The glorious general's sudden death under enigmatic circumstances during his military campaign in 1405 cast a veil of mystery over his grave. All historical evidence indicated that it was Samarkand where his shrine was located. Upon exploring all shrines in the city, members of the Soviet expedition finally found the mausoleum of Emir Timur. After long searching, they came upon ancient inscriptions carved in Arabic on marble tombstones. Members of the expedition were scared by the inscription on one gravestone reading: "A terrible punishment is in store for him who places himself above all and desecrates the spirit of ancestors". Yet it did not stop the researchers and they opened the supposed grave of Emir Timur. Thereby they opened Pandora's box, to speak figuratively. The next day, it was announced over the radio that Hitlerite Germany had started war against the Soviet Union. I must admit that we were under some influence of our guides' stories and information from the press. When we entered the sepulchre, we were overwhelmed by a strange feeling of agitation. We never mustered the courage to come close to the general's tomb. Meanwhile we had to return to Tashkent. It would have been a sin not to take advantage of Shuhratjon's invitation to familiarize us with traditions of Uzbek cuisine. It is also considered bad style to refuse. Uzbekistan is a treasury of architectural monuments, a constellation of very old towns and a centre of the legendary Silk Road. One can see the real Ancient East here. You can taste a real Uzbek pilaf made according to a recipe older than 1,000 years. Thus, if you ever have an opportunity to visit this land of the East, do not miss it.