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Home , Cochineal, Navoi Theater, Registan, Suzani (textile)

Travel by Nivine Maktabi Travel Prestige Prestige LE MONDE DES CÉLÉBRITÉS LE MONDE DES CÉLÉBRITÉS the Uzbekistan one of my most «perfumed» travels, beyond a dream trip

In , where the oldest Qoran is found. I was happily surprised to eyewitness how beautiful the whole city is. I recommend anyone who is curious to discover a different culture to visit this part of the world Tashkent In front of Amir Temur statue. and learn about its very rich history and the numerous During its centuries-old history it has repeatedly changed its The monument of Courage. times it was invaded till its independence in 1991. name: Shash, Chach, Chachkent. The first name was Tash then during the 7th century when the Arab came they changed the na- «Timurland» 2200 years old of history... It might be no me into Chachkent, Persian name meaning «city» then the Russian surprise for those who have been following my travel changed it into Tashkent or Toshkent, meaning the «Stone City». articles and are acquainted a bit with my background to From 1930 till 1991 Tashkent (in Uzbek Toshkent) was the capital of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic in the structure of the former Amir Temur madrassah. understand why I have chosen Uzbekistan. For those who USSR. Today it is considered one of the biggest cities in central would like to know, well it all started with the fabulous Asia. It is a bilingual city where they speak Russian and Uzbek with We started visiting the important squares and old schools they «» and «» colorful, hand loomed delicate fabric around 4 million inhabitants and 29 million in all of Uzbekistan. call «madrassat» (religious schools) and of course mausoleums. In fact, I noticed that like in , there are no international chain that drove me to want to discover the Silk Road. After doing Among the different places we visited in Tashkent, I will quote hotels even the previous ones had to change its names. There is few, i.e.: Independence Square, square, Barak-Khan my «homework» for many months and talking to people probably only the Radisson SAS as an international chain at the Madrasah (16th c.), The Kaffal-Shashi mausoleum (15th c.), Kukeldash who live in Tashkent, I finally booked for my «so much» moment. However, we stayed in Miran Hotel (a very new hotel) Madrasah (16th c.), the Djuma mosque (9th c.), Tashkent National They usually eat it on Friday before the weekend, as it is a hea- on our arrival and Tashkent Palace Hotel before our departure, vy dish especially in summer, where most people prefer to have anticipated trip to discover the «Suzani» land with my Arts Centre, Museum of Applied Arts, Amir Temur square. Mui- which is a great hotel, very centrally located full of tourists with mubarack Madras in Tashkent has the first Qur’an, created by their siesta right after. The interesting part of this dish is the use mother Parvine. We travelled via Istanbul with Turkish a beautiful square just outside the hotel building, with an ama- Calif Osman in 648 AD, it is really very exceptional to see its of horse as it’s a meat that gives a lot of energy to men in Airlines to arrive to Tashkent, which is the capital city. zing fountain. The fountain was greatly visited at night as it is a enormous size, weight, all made from gazelle skin. Unfortunately particular. It has a special sweet flavor, full of perfumes that I choreographed fountain where the water shoots up with the mu- enjoyed very much. And of course we went shopping; women’s Luckily I met with the previous American Ambassador to we were not allowed to take pictures. Moreover, the reason be- sic, not exactly the Dubai fountain but in fact very similar to the hind the monument of courage is the earthquake that occurred ritual in all their travels. We checked local young designers work and Uzbekistan in the plane who gave me some tips and his fountain facing Marriott hotel in Yerevan, Armenia where they on the 26th of April 1966. How fascinating to see the area rebuilt among them, the famous brand Guli, owned by designer/singer/ view on the different cities I was planning to visit before only play music by Charles Aznavour (Shahnour Vaghenag with a monument of courage, plus it is today the most expensi- diplomat/businesswoman Gulnara the daughter of Karimova Aznavourian) as he is a native. Back to Tashkent, well it is a very the authoritarian president of Uzbekistan. Glamour store was meeting with my amazing guide . Upon our arrival, ve area where mostly wealthy Russians live. Another interesting agricultural city where the major suppliers of wheat and data I learnt was about the Parliament that has 250 deputies, another interesting huge boutique for all international expensive we had to get our entry visa at the airport provided you have exist, that is why it was known as the bread city during the 2nd 70% occupied by men and 30% by women elected for 5 years. brands and, boutique Domstulya for more local trendy designers. an invitation, (costing approximately $60 per person). My plan World War. Again, very similar to Iranian customs, they serve their Yet, the president Islam Karimova has been in power since 1989. Now for exchanging dollars to their local currency, that is a guests bread and green tea. Green tea is the national hot bevera- spectacular incident because you need to go to the «black mar- was to visit 3 cities: Tashkent, and Boukhara. ge taken throughout the day and a drink of hospitality; teahouses Caravan and Sato were among the nicest restaurants we tried their ket» (a maze inside the bazaar) to exchange your dollars as (chaikhanas) are of cultural importance. Ayran, very common in food. I loved the interior décor and all the fabrics from Suzani the bank charges double the rate. The Currency exchange in s an introduction to the area, it is important to realize that Lebanon as well, a chilled yogurt drink, is also popular in the sum- throws and Ikat cushions they use on the walls, tables, chairs, it the black market is $1 = 1961 Som (local currency), the big- AUzbekistan has the most diverse rulers over the millennium, mer, but does not replace hot tea. There is also a lot of vodka is so colorful and full of life and stories. Uzbekistan’s signature gest note is 1000 hence you need to carry a big bag as 100’000 with Persians, Alexander the Great, Arabs (replaced Zoroastrianism), consumption as it is the Russian influence it is like the Arak dish is palov (plov or osh), a main course typically made with Som is only equivalent to $37. I will leave it to your imagi-

