Glossary
The encyclopedia of the tourist
M
Mady: To the East of
Osh, by the river Taldyk, lies the site of an ancient settlement dating
from between the 10th and 12th centuries. The home of the Queen of
the South - Kurmanjan Datka who is featured on the 50 som banknote.
Datka Kurmanjan Mamatbai kysy, (1811-1907) - was an outstanding
states woman of the Kyrgyz Republic. She is sometimes known as «The
Tsarina of Alai», as «Queen of the South». The word Datka means «General»
and she was awarded the title twice. Born into a simple nomad family
of the Mongush clan in the Alai mountains, at the age of 18 she was supposed
to marry a man whom she didn «see until her wedding day - when she met
him, she didn» like him and broke with tradition -. In 1832, the feudal
lord, Alimbek - who had taken the title Datka and ruled all the Kyrgyz
of the Alai, freed her from the «marriage contract» and married her. Alimbek
died after a palace coup in 1862, and Kurmanjan gathered around her the
faithful «batyrs» - heroes. She went on to be govern the Alai, was recognized
by the khans of Bukhara and Kokand, later marrying one of the batyrs. In
1876 the Alai region joined the Russian Empire. Two of her sons and two
of her grandsons were accused of «contraband»and of murdering customs officials
- and even her status could not help save them. When her favorite son
was executed (hung in the main square of Osh), she refused the urging of
some of her followers to effect a rescue, saying that she would not her
private hopes and ambitions be the cause of suffering for her people. The
others were then exiled to penal servitude in Siberia, and Kurmanjan (suffering
from insult and shame) retired from public life - giving away all her property
and leading a hermit like existence in a village, refusing all visitors.
She died on 1st February in the village of Mady, near to Osh - gripping
the dressing gown of her favorite son. She was survived by 2 sons, 2 daughters,
31 grandsons, 57 great grandsons and 6 great-great-grandsons. She is also
thought to have been a poetess. Top
Maimak, gorge. At the extreme West of
the Talas region, just inside the Kazakh border, lies the village of Suulu-Maymak,
where there is a collection of petroglyphs. Top
The Manas Mausoleum (Gumbez). In the Talas valley,
at the foot of the Manastyn Chokosu hill, stands the ancient mausoleum -
the Manas Gumbez.
There is a popular belief that the legendary hero of the Kyrgyz epic Manas
is buried here. The legend connected with his name has it that the Manas
Mausoleum, an unmatched piece in beauty and grandeur, was erected by order
of Manas' faithful wife, Kanykei. In order to preserve the treasure buried
together with Manas, Kanykei ordered that a misleading inscription should
be made to the effect that Manas’ bride had been buried on the spot. But in
fact it is only a beautiful folk fiction. The scientist revealed the truth
M. E. Mason; according to him the mausoleum was constructed by Emir Abuki
in 1334 in honor of his deceased daughter. The Manas gumbez is a portal and
dome mausoleum with a pointed interior cupola and an exterior ribbed tent
placed on the seamed drum, crowing an almost cubic shaped chamber. The portal
with a pointed entrance niche is decorated with the columns, adorned with
diverse compositions of figured belts and faced with carved terra-cotta plates
with fine ornaments and inscriptions. The design of the gumbez is a vivid
sample of the interpenetration of decorative and applied arts in an architectural
masterpiece.
The grand structure has been restored and now appears in its full beauty.
Top
Merzbakher lake. Sandwiched between the
Northern and Southern branches of the glacier lies the mysterious Merzbakher
lake which form every summer and then sometime in August burst through the
ice banks and the waters flow into the Enilchek river. Actually, only part
of the lake drains — the lake, which is 6 kilometers long and one kilometer
wide, is in fact divided into two by a bridge of ice and whilst the lower
half empties regularly, the upper part is always full of water. Also, the
lakes empty twice a year — once in the summer and once in the winter — but
most people only know about the August event.
In 1903 the German geographer and mountaineer, Gottfried Merzbakher, first
discovered the lake while leading an expedition into the Tian-Shan mountains
aiming to reach the summit of Khan-Tengri. Forced back by ice, from their
originally intended route through the Byankol Pass and along the Semenov and
Mushketov glaciers, they attempted a different approach — along the Enilchek
glacier. Once again they failed, but they had shown that Khan-Tengri was in
fact on a ridge and not in the centre of that particular knot of the Tian-Shan
mountains as had been thought. The expedition will be better remembered, however,
for the discover of the mysterious lake that now bears Merzbacher’s name.
The expedition came across a clear lake, trapped between the two branches
of the glacier, with the stufface studded by floating icebergs. While the
group was still in the vicinity — the lake suddenly drained. Another group
of explorers, some 28 years later experienced the same event. To their astonishment
the lake emptied before their very eyes, leaving huge blocks of ice stranded
on the now dry lake bed. Their graphic accounts tells of how the water gushed
from crevaces in the ice in different locations, accompanied by great roars
which frightend the horses, and how the end of the glacier seemed to threaten
to break away and rush downstream destroying everything in its way. Some of
the party returned the next year — only to find the lake full once more.
Although this may be the most famous of the «vanishing lakes» — there are
other similar occurences around the world: in Iceland, Switzerland and Greenland
— but each one is unique and only Merzbahher seems to be so regular in its
timing.
There are several theories about what is happening — some scientists suggest
that the water level reaches a critical level so that the potion of the glacier
that dams the lake begins to float — allowing the water to drain away beneath
it. Another theory suggests that the pressure of the wateractually causes
deformations in the ice dam — that opens cracks which allow the water to escape.
Yet a third theory links the drainage of the lake with a canyon-like feature
in the Southern glacier, (known as «The Crack»). It is thought that when
the Crack fills with water, this then drains away through tunnels under the
ice — creating a suction effect which draws water out of the lake. Unfortunately,
no-one really knows exactly why the lakes drain as they do. Top
