Postcards from Uzbekistan

The blue tile,the almost signature theme of central Asian architectural grandeur has an addictive lure that does not fade despite it adorning monuments and buildings for miles on end. A special ceramic workshop in the heart of Samarkand has young people rattling off the process of making the tiles — the design is first sketched and painted on paper,stuck on ceramic and finally crafted to make the thick and rich blue and blue-green tiles that adorn the thousands of madrasas and masjids in Uzbekistan (none of these,barring a few,like the historic 16th century Mir–e-Arab madrasa in Bukhara,are still functional). The others,proud testaments to architectural skills of the 13th-17th century,are public spaces now,hosting workshops on crafts and ceramics and selling souvenirs.

The Registan (a precursor of the Hindustani word registan or sandy desert) in Samarkand,is one of the most awe-inspiring sights of central Asia,with only three madrasas surviving in the area,after Chengiz Khan raided and destroyed all that was built before his time. Originally a caravanserai — where camels and merchants rested during their journey along the Silk Route — it now consists of a complex of two madrasas and a masjid built over different periods of time. The imposing doorways decorated with blue tiles lead into the fabulous,even if somewhat gaudy,Tillokari masjid,with inlay work in pure gold. A very interesting 17th century madrasa here is called Sher Dor (referring to doors with lions and a sun on it). It’s a rare specimen of Islamic art,which is otherwise conservative about the use of animals and the sun.

the “real” uzbek Woman

There has been much concern in recent years over women being trafficked from Uzbekistan,and despite nearly one-third reservation for women in the Uzbek Parliament,the status of women has been controversial and much debated. A BBC documentary in April uncovered a story about the number of women who were probably being sterilised without their knowledge. But contrary to any preconceived ideas you may nurse about a society in a predominantly Islamic state going through an identity renaissance,the women you encounter here defy most stereotypes. Whether it comes to having an opinion,airing it,following a career or dressing as they please according to the latest trends,women here have a mind of their own. Veils are virtually invisible in the country,women from smaller towns at best wear scarves. But the women are also conscious of their privilege and how women in many other central Asian countries do not enjoy the same degree of freedom. Diliya,27,is getting ready to marry her Malaysian fiancé this winter. Amidst the excitement,she is also a tad apprehensive about the request to “cover up”. She says she is keen to set up a restaurant there called Samarkand,so she can “take some of the culture through its food”.

The legend of Amir Timur Tamarlane or Timur,the emperor,born in the Uzbek city Shakhrisabz (meaning the green city) who ruled central Asia in the 15th century (between 1411-1449),raided Delhi as well and left a deep imprint on the region,has not been essayed by historians in glowing terms,thanks to his strong-fisted approach to power and control. But the President of Uzbekistan,Islam Karimov,a former leader of the Uzbek Soviet Republic who has transformed himself as the leader of “free” Uzbekistan,having managed to win elections for the past 21 years,is anxious to change that. In his regime,Amir Timur is held up as a hero and a visionary. Timur has become the larger-than-life icon the regime is anxious to hang onto,to anchor a new Uzbek identity,that is distinct from its Soviet past. So much so,Timur is also ascribed some supernatural powers. Consider these legends: when Soviet anthropologist Mikhail Gerasimov opened up Timur’s grave (made of pure dark green jade stone,if you are interested) in 1942 and confirmed that the body was indeed Timur’s (lame right leg),Hitler attacked Russia the next day. The attack is attributed to the fury of Timur’s spirit. There is also a story about Nadir Shah stealing the precious jade burial stone. Misfortune struck swiftly too,as his son fell terribly ill and he suffered reverses on the battlefield. Only upon returning the stone (which he did,unlike the Peacock throne) did he recover his fortune. The Timur legend is a cold one with many brutal highlights,but it endures and is now exponentially given more power. As in Samarkand,even in Tashkent,the main square is dominated by statues of Timur.

Whose Samosa and Plov is it anyway?

Meals in Uzbekistan are a sharp lesson in history and a sharper rebuke to purists. The samosa and the plov (or pilov) are staples which every visitor runs into across Uzbekistan. The triangular patty you get here,more rounded at the edges,with potato and onions or meat and onions as stuffing is supposedly the “original” samosa,the staple fast food and nashtaa of Asia. That and the plov (meat and vegetables cooked with rice and plenty of grease) are,in fact,things that Uzbekistan claims as much as its own as the rest of Asia. Plov,says the Lonely Planet guidebook,is considered an aphrodisiac,and the lamb fat it is cooked in is much valued. As an Indian,you quickly realise its similarity to the pulao or biryani,available in a 100 different varieties through the subcontinent. The Uzbek variety is low on spice,and you have to remind yourself that you are on the Silk Route and not the Spice one. A meal in Uzbekistan is the easiest way to realise how our cultures are intertwined,having been influenced by each other through centuries of shared history.

“are you babar ki aulaad?”

Uzbekistan has a special relationship with India. Films out of Bollywood have a large following here — Raj Kapoor is familiar,but Shah Rukh Khan,Aamir Khan,Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar have an instant recall. And when young people on the street hum Kal ho na ho,you realise why Karan Johar makes the kind of films he does. Historically and more significantly,this is the birthplace of Zahiruddin Mohammed Babur,who founded the Mughal empire in 1526,and whose descendants ruled India for the next four-and-a-half centuries. He originally hailed from the populous Ferghana valley in Uzbekistan,till he was driven out by a powerful rival,the Uzbek Khan,Shaybani. But as Babur is said to have descended from both Timur and Chengis Khan,the Uzbeks are proud of the founder of the Mughal empire,and replicas of his memoir Baburnama are proudly displayed at bookstores. You may well be asked,in all innocence,very cheerfully,like several fellow Indians were at a train station,if “you are also Babur ki aulaad (descendents of Babur)?” Make sure you savour the large and omnipresent watermelons. The tarbuz is the mouthwatering fruit that Babur missed when he came to India,and insisted that it be grown here so he could cope with the dryness of the doab.

The Other Indian in tashkent

Another link between India and Uzbekistan is Lal Bahadur Shastri. India’s second Prime Minister died from a massive heart attack in Tashkent on January 11,1966,a day after signing the Tashkent Declaration. Shastri has a large statue and a space dedicated to him on one of Tashkent’s main streets,and even 46 years after his death,the younger taxi drivers know where it is. A 52-year-old Russian lady Mileana,who has made Tashkent her home,recalls how she was “in class one when I returned from school and found the streets blocked. Not fully aware then of what I was witnessing on a cold January morning,I now know that I watched the Indian PM’s body being taken to the airport,with both sides of the street lined with people and a hushed silence.”