Shakhimardan Creeks

 This beautiful, peaceful place, called the Switzerland of Uzbekistan, is located in Fergana district, Fergana region.  I live here now.  Fresh air, tall and majestic mountains like the sky, streams flowing as clear as the sky, white clouds floating over your head, in a word, a real work of art.  A real view of nature that has not yet been touched by human hands.  If I talk about people, they are very polite, kind, hospitable and sincere people.  Let’s not forget a very big definition, the people of Shakhimardan are real hardworking people.

    Cozy houses have been built in the lap of the high mountains.  These houses are not luxurious, but they are houses with a different kind of love.  Apples are ripe right now.  It is obvious only to the person who eats how sweet and beautiful apples ripened in this fresh air.  Shakhimardon is a real jewel of Uzbekistan.  It’s hard to reach a destination.  The reason is that it is possible to enter the territory of Uzbekistan after passing through the territory of neighboring Kyrgyzstan.Two streams flow through this village.  One is AKSOY and one is KOKSOY.  It’s the same as a twin, but one is white water and the other is dark blue water.  Look what a miracle.  The water flow is also great.  Hitting from stone to stone, it fascinates with its noise.  If you drink it, it is healing, if you wash your face, it is healing. 

Regardless of the season of the year, the temperature of the water in the stream is the same as the melting of the ice.  In fact, this is how the snow in the mountains of Shakhimardan melts and turns into a stream.  The same snow water but two different colors in two streams.  This is a masterful line of nature.  Bathing in the water of this stream even in the hottest part of summer is a real feat.  Ice cold water freezes your body in one go.  You can have a good time on the banks of the river.  I saw a lot of guests and tourists who appreciated their lives.  You will not be able to fall in love with the sound of the river. 

Everyone who comes to Shakhimardan will not leave without seeing the Blue Lake.  This is also a real miracle.  After climbing a few passes and crossing many roads, one can see the real beauty.  This lake is surrounded by mountains on all four sides.  It surrounds the lake like a guard that can protect it.  This point helps to forget even the highest fatigue of a person in one pass.  Neither sorrow nor sadness comes to mind in front of this beauty.  Just enjoy watching. Places where your heart rests and your soul rests.  The coolness that hits your face while sailing on the ships is relaxing.  You will be relieved by shouting out loud. 

The sound of your pounding from mountain to mountain echoes very loudly. I already liked this village.  There is no desire to leave, no opportunity to stay.  The field of herbs here is useful herbs, and the meat of the sheep and lambs that eat them is as tasty as herbs.  Fresh air is a cure, water is a cure, herbs are a cure, like a hospital where there is only cure for a person, but the doctor is nature.  If you hug the trees, they won’t fit in your arms.  Strong trees, as tall as the sky.  Finally tall trees.  Fruit trees are also tall.  The soil is stony, but only rural farmers know how to grow crops.

Travel gives knowledge to a person.  I became aware of our distant history from here.  Several centuries ago, women covered their faces with burqas.  At the time of transition from era to era, Hamza Khakimzada Niyazi came to the village of Shakhimardan and told women to throw away the burqa covering their faces on March 8.  It empowers women that women also have the right to live freely.  13 women throw this Paranji in Shakhimardon and many events take place on that day.  Some of the women are killed by their own husbands.  There is a museum called Niyazi in Hamza Khakimza, which talks about this.  This man has done many great things in our history.  He opened schools to teach children to read and write.  He also made a great contribution to Uzbek art.  He taught women about freedom and that they too are human. 

But it is a pity that this great man’s life ended in the village of Shakhimardan.  The representative of our great history, who came here to share knowledge and enlightenment, was thrown into the precipice lying in the majestic mountains of Shakhimardan by a storm of stones saying, “He is leading our women astray and showing them a bad path.”  will do.  Shakhimardan is the place where historical Hamza Khakimzoda Niazi reached and ended.  Of course, this was several centuries ago.  It is a historical, beautiful and healing village. 

There is a place called Archa Mountain.  You will go out towards the top of a high mountain, you will be accompanied by firs, in front of tall firs, a person will become a small creature.  At every step, springs and flowers offer themselves to you.  There are many very useful products.  Cumin, cumin, deer grass, that’s all I know.  But real Shakhimardan adds 10, 15 to it.  The chill of summer is also wonderful.  In the morning, the sun shines, and in the afternoon, a dark cloud comes and suddenly it rains and rains.  It is interesting that the snow on the top of the mountain does not melt in winter and summer.  We used to sing this song when I was young.  He said, “The snow does not melt in the mountains of Shakhimardan. If I call him from behind, he will not look.”  Many years later, I live in the village where these songs were sung. Even if I leave here, I will still miss the village of Shakhimardan for many years…