The road less travelled -----------to Nurata's Chashma Complex and Holy shrine

We left Samarkand for our yurt camp at 8.00am and then stopped after four hours at Nurata to see its famous shrine and Marinka fish!! The road through the semi arid desert stretched for miles.... totally boring scenery. The coach was new and comfortable, the driver good; so it was bearable. 

Nurata was founded as the ancient town Nur in 327 BC by Alexander the Great. The remains of his military fortress in the south of the town are still to be seen today and the water supply system that Alexander had installed is still partially used. The small town Nurata is located in the foothills of Nuratau Mountains, stretching out hundreds kilometres from Jizzakh and Barren Steppe to Navoi and Kyzylkum desert. It is the administrative and cultural centre of mountain area in Navoi region and is located almost 200 km from Samarkand.

The town is also famous as a Muslim pilgrimage place. Muhammad Narshakhi wrote about the history of Bukhara in 943 provides information about the settlement Nur. Narshakhi wrote” many people, who are buried there, have seen Prophet Muhammad”. During the 10th century pilgrims from Bukhara and other places came to the holy graves situated next to the town fortifications and mosques. 

Chashma is a place of pilgrimage of believers and one of the most significant religious centres of Islam in the region. The complex of religious constructions “Chasma” (Tadjik word for spring) includes the spring, a well, mosque “Djuma” and khamom (bathhouse). The round Djuma mosque was constructed above the spring and has 40 columns. The dome is 16 meters in diameter is one of the largest in the Central Asia. On the south-east part of the complex is a Nur-ata cemetery with the burial place of the saintly person.

We entered the Chashma complex at high noon with the sun blazing down on us. Security was present but lax. The senior person, in the black round cap , above, supervised the older guy who was writing. Our tickets were checked and the details written down of each individual. What do they do with this data, I wonder? He looked at me rather suspiciously as I took photos of the guy writing our details. 

It is worth commenting on the technical / scientific data about this spring: the water temperature is always 19.5º C. Water composition includes 15 microelements as well as gold, silver, bromide and iodine which impart unique healing properties to it. In addition the spring is the home for thousands of scale- less fish – Marinka. This fish as well as the spring is considered as sacred and people do not eat it.

The fortress consisted of several parts, with Shahristan (the inner town) around 500 sq metres in size, which was surrounded by a large wall and towers. The construction of a fortress at Nurata had a definite purpose, as the town was set in a strategic place at the border between an agricultural area and a wild steppe. This area is mentioned in several historical chronicles as an important strategic area convenient for gathering an army before attacking neighbouring lands and as a place of refuge for rebels and outcasts. The climb to the top of the ruined fortress was one I had to make to see for myself one of Alexander the Great’s fort and the view from above. 

The construction of Kariz, a unique underground water-pipeline system near Nurata, is also connected with the name of the Alexander the Great. Kariz is an ancient water-pipe laid from the source of the spring water to a place where it could be used. Its length could reach several kilometres. Interconnected wells that were dug out in several meters apart from each other, were used for the cleaning the pipeline system. Today the process of reviving these old pipeline systems is taking place. Parts of the pipeline systems near Nurata were restored and being used by local people.

We reached Ayederkul Lake, a completely man made water body created in 1996, at around 3.15 pm. Amazing sight right there is the desert. This huge lake. Horses were drinking at its far end. The majority of the group went into the water for a relaxing swim. 

I spent my time walking around and then we left for the yurt camp. Hope you read that travel blog: “A Yurt experience in the south-eastern Kyzylkum desert of Uzbekistan”. 

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