On Uzbekistan’s Silk Route- Tashkent and Khiva

 

The Silk Route star is supposed to be Samarkand. Famous also for being the seat of Timur’s empire and his final resting place. In my mind’s geography (Thank god it is not a referral map at all!) it was, along with Bukhara, east of the Tian Shan mountains. When we started planning a trip to the cities of the fabled route the geography shifted quite a bit west to Uzbekistan and Khiva, a UNESCO World Heritage site, popped up on the route. (So clueless!) Uzbekistan, the land of Timur, Babur, mosques, madrassas, minarets, markets and as we discovered, oh my goodness sweet melons!!

Land of blue minarets and mosques (Khazrati Imam Complex)

 

Touchdown at Tashkent

We land at Tashkent on a late night flight and the beginning is tumultuous. After getting the SIM card, soms, and finding a taxi big enough to cart our mounds of luggage at the airport, we reach our hotel only by 2am to discover they have cancelled our booking and not bothered to inform us. Something lost in translation. Fortunately, we are accommodated quickly in a nearby hotel.

Next morning we book a cab for the Khazrati Imam Complex. It is a pleasant surprise to see a young woman behind the wheels with her baby strapped into the co-driver’s seat. The boulevards are wide and leafy with just a few high rises. Most of old Tashkent came crumbling down in an earthquake in 1966 and was rebuilt as a modern Soviet city and remains the most populous city of the Central Asian Republics.

Writing is an Art

We reach the vast quadrangle of the complex or ensemble as they are called here. The small Muyi Muborak Madrassa, ’school of the sacred hair’ with it’s blue candy-cane dome, is in the middle. Inside, we do not find any sacred hair but the piece de resistance is the Uthman Quran. Written on parchment, this tome, one of the oldest Qurans, is probably the only one left of the six commissioned a few decades after the death of the Prophet. Timur brought it from Damascus. In the small rooms on the sides of this now library are housed a stunning collection of more Qurans. The calligraphy of some is lyrical art but all Arabic to me!

Discover art in- Part Two- What Not to Miss on a Weekend Vacation in Shekhawati

Learn a new trade.(Baba Khan Madrassa)

Barak Khan Madrassa at the back has been appropriated with shops selling art and artefacts in the small rooms that must have housed students many centuries back. (The fate of madrassas all over the country). The inner quadrangle makes a pretty picture with a tapchan under a mulberry tree.

The Light Within (Khasti Imam Mosque)

The new Khazrati Imam mosque at the other end is a functional one and women enter from a side but once inside we wander all over the gorgeously carpeted bright expansive hall with vaulted ceilings painted in geometric patterns. The courtyard has carved wooden pillars like those found only in Khiva.

Read- A Tale of Two Veiled Valleys: Part I- Shangarh’s Meadows are meant for Musing

Breads and Bazaars (Chorsu )

The next stop is Chorsu bazaar with it’s iconic dome. At the entrance nans are being sold from cycle carts. Inside, on the ground floor there are sections dedicated to dairy and fresh meats and on the first floor, mounds of dry fruits. (After bargaining you know you have hit the price when the shopkeeper dramatically says you are killing him!)

Within Chorsu Bazaar.

Around the building are counters of fresh greens and fruits so fabulous and colourful! The apricots are divinely juicy sweet and we drink fresh berry compote, pressed right there. Behind them are stalls of cheap souvenirs and tiny eateries with enticing aromas of live grills. Across the main entrance are lines of shops selling bakery items and small wood work, including bread stamps. After a hearty lunch of piping hot, tandoor fresh somsas and shashliks, we head back since we have an overnight train to Khiva.

