Under the leadership of President Islam Karimov, extensive efforts have been on track across Uzbekistan to revive the priceless cultural and spiritual heritage of our nation, perpetuate and promote the ancient traditions and values.

This noble endeavor has facilitated the growth in the apprehension of deep roots of our people’s cultural and spiritual development, the worldwide demonstration of our national culture, customs and traditions, which have been carefully preserved and consistently advanced. Instrumental in this respect is the “Asrlar Sadosi” (Echo of Ages) festival that has already become a tradition. This year, the fair is due in the Sarmishsai gorge in Navoi region’s Navbahor district.

This natural reserve is an invaluable monument of our history and is one of the seats of the human civilization origins. The cliffs and rocks on both banks of the sai (brook) are adorned with more than ten thousand petroglyphs, a source of noteworthy idea about the stages of human evolution in antiquity. Remarkably, the rock imagery narrates the process of hunting, obtaining fire and the like.

The masterly engraved paintings on rocks are suggestive of the high level of artistic and cultural development in our country from the earliest times.

“Sarmishsai is an extraordinary and inestimable treasury of knowledge and skill of our forefathers, it is a pearl of our culture,” says Ramazon Egamov, director of the regional museum of local history. “In particular, the system of terrace location of areas under crops and the practice of effective water use point to a high level of agricultural development in this corner of the world. Meanwhile, the Kampir Uldi rock painting that depicts a “mourning dance” of a young man and woman, their carefully designed dazzling costumes tied up in a flock are suggestive of the advanced dance art and the culture in general in our land from the most ancient times. The remains of mills discovered in the gorge give evidence to a prosperous and decent life of the people of those ages.”

The archeological research of the ruins of stone barriers and defense walls found in the upper part of the canyon testify to the existence of a system of terrain protection. There were also land and property relations in this part of the region.

Vigorous preparations are currently underway in Sarmishsai for the upcoming “Asrlar Sadosi” sixth traditional festival of culture that is to include an extensive demonstration of magnificent patterns of national culture.

The mountain cleft has been looking forward to reputably meeting the local and foreign visitors and providing model services. Notably, in order to add to the natural beauty of this tourist attraction, a great variety of decorative trees have been planted along the banks of the sai, and new bridges have been built.

Massive engineering and beautification works are in progress to renew the Navoi train station and international airport as well as highways and inner motor roads.

Extensive creative efforts are being undertaken in Navbahor, Nurata and Karmana districts; new services and trade facilities are being built. Grounds are being prepared for folk games like “ulok”, “kuchkor urishtirish”, “dor uyin” expected to be organized within the forthcoming culture fiesta.

In order to secure a high level of festival organization, diverse competitions are being arranged, including review contests among artistic creative groups, bakhshi, lapar and ulan singers from all districts and urban centers of Navoi region. Also, masters of folk trades have been preparing to display their works and goods. (Source: UzA).