BUSY BUT CHARMING BUKHARA

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I was told that tennis is a very popular sport here and when we saw there was a tennis complex accross the road from our hotel we decided to book court time, actually I did then Angus and Geoff tagged along, we rented racquets and balls, it was dissapointing as were given only 2 balls both dead, and the racquets sucks as well on top of that the guy managing the place is corrupt! He tried to charge me almost double the price we agreed upon at the front desk of the hotel, the complex is connected with the hotel so it's a fixed price, but the manager thought he'd give it a try, I yelled at him and insisted with the price agreed upon and meekly took the money. I haven't played for almost 2 years now and it was a good exercise for me, both guys are pretty good I just hope Angus would not kill every ball I feed him since we are only trying to rally, lots of fun nevertheless. Our hotel "Semurg" is really nice, but the restaurant sucks, all they have for dinner one night is salty chicken. We have an elderly woman for a guided tour of the city, she was good, very informative but got boring quickly, the heat did not help either. We are all struggling with the heat here it may be only in the 30's C but we haven't adjusted yet, we got used to the cold weather in the Caucasus, people getting heat stroke and stomach upset, i myself have some bouts with stomach illness, though minor, and I blame it on the stale beer served to me in one of the restaurants in town. The city is beautiful, like Khiva full of ancient history and architecture, the only regret I have is that the ancient buildings are occupied by souvenir shops, pity, it loses it's authenticity and charm a bit and the touts are relentless! reminds me of Vietnam. One time I got annoyed, a young girl following me with the usual Hello, where you from, what is your name intro, I quickly answered my name is Jalol(our guide) she seems genuinely surprised, and blurted, really! it's an Uzbek name my Uncle his name is also Jalol, I said no it's a Filipino name! then quickly left. I heard one of the guys, Sam was harrased by one of them, one girl got annoyed when he bought something from one vendor and he was told now you have to buy from me too, i don't know how he got out of it. There was yet another cultural night of dancing and models over dinner in one of the old buildings, we went and it was alright, really tacky, and full of old retired tourists. When it was over we went just outside Khodja Gaukushan courtyard to get pissed, lots of bars around. Clive was ill for couple days glad to see him slowly recover and joined us that night. Plov, the local dish was served and it has rice, some beans and meat usually beef but rather greasy as most food here like sashylik full of fat and they used it to flavor, since I walk lots on this trip I eat them, my excuse is It would be washed down anyway by alcohol, if exercise don't do it,reminder to self: got to check my cholesterol when i get back. After 3 days we are off to Samarqand but first a stop at a mosque called Bakhavuddin Nakshbandiy, people visit it with reverence, there is an old fallen tree trunk that is holy and revered by all, they try to take pieces from it as relics and apparently says Jalol, burn it like an incense at home for good luck or drive away bad karma. Interesting sight to see. Then to some pottery factory for some demo, kind of boring for me so I sat on the outside and they srved us some tea and knick knacks. You have to excuse my laziness, I cant be bothered at the moment to find out the names of the places and mosques in the blog photos, just too many names for me to remember, but I hope you enjoy the photos nevertheless and hope it gives you an idea how wonderful and exotic Central Asia is.

BUKHARA:

Bukhara (Tajik: Бухоро; Persian: بُخارا, Buxârâ; Uzbek: Buxoro, Бухоро; Russian: Бухара), from the Soghdian βuxārak ("lucky place"), is the fifth-largest city in Uzbekistan, and capital of the Bukhara Province (viloyat). It has a population of 237,900 (1999 census estimate). Bukhara (along with Samarkand) is one of the two major centres of Uzbekistan's Tajik minority. These two cities, Samarkand and Bukhara, belonged to Persians, especially to eastern part, who are now Tajiks. The city was also known as Bokhara in XIX century English and Buhe/Puhe in Tang Chinese. Bukhara is also home to a large number of Jews, whose ancestors settled in the city during Roman times. The term 'Bukharan Jews' is frequently used to describe the indigenous Jews of Central Asia.