Explore- Kashmir with a Cup of Kahwa

Khiva’s Signature Look

Khiva is a  Khwabgah

In the morning the train chugs past massive scrubby dunes till we cross the legendry Amu Darya. The landscape changes dramatically from one bank to the next with fields and orchard on the other side. Beyond Khiva railway station’s manicured garden are new hotels neatly laid out. We drive into the small oasis town whose history goes back to biblical times. Legend goes that Noah’s son, Shem found water here (Ironic that the father barely survived a flood). Our hotel is a small old madrassa with a courtyard and a covered platform with the signature carved column. The rooms have tall arched niches and a billowing false ceiling of cloth. It gives a very Arabian Nights vibe.

Read- 7 Cultural Must Do’s of Bali

An incomplete idea (Kalta MInor)

After freshening up we walk to Itchan Kala. The curving cream ramparts look new. Standing inside in the shade of the incomplete yet massive blue Kalta Minor we realise that although the citadel is small, we will not be able make sense of the labyrinthine lanes and see everything, so after lunch we take a guide. As we walk to the West Gate, retracing our steps, a marriage party makes its way for a photoshoot and over the next few days, at many monuments we see it is a done thing in Uzbekistan. (In Delhi’s Sunder Nursery also!)

Happily everafter but first a photoshoot.

Thanks to Madiyar, our guide, we wander inside the Mohammad Amin Madrassa which is now a hotel. According to him the prison outside Khuna Ark has just one cell since justice was swift… and often brutal. (No point in wasting the exchequers money on feeding the incarcerated.)  Small museums in different monuments depict different aspects of life here. The most stunning and distinct architectural feature in Khiva are the ornate wooden pillars made from elm trees in all the inner courtyards.

Read- Part One – A Day Meandering in Mandawa

Timeless Treasure (Jama Masjid)

The Jama Masjid is a visual feast with rows of intricately carved ones, some worn out but no two alike! Toshhovli palace, the king’s residence has an apartment each for his four wives with a distinctly designed pillar in front. One, intriguingly has a prominent swastika. Khiva was part of the Khorezm empire and its Zoroastrian roots are still visible in small distinct iconography. Timur and his ancestor Genghis Khan, who annexed Khiva with all his murderous mayhem, are no heroes in these parts as they are in the rest of Uzbekistan. After all the walking around on a warm afternoon we need a breather and in true Uzbeki style we sit in a tapchan outside a café and drink tea. Black or green, tea is an accompaniment to all Uzbekistan meals. There is something surreal about sitting in such an ancient place which is still so alive.

Colours of Itchan Kala

From a rooftop restaurant in the citadel we watch the spotless sky go from a mellow yellow to a dreamy pink and then finally an inky blue. A supermoon makes an appearance from behind the ramparts and it is magical with the monuments all lit up. Music wafts in from somewhere, a tandoor in the square below gets fired up to bake naans for the next day, a boisterous birthday party is on on another roof…

Bluemoon over Itchan Kala

Next morning before a beautifully laid out hearty breakfast we make a dash to Itchan Kala to get a bird’s eye view from the ramparts (whether it is worth the additional payment is debatable) and walk till the slender Islam Khoja minaret with bands of green and blue tilework, through alleys yet to wake up, crossing traditional houses neatly numbered with pretty green tiles.

Breakfast like a King.

Khiva is an extraordinary example of living heritage where history has not been consigned to museums. Even in Tashkent, on our way out when we take a ride in the metro, getting off at random stations to admire how artfully they have been done up, one line has modern coaches and the other vintage ones. Quintessentially Uzbeki where the past and present run parallel everyday.

Parallel Timelines

Next stop Bukhara and Samarkand.

Fact File

Getting there

There is an overnight train from Tashkent to Khiva.

The nearest airport for Khiva is Urgrench.

Note-

There is an entry fee for Itchan Kala. A separate ticket has to be bought for the ramparts.

Teressa is a popular restaurant with a great location. It is best to book a table in advance.

