With huge swing and plenty of distinctive events has the 6th Festival of Traditional Culture “Asrlar Sadosi” (Echo of Centuries), a unique project of the Fund Forum and UNESCO Office in Tashkent, been held in Uzbekistan.

For two days on the territory of Sarmishsay Gorge have been held traditional street festivities, performances of folklore collectives, fair of decorative-applied art with involvement of more than 80 masters, national games, including equestrian ‘uloq-kupkari’, ram and cock fights, as well as competition of kurash (national wrestling)

As a part of the Asrlar Sadosi were organized festivals of national cuisine and national dress. And, as usual, grand gala crowned the festival. This year, the Asrlar Sadosi Festival gathered a record number of guests – about 100 thousand people. While the total number of participants reached 1,500. The festival traditionally brings together renowned foreign and national experts, art historians, culture experts, historians, journalists, foreign guests, and ordinary people, attracted to the rich cultural history of Uzbekistan.

The project events started May 2 in Tashkent with the panel discussion “The Contribution of Culture to Sustainable Development.” Participants of the discussion, including representatives of various ministries and agencies, societies and organizations, as well as leading experts, considered the significance of culture as an engine and moving power of sustainable development both in Uzbekistan and globally. They also discussed the design of a policy of recommendations on integration of culture to the Development Program for the period after 2015.

Festival continued its work later in Bukhoro and Navoi. In Bukhoro was organized a ‘round table’ named “Architectural Epigraphy of Uzbekistan in the Context of Cultural and Spiritual Heritage: Research, Discoveries and Prospects” with presentation of six books, covering such regions as Bukhoro, Khorazm, Navoi, Andijon, Namangan and Karakalpakstan. Here in Bukhoro, the Mehr Nuri Fund organized a grand opening of the restored Bibi Orifa Mausoleum and presentation of scholarships to 20 students of 10 madrasahs of Uzbekistan within the Program of Support for Spiritual Enlightenment. Main actions were held in Sarmishsay Gorge in Navoi region.

Monuments that speak

For several years a unique project has been underway in Uzbekistan in architectural epigraphy. Thanks to this initiative the monuments’ centuries-long silence has got broken.

Conference held in Bukhoro is an opportunity to meet the expert community and discuss the rich epigraphic heritage of Uzbekistan, to exchange experiences on the study of calligraphy in the world as a whole. It is not by chance the organizers of the meeting have invested in its name a wide range of issues raised “Architectural Epigraphy of Uzbekistan in the Context of Cultural and Spiritual Heritage: Research, Discoveries and Prospects.”

It was attended by scholars of Uzbekistan, France, Italy, Canada, and UNESCO experts. As it was noted during the conference, the architectural epigraphy has been out of attention for a long time. Only two years ago, the Fund Forum initiated a project on study and publication of the best samples of epigraphy of Uzbekistan. The result of the voluminous work was the presentation of the first book “Masterpieces of Architectural Epigraphy of Uzbekistan” held in May 2011 in Bukhoro’s Juybori Kalon Madrasah within the 4th Festival of Traditional Culture “Asrlar Sadosi.”

The result of further detailed study of architectural epigraphy was the presentation of six books with an individual study of Bukhoro, Navoi, Andijon, Namangan, Khiva and Karakalpakstan.

These books were prepared in joint collaboration of the Fund Forum, the Uzbekistan Today Information Agency, the Abu Rayhon Beruniy Institute of Oriental Studies of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, and the Center of Bahouddin Naqshbandiy memorial complex.

Mausoleum Doors Open Again

Bibi Orifa Mausoleum has been opened within the Asrlar Sadosi 2013 after reconstruction.

In 2012, at the Bahouddin Naqshbandiy memorial complex in Kogon district of Bukhoro region to the initiative of the chairperson of the Public Council of the Mehr Nuri Fund started the reconstruction of the Bibi Orifa Mausoleum that was built in the 14th century in honor of the mother of the founder of the significant Sufi Order Naqshbandiya. The grand opening of the mausoleum was timed to the Asrlar Sadosi Festival.

The building was given its original appearance, more comfortable for visit of tourists and pilgrims, who, like many centuries ago, come to the ‘holy city’ – how Bukhoro is referred to in the East.

A huge number of visitors of the Asrlar Sadosi Festival gathered on the territory of the complex for to visit the renovated mausoleum. Those included the participants and guests from different countries, popular Uzbek artists, representatives of diplomatic corps, art and culture figures, representatives of clergy and journalists.

As a part of the project, whose goal is to support the spiritual enlightenment in Uzbekistan, 20 scholarships were awarded to the most talented students from 10 Islamic education institutions of Uzbekistan. These scholarships they will receive during one academic year. Besides, education institutions received certificates for refurbishment of their material and technical base. Masters-restorers, involved in the reconstruction of the mausoleum were also presented with keepsakes.

Petroglyph a Design Element

One of the brightest events of the Festival Asrlar Sadosi 2013, a holiday that combines fashion and style with the ancient traditions and culture, the Festival of National Dress is held in the Sarmishsay Gorge.

15 collections included traditional and contemporary women’s and men’s suits, created by designers from Bukhoro, Samarqand, Tashkent, Farghona and Andijon. Spectacle for Not Faint-Hearted

Rams lead out to a special area and are stood in front of each other in 5-meter distance. The owners give a command and rams running butt heads. After it, rams draw back for rebutting. Such aggression in the ring is the result of many years of trainings: from an early age a reflex is produced in rams - to attack an object that moves towards them. During the fight, the ram owners shout something to their ‘pets’ to encourage them and watch them for they could not hurt anyone from the audience. The sound from the butt is dull and loud. The strength of the butt is considerable, so it is allowed no more than 30 butts within one fight.

Inviting to the Dasturkhon

National Cuisine Festival was held on the second day that gathered professional chefs from across the country, and at dasturkhon - connoisseurs of their ‘delicious’ art and many gourmets. This year, 16 chefs demonstrate their culinary skills by preparing traditional dishes of their regions.

Who turned the best chef of the festival according to the Asrlar Sadosi 2013? This year, the palm divided between Farhodjon Nematov of Namangan region and Shuhrat Beknazarov of Navoi region.

All Roads Lead To… Gala concert has always been the most important musical performance of the festival.

It was attended by well-known Uzbek musicians, folklore collectives from almost all regions of Uzbekistan and invited guests from Italy, Turkey and China.

Reference

The first Asrlar Sadosi festival was held in 2008 in Kitob district of Qashqadaryo region. In 2009, the festival was timed to the celebration of the 2200th anniversary of Tashkent and was held in Oqqo’rghon and Bostonliq districts of Tashkent region. Since 2009, the festival began to be carried out in collaboration with UNESCO. In 2010, the festival was held in Khiva, in the territory of the historic monument Ichan-Kala. In 2011, the Asrlar Sadosi took place in the ancient Bukhoro. In 2012, the venue was Karakalpakstan and two landmarks: the legendary Igor Savitskiy Museum of Arts in Nukus and the Tuprakkala fortress in Ellikkala district.

(Source: Uzbekistan today newspaper)