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As the plane starts descending to the Tashkent international airport, the patches of clouds and the tin roofs gave an impression that it was going to land in Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir in India. The captain's announcement that outside temperature was 21°C further confirmed that even weather is similar. It was just the start of the similarities between India and this fascinating Central Asian nation. A visit to Big Bazaar in the heart of the city, dotted with old buildings, gives a glimpse of the ancient culture. The shops are full of the silk, cotton, dry fruits, local produce etc. The native tomatoes and cauliflower are of much bigger size than the vegetables one happens to see in India. The aroma of meat being cooked fills the air. There is a unique contentment on the faces of the people, hawkers and shoppers, something in contrast to the Indian markets where tension often shows up on faces. For Indians, a bust of late Prime Minister Lal Bhadhur Shastri, who died Tashkent in 1966 after signing an agreement with Pakistani president Ayub Khan, brings nostalgia. Samarkand
Uzbeks spell it as Samarqand but that makes a little difference when it comes to the confluence of the cultural heritage of "Hindustan" (India) and Uzbekistan. This historic city in the Central Asia formed part of the centuries-old Silk Route that connected Central Asian nations to India. Mohalla and madrassa (religious school) are just two of the words of the vocabulary that is commonly used both in India and Uzbekistan. There are many more. The monuments of Amir Temur mausoleum, Shah-e-Zinda complex, Registan Square and Bibi Khanum madrassa bear close resemblance to some of the historic monuments in India, including Haymun's tomb in Delhi. The people and the
government of Samarkand have preserved their heritage well and they
are proud of it. This contributes to their economy as the tourists
come from Europe and other parts of the world to visit the historic
structures.
At the gate of the mausoleum of Amir Temur, there is a huge cup of stone, which has an interesting story. The huge cup was filled with water and each soldier before going the war campaign had to take one cup of water and then leave his own cup there. On their return, they had to repeat the exercise — the chilling logic behind this was that it would reveal that how many soldiers had survived and how many of them got killed in the campaign. Inside the mausoleum, Temur lies buried under a plain black marble stone, but the walls are rich-looking with gold work. Shah-e-Zinda complex is a 14th century monument. The local belief is one wish is fulfilled here if someone counts the stairs while ascending or descending. It is connected to the legend that Kusam-ibn-Abbas, cousin of Prophet Mohammad who is said to have brought Islam to this area, was beheaded for his faith. The story is he took his head and jumped into the deep well (Garden of Paradise). The architecture of 14th century, polished by the clay tiles of matching colours and gold lines in between, shows that how rich the culture of the time was. For many it is a pilgrimage centre, much beyond a historical structure. Samarkand’s ancient culture also favoured women’s equality, particularly women's education. The madrassas where not only religious education was imparted but also science, attracted scholars and students from across the world. The mesmerising dances of the Central Asian nation, with aerobatic quality to the richness of the music are a treat to any visitor, and the way the dancers come under one cover and then spread across is simply awesome. Bukhara
Minar-e-kalon, a 46-and-half metre high tower has been guiding the path of the travellers to Bukhara for centuries. The travellers and traders could reach Bukhara by looking at the minar, which was lighted in the evenings and in mornings, muezzin would call prayers. It is in between a madrassa and a mosque, where 20,000 people could offer namaz at a time, particularly on Fridays. The Khoja Bakhaudin Naqshbandi, patron saint of Bukhara's shrine has a direct relation with the Naqashbandi shrine in Khawaja Bazaar in Srinagar. It was as if the Central Asia was reminding Indians of their shrines back home. Fact file
Where to stay: There are luxury hotels and lodges. The tariff ranges from $ 50 to $ 200. What to do: Tashkent: Amir Temur museum, Lal Bhadhur Shastri sqaure. Samarkand: Registan Square. Amir Temur mausoleum. Bukhara: Minar-e-kalon. What to eat: Uzbek cheese and vegetables. Local food is mostly non-vegetarian. What to buy: Cotton and silk clothes. Best time to visit: May to October. Currency: Soum (Exchange rate US $1 : 2060 Soum) Languages spoken: The state language is Ubek. Russian is also widely spoken and used in official work.
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How to reach: Direct
flights from New Delhi to Tashkent are available. It is a three-hour
flight.