Ultimate Uzbekistan in 8 Days

I wish I had the luxury of slow travel! To spend days in a place.. I’m sure most of us yearn for that but till the horses grow wings, I know I am going to be spending just a few days in a place and I need to stretch those days. Not cram them with mindless visits to every place mentioned but, in my own way, savour the essence as much as I can of each place I do visit. Like the two evenings in Bukhara were spent at the Po-i complex, sitting on the steps of the mosque, taking in the lit monuments while the place was overrun with tourists and locals. It was noisy and vibrant and the next evening it was almost deserted and great for photography while being peaceful and contemplative.

Enroute

Uzbekistan is a must visit for history buffs being at the heart of the fabled Silk Route. It has stunning monuments painstakingly restored (probably better than what they might have been originally!) For foodies there is the cuisine so familiar yet so distinct. The cultural links run deep (Babur came from there with his tarbooz!) and they love us there! (so happy to meet Indians) An eight day trip is a minimum. So here is an itinerary to help you organize it.

Read also-ABC’s of a Bali Itinerary

Day 1-

1. The cheapest flight is at night to Tashkent from Delhi. It puts you there in less than three hours and Tashkent is half an hour behind so you land there at 12:30am Tashkent time.

2. Check into your hotel and catch up on the zzz.

Note- Reconfirm the check-in timings. We got a rude shock because our hotel cancelled our booking without informing us since we were reaching so late. Something lost in translation. Adventurous but not the best beginning to the trip, especially in the middle of the night. They accommodated us at a nearby hotel immediately but still…

Day 2-

1. Tank up on the amazing breakfast spread and it was quite the dastarkhwan, everywhere.

2. Head to the Hazrati Imam complex. Look up in awe at the roof of the Khazrati Imam Mosque. View the oldest Koran and other exquisite ones in the small Muyi Mubarak Madrassa in the middle and browse through a small market in the Barak Khan madrassa at the back. A humungous new Islamic Civilization complex adjoining this is still in the works.

3. Visit Chorsu bazaar. (remember to ask for Bazaar and not market, that is another place!)

Discover- Loktak, Keibul Lamjao and Ima Market- The 3 Must Dos in Manipur

4. Lunch at one of the small eateries behind it, if you already have not been offered to sample from the mounds of dry fruits and snacked on the juiciest fruits and drunk fresh compote.

A feast in every sense.

5. Head to Tashkent North Railway Station to catch an overnight train to Khiva. Enjoy being welcomed by liveried staff, sleep in a slightly cramped 1st class compartment and dine on the yummiest but greasy plov in the dining car. (I think it was only for the staff but they generously shared it with us!)

Notes– Though there is a separate entrance for women, once inside you can wander all over in the Khazrati Mosque.

The entry fee at the Muyi Mubarak Madrassa is 50,000som.

Pro Tip– Bargaining at the markets is expected and a 20% reduction is the norm.

The train to Khiva departs at 6:15PM. Reach a little early since all train stations have a security check.

Day 3-

1. Reach Khiva by 11 AM. Head to the hotel, freshen up and head to Itchan Kala. Buy the entry tickets from the West gate and get a guide.

2. Lunch at Café Zarafshon.

3. Wander the bylanes of this ancient citadel.

Read- Sojourns to Shekhawati

4. To enjoy the sunset and have dinner with a view head to Terrassa Café.

The colours of an evening at Itchan Kala

Pro Tips- The entry ticket to Itchan Kala costs 200,000 som per person.

Carry an umbrella or a hat.

Book a table at Terrassa café well in advance since they sell out fast.

Getting a guide here is a good idea. Although it is a small citadel but with labyrinthine alleys.

Day 4-

1. Head early in the morning to Itchan Kala and buy a ticket to go up the ramparts to get a bird’s eye view (whether it is worth the price is debatable) or just walk through the still inhabited parts of this ancient place and watch the place come to life as people begin to open their businesses and go about their mundane chores.

Lanes to get lost in.