Genghis, Timur, Cezars, and Soviets taking turns ruling the land. in Lebanon, funny enough many consume it from the morning. © Nivine Archives Maktabi © Nivine Archives Maktabi rice, pieces of lamp meat, grated carrots, raisons, and onions. nation to visualize the amount of notes to carry for $100 in Som. Prestige Travel Prestige Travel LE MONDE DES CÉLÉBRITÉS LE MONDE DES CÉLÉBRITÉS

Ikat loom. Inside an madrassah in Samarkand. old palace.

Samarkand We travelled by train from Tashkent to Samarkand. The train station is very impressive, in fact similar to the Swiss train stations, that much they are clean, neat and impeccable. It is the 2nd largest city in Uzbekistan, with a population of half a million; unexpectedly they speak Farsi (so I managed to communicate a bit with them) as well as Russian and Uzbek. One of the important spots to vi- sit is Registan. It is the heart of the ancient city of Samarkand of the Timurid dynasty, now in Uzbekistan. The name Registan means «Sandy place» in Persian. The rich and splendid city of Samarkand Silk Ikat. is divided in 2 parts the old (built by Amir Timur) and the new as of 1868 occupied by Russia. My favorite site I have visited is Weaving lotto design. Registan, which is in the center of Samarkand with 3 madrassas, looking like a duplicate of Isfahan in Iran with same embelli- shed mosques and doors all in turquoise and floral patterns tiles Organic market in Samarkand. The nation’s fifth-largest city, it has a population of 263,400. Mosque (beginning of XX), Citadel Ark (IV) - city in a city, The courtyard, the doors, and the little shops inside each mad- Located on the Silk Road, the city has long been a center of Poi Kalon Ensemble (Pedestal of the Great), religious heart of drassah are so inviting and full of colors and stories. Other sites trade, scholarship, culture, and religion. The historic center of Sacred Bukhara, consists of Kalon (XII), Kalyan Mosque to visit like: Madrassah Ulug Bek (XV), Madrassah Shir-Dor Bukhara, which contains numerous mosques and madrassas, has (XII), Miri Arab Madrassah (XVI), Ulugbek’s Madrassah (XVII), Madrassah Tillya-Kori (XVII), Mausoleum Guri Emir - been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Persian-speaking (1417), Madrassah Nodir Divanbeghi, Abdul Aziz Khan Madrassah, Tamerlane’s Tomb (XIV-XV) and Bibi Khanum Mosque which Tajiks constitute the largest element of the city’s population. Magoki-Attori Mosque (dated XII-XVI centuries), Lyabi-Khauz is the biggest mosque in the east, constructed by Timur in 1403. The city has long had a mixed population including and Ensemble (dated XIV-XVII centuries), Kosh-Madrassah Ensemble On our way to Bukhara we stopped by Saint Daniel mausoleum. other ethnic minorities. We had the chance to visit one of their (consisting of two resisting Madari-Abdullakhan Madrassah It is a very special place that I was pleased I visited. According famous synagogue and view some of unique antique furniture (Abdullakhan’s mother) and Abdullakhan Madrassah. Chor-Minor to my guide, it is where the right bone of Saint Daniel was and in old Jewish family households. I have been told (four ). I very much liked the jewellery market Toki buried around the holy water and pistachio tree, (the story over 700 historical monuments exist in Boukhara. Sasha & Son, Zargaron (the Dome of jewellers) looks exactly like the vege- behind it was very touching). Pilgrims drink water from the was the boutique hotel we stayed in, constructed in national sty- table market, only US$ is used in this market as if we are in spring which is reputed to be a holy spring; they pour the water le, it was the merchants house in the 16th century in the center the stock market. The most remarkable thing we have noticed into bottles and take it with them for drinking and washing. of old Bukhara, all rooms are traditional bukharian style made through our travels in the region is that many local people have We also passed by , where we got the chance to by hand by well-known craftmen from Uzbekistan. It has a tra- gold teeth as apparently it was very fashionable and a sign of hand pick organic cotton from the field with all the locals, it ditional courtyard with a beautiful small garden. Again here is high status. People used to get rid of their good healthy teeth was a fun experience. Surprisingly I noticed Mosques do not prea- a list of historical places to visit, Ismael Samani Mausoleum to replace it with gold ones. Should I have stayed a bit longer ch as request from their president, only for Friday prayers (the tomb of representatives of Samanids’ dinasty at the end of I would have most probably considered getting myself a gold tooth. you hear the «adhan». The government is strict about separating IX - beginning of X), Chashma Ayub Mausoleum (we always Finally by the end of my trip, I managed to pick up few words that religion from politics, avoiding them to interfere and create conflicts. Organic cotton from the field. © Nivine Archives Maktabi © Nivine Archives Maktabi repeat «saber Ayub» in Arabic) (Spring of Job - XIV), Bolo-Hauz locals use everyday like «Rahmat» meaning goodbye and thank you. Travel Prestige Prestige Travel LE MONDE DES CÉLÉBRITÉS Suzani drawings LE MONDE DES CÉLÉBRITÉS before .