Bukhara has been one of the main centres of Iranian civilization during its history. Its architecture and archaeological sites form one of the pillars of the Persian history and art. The region of Bukhara was for a long period a part of the Persian Empire. The origin of its inhabitants goes back to the period of Aryan immigration into the region.

Iranian Soghdians inhabited the area and some centuries later the Persian language became dominant among them. Encyclopedia Iranica mentions that the name Bukhara is possibly derived from the Soghdian βuxārak. Another possible source of the name Bukhara may be from "Vihara", the Sanskrit word for monastery and may be linked to the pre-Islamic presence of Buddhism (especially strong at the time of the Kushan empire) originating from the Indian sub-continent.

The last emir of Bukhara was Muhammad Alim Khan (1880-1944). The Trans-Caspian railway was built through the city in the late 19th century. The historic center of Bukhara has been listed by UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites. It contains numerous mosques and madrassas.



According to the Iranian epic poem Shahnameh the city was founded by King Siavush son of Shah Kavakhous, one of the mythical Iranian Shahs of the Pishdak Dynasty. As the legend goes Siavush was accused by the Vizers of seducing his mother. To test his innocence he underwent trial by fire. After emerging unscathed from the flames he crossed the Oxus into Turan. The king of Samarkand Afrosiab, gave Siavash his daughter Ferganiza and a vassal kingdom in the Bukhara Oasis. There he built the Ark, and surrounding city. Some years later Siavash was again accused of seducing his father-in-law's wife. Afrasiab killed Siavash, and buried his head under the Haysellers Gate. In retaliation Shah Kavakhous attacked Turan killed Afrasiab, and took his son and daughter-in-law back to Persia.



Many prominent people lived in Bukhara in the past. Most famous of them are: Muhammad Ibn Ismail Ibn Ibrahim Ibn al-Mughirah Ibn Bardiziyeh al-Bukhari (810-870); Abu Ali ibn Sina (980-1037) - physician and person of encyclopedic knowledge; Balyami and Narshakhi (10th century) - the outstanding historians; al-Utobi (11th century); Ismatallah Bukhari (1365-1426) - the illustrious poet; Mualan Abd al-Khakim (16 century) - the renowned physician; Karri Rakhmatallah Bukhari (died in 1893) - the specialist in study of literature; Mirza Abd al-Aziz Bukhari (the end the 18th century - the beginning of the 19th century) - the calligrapher.

At the third decade of 16-th century Bukhara became a capital of the Bukhara khanate, under the government of Shaybanid dynasty. The whole period when this dynasty was in power is about one century since the beginning of 16-th century. The Shaybanid carried out many reforms during this time. In particular they instituted a number of measures to better system of the public education. Each neighborhood - "mahalla" unit of local self-government - of Bukhara had a hedge-school. Prosperous families provided home education to their children. Children started elementary education from six years. After two years they could be taken to madrasah. The course of education in madrasah consisted of three steps in sevens years. Hence, whole course of education in madrasah lasted 21 years. The pupils studied theological sciences, arithmetic, jurisprudence, logic, music and poetry. Such way of education had a positive influence upon development and wide circulation of the Uzbek language, and also on development of literature, science, art and skills.

To that period of Bukhara history belong the new books on history and geography - such as "Haft iqlīm" - "Seven Climates" by Amin Akhmed Razi, a native of Iran. Bukhara of 16-th century was the centre of attraction for skilled craftsman of calligraphy and miniature-paintings, such experts were Sultan Ah Maskhadi, Makhmud ibn Iskhak ash-Shakhibi, the theoretician in calligraphy dervish Mukhammad Buklian, Maulyan Makhmud Muzakhkhib, Jelaleddin Yusuf. Among famous poets and theologians who worked in Bukara of that time were Mushfiki, Nizami Muamaya, Muhammad Amin Zakhid. Maulan Abd-al Khakim was the most famous of many physicians who practiced in Bikhara and Khanate in 16-th century.