2. Go back to the hotel, grab a good breakfast and check out.

3. Catch a train or drive down to Bukhara.

4. Reach Bukhara late in the evening. and check in.

5. Walk into the lively paved streets of old Bukhara. If you are up to it stroll till the Po-i-Kalyan complex.

Of domes and arches.

6. Have dinner at the Old Bukhara Restaurant or catch a performance (mixed reviews) and dinner at the Nadir Divan Begi Madrassa.

Pro tip- If you drive to Bukhara the Khorezem fortresses fall enroute.

Stay in Old Bukhara.

The train leaves Khiva at 11:10 AM and reaches Bukhara at 6:15 PM.

We stayed at Hotel Fatima.

Day 5-

1. Before breakfast catch a cab or walk to the Ark of Bukhara and Bola Hauz Mosque.

A place to reflect – Bola Hauz Mosque

2. Head back to the hotel, have breakfast and slather on the sunscreen.

3. Wander back towards Ulug’Bek Madrassa and end up at the Po-i-Kalyan Ensemble. Explore Kalan Mosque.

Explore- Mandu and Maheshwar in the Monsoon Mist

4. Go bargain hunting for carpets and kilims in Toqi Zargaron or Toki Sarrofon, the old domed markets of Bukhara or peep into a functioning foundry where knives are made near Toqi Telpakfurushon.

Bukhara’s famed markets

5. Spend the evening on the steps of Poi-i-Kalyan Ensemble all lit up like a ripe tarbooz with a blue covering, just soaking in the colours and the Kalon Tower all lit up!

Light House

Pro Tip– The Ark of Bukhara Museum opens at 9AM.

All the Madrassas now house shops save Mir-i-Arab Madrassa which is a functional theological school.

The Kalan Mosque’s entry costs 150,000 som.

Day 6-

1. Catch the early morning train to Samarkand.

2. Check-in and head early to Shah-i-Zinda to beat the crazy crowds that fetch up later there.

Shah-i-Zinda, the sacred necropolis

3. After breakfast visit Bibi Khanym Mausoleum and wander into Siyob Bazaar adjoining it.

4. Grab a bite near the market.

5. Head to Amir Timur’s mausoleum and take in the stunning interiors early in the evening.

Fit for a King

Also read- Part Two – The Old Gold in Outstanding Orchha

6. Wander over to Registan Square. Spend the evening on the steps of the Square outside the barricade or catch a performance inside.

Registan Square Side

7. Dine at Labi G’or across the street with live music and drinks.

Pro tip

A Shah-i-Zinda ticket costs 15,000 som.  Take your time here for the colours are truly astounding!

Registan tickets cost 65,000. It is valid for the full day. Plan to see it in the day time and evening on the same day if you want to budget a bit.

Bibi Khanym mausoleum entry costs 40,000 som.

Emir Timur’s mausoleum entry is 40,000 som.

Note– We stayed at Hotel Jasmina. Good place with a fabulous location.

Day 7-

1. Explore Registan Square at leisure. Have coffee in the tiny café on the first floor of Ulug Beg Madrassa and watch a calligrapher at work below. Be awed by the interiors of Tilya-Kori Madrassa.

An artist at work.

2. Visit smaller monuments and places of interest scattered in Samarkand, the heart of Timur’s empire.

3. Finish any left-over shopping at Siyob bazaar.

Pro Tip– Buy the famous Samarkand Paper!

Siyob Bazaar has some very good quality ceramics.

Day 8-

1. Catch the Afrosiyob train to Tashkent.

2. Leave the luggage at the railway station or check into a hotel and then take the metro and explore the beautifully done up metro stations.

3. Get off at Chorsu Bazaar for last minute souvenir and gift shopping and the best dry fruit bargains. My musk melon struck travel companions got the juiciest ones back, with the indulgent aid of the hotel.

4. Catch the night flight back to Delhi.

Pro Tips-

The cloakrooms at the railway stations are well organised and cheap.

Afrosiyob is the bullet train.