Needlework with a hook. Ironing the silk Suzani. With an uzbek family mother and daughter wearing traditional Ikat. In the jewellery bazaar.

Dancing with the locals it is more fun. Washing dyed silk for Suzani. Suzani Museum. Cutting the horse meat.

More than an unforgettable trip, The highlight of the trip was of course to learn more about the his- leaves of those plants which grew in . Those Uzbekistan is fascinating tory of Suzani and Ikat and to work manually on these fabrics. It included «ruyan» (madder), «isparak» (larkspur yellow), «anor was like learning about carpet weaving from a to z, and it is very pusti» ( peel), «tukhumak» (flower buds of Japanese by its beautiful sites and rich history... much similar as it all starts with the washing of the natural fiber i.e.: pagoda tree or sophora), «gulkhayri» (mallow); as well as impor- cotton and silk, the technique, the design drawing and finally ted plants, such as «nil» () and «kirmizi» (cochineal). Today, With Suzani, the main design is very floral and repetitive with all the handmade needlework on the cloths. For many centuries hand Ikat print is very popular on clothes, bags, shoes as well as on in- cloud bands or circle symbolizing the sun and the «» flower woven silk and cotton fabrics have been an essential part of na- terior furniture items. Brands from H&M to Gucci, Iceberg, Dries for life and fertility. It has been known that as soon as a girl is tional clothes, culture and interior. The hand-made silk fabrics are Van Noten use the Ikat print on their carpet shows. Ikat born in a family, the mothers, the aunts and many female family called «Ikat» on the West. This name came from Indonesia and is in fact one of the oldest forms of decoration. Many design members start working on Suzanis as presents and part of the originated from the verb «mengikat», which means «to bundle». motifs may have ethnic, ritual or symbolic meaning or have been dawry of the future bride. Suzani is from the Persian Suzan word developed for export trade. Traditionally, Ikat are symbols of sta- which means needle. Suzanis usually have a cotton (sometimes In the 18th century silk weaving was developing in Fergana, tus, wealth, power and prestige. Because of the time and skill in- silk) fabric base, which is embroidered in silk or cotton thread. Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent, Shahrisabz, Urgut, etc. -magni- volved in weaving Ikat, some cultures believe the cloth is imbued I was lucky to learn from female artisans about different hooks ficent silk fabrics were produced in these cities. These fabrics with magical powers. It is all worked on the loom using the feet and needles and types of that make the art of attracted special interest in the rest of the world. and the hands in a very quick manner which of course needs a lot Suzani making even more special on each fabric. I leave you methods of producing the hand-made fabrics were very compli- of practice and speed. As I have crossed many shops, manufacturers with all these bright vibrant array of colors and invite you to cated and tedious, and required special qualification. Just like wi- and collectors during my visit, I had the chance to see some of discover some of the interesting Suzani and Ikat pieces up clo- Traditional dish with horse meat. th carpet dyeing, Old-time fabrics were colored by natural the most unique pieces of Ikat and Suzani old and new, and of se and personal at my concept store Oumnia in Saifi Village... colorants. The colorants were produced from the roots, fruits and course bought some interesting pieces that are not very common. © Nivine Archives Maktabi © Nivine Archives Maktabi to fill your mind and spirit with tales from Uzbekistan... Rahmat