At the time of government of Abd al-Aziz-khan (1533-1550) he established the library "having no equal" the world over. The prominent scholar Sultan Mirak Munshi worked there since 1540. The gifted calligrapher, Mir Abid Khusaini, well-wielded mast-a liq and raikham handwritings, who was also brilliant miniature-painter and master of encrustation was the librarian (kitabdar) of Bukhara library. This information is contained in the anthology "Muzakhir al-Akhbab" of Khasan Nisari.

In 19th century, Bukhara still played a significant part in regional cultural and religious life, as Demezon testified in 1833-34. He wrote, "The madrasahs in Bukhara are famed throughout Turkestan. Students come here from Khiva, Kokand, Gissar and even from Samarkand and also from many Tatar regions ... There are about 60 madrasahs in Bukhara that are more or less successful."


Modern era
Bukhara entered the modern period as a colonial aqusition of the Russian Empire. It became a chess piece in the Great Game between Russia and Britain. It was briefly independent during the communist revolution before finally being folded into the Soviet Union. Following the formation of the Soviet Union, the Tajiks, who were then part of the Uzbekistan province, pushed for independence. The Russians, who supported the Uzbeks over Tajiks, gave the traditionally and linguistically Iranic cities of Bukhara and Samarkand to Uzbekistan.


MAJOR SIGHTS:

Ismail Samani mausoleum

The Ismail Samani mausoleum (9th-10th century), one of the most esteemed sights of Central Asian architecture, was built in the 9th century (between 892 and 943) as the resting-place of Ismail Samani - the founder of the Samanid dynasty, the last Persian dynasty to rule in Central Asia, which held the city in the 9th and 10th centuries. Although in the first instance the Samanids were Governors of Khorasan and Ma wara'u'n-nahr under the suzerainty of the Abbasid Caliphate, the dynasty soon established virtual independence from Baghdad.


Lyab-i Hauz

The Lyab-i Khauz Ensemble (1568-1622) is the title given to the area surrounding one of the few remaining Hauz or ponds surviving in the city of Bukhara. Until the Soviet period there were many such ponds, which were the city's principal source of water, but they were notorious for spreading disease and were mostly filled in during the 1920s and 30s. The Lyab-i Hauz survived because it is the centrepiece of a magnificent architectural ensemble, created during the 16th and 17th centuries, which has not been significantly changed since. The Lyab-i Hauz ensemble consists of the Kukeldash madrasah (1568-1569) (see picture), the largest in the city, and of two religious edifices built by Nadir Divan-Begi: A Khanaka (1620) (see picture) - a Khanaka is a lodging-house for itinerant Sufis - and a Madrasah (1622) (see picture) that stand at right angles to each other.


Po-i Kalyan Complex

The Kalyan minaretThe title Po-i-Kalyan (also Poi Kalyan), which means "The foot of the Great", belongs to the architectural complex located at the foot of the great minaret Kalyan.

Kalyan minaret. The minaret made in the form of a circular-pillar brick tower, narrowing upwards, of 9 meters (29.53 feet) diameter at the bottom, 6 meters (19.69 feet) overhead and 45.6 meters (149.61 feet) high.
Kalyan Mosque (Maedjid-i kalyan), arguably completed in 1514, is equal with Bibi-Khanym Mosque in Samarkand in size. Although they are of the same type of building, they are absolutely different in terms of art of building.
Mir-i Arab Madrassah. There is little known about the Mir-i Arab Madrasah origin. The construction of Mir-i-Arab Madrasah is ascribed to Sheikh Abdullah Yamani of Yemen, the spiritual mentor of early Shaybanids. He was in charge of donations of UbaidUllah-khan (gov. 1533-1539), devoted to construction of madrassah.


INFO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA

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Photos

BUKHARA
LEGENDARY UZBEK ROBIN HOOD

BUKHARA
A CAMEL CARAVAN IN MINIATURE

BUKHARA
LOCAL TOURISTS