Surrounded by Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to the north and west, China to the east, and Afghanistan to the south, Tajikistan is where you can find grandeur in its geography, history, crafts and cuisine.

Last week, the chair of Omar Niode Foundation had a chance to visit Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan and eventually amassed fascinating information about the country.

Geography

While Tajikistan is not yet known as a place for mass leisure tourism, geologists have been intensely studying the area as it is home to the Pamir Mountains, known by locals as roof of the world, a mountain range in Central Asia formed by the junction of the Himalayas, Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun and Hindu Kush ranges.

The mountains contain numerous glaciers, the largest of which is Fedchenko glacier. With length 77 km and width 1,7- 3,1 km, it is the largest glacier in the world outside the North and South poles. 

Since the territory of Tajikistan is similar to a pyramid the top of which is covered by the mountains, its natural landscapes vary depending on the elevation. As advertised by advantour.com, “below are wildernesses and valleys, above lie forest-covered foothills, in the mountains stretch alpine meadows with permafrost further away.”

According to Flora and Fauna International, Tajikistan’s biological richness is equivalent to countries 20 times its size. The variety and pleasing display of fauna and flora makes Tajikistan the ‘Mountains of Central Asia’ Biodiversity Hotspot.

History

Archaeologists determined that settlements in today's Tajikistan date back to the end of the upper Paleolithic period, fifteen to twenty thousand years ago.

Tajikistan was also a crossroad for the passage of many different tribes and ethnic groups that controlled Central Asia over the past 3000 years. Pamirs.org listed those who have influenced the region as Cimmerian and Scythian tribes, several Persian dynasties, Macedonian/Greek armies under Alexander the Great, Parthians, Bactrian Kushan, Huns, Hephtalites, Mongol hordes, Nestorian Christians, Arabs, Russians, and British.

The territory of Tajikistan from the most ancient times lay on the important historical routes of the Silk Road, a name given to the route more than 6000 km in length that led across China to Rome. On one end were China with its silk, spices and ivory and on the other end was Rome with its gold and silver and precious gems. The Silk Road was not only the infrastructure to exchange goods between the East and the West, but also ideas, cultures, people and even disease.

The Russian empire ruled the region that is now Tajikistan, along with most of the rest of Central Asia, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Tajikistan gained independence in 1991, and has been through changes in government and civil wars. A peace agreement among rival factions was signed in 1997.

Although considered a small country with one of the lowest income per capita in Central Asia, Tajikistan is a nation with dignity and cultural identity.

Crafts

The Tajiks have been have been making fabrics, utensils, musical instruments, carpets, furniture, jewelry and many other things for many centuries using only natural ecologically pure raw materials.

The art of decorative carving is very important for local residents. Carving is mostly present in architectural monuments, household structures and objects, musical instruments, and souvenirs. Hotel Serena in Dushanbe is the perfect example of Tajik culture, tradition and heritage combined in five-star service.

Historically, most Tajik’s carving used images of people and animals. However, when Islam came, they gradually changed to Arabian inscriptions. Some carvers prefer "vegetative", geometrical patterns. In architecture, ornaments in the form of lotus, tulips and other flowers are more common (advantour.com).

Cuisine

The Tajiks always honor their traditional food at home or at bigger events, such as festivals. Traditional Tajik cuisine has much in common with Persian, Afghan, and Uzbek cuisines.

Green tea is the national drink. Traditional Tajik meals start with a spread of dried fruit, nuts, halva, and other sweets arrayed on the table in small dishes, and then progress to soup and meat. Meals are usually served with non, a decorative flatbread found throughout Central Asia, before finishing with plov.

Plov is a rice dish made with shredded yellow turnip or carrot and pieces of meat, all fried together in vegetable oil or mutton fat in a special wok on top of an open flame. The meat is cubed or rolled, the carrots are chopped finely into long strips, and the rice is colored yellow or orange by the frying carrots and the oil together, after which the meat is added, and finally a carefully measured amount of rice and water. Usually, whole bulbs of garlic are added and served atop the plate of plov. Other common ingredients include onions, chickpeas, raisins, quinces, apricots, and other fruits (tajikistan.orexa.com).

The Tajikistan Food Festival was mentioned by Travel Ideas as the major annual event in Central Asia, and a fantastic celebration of Tajik Culture. Millions of foodies visit the small city to sample the delicious food on offer from over 5000 vendors who come from all over Central Asia to showcase their produce at the three day long October event.

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Photo: European Council on International Relations

Tajikistan – Feel the Friendship – short video at http://bit.ly/OjC7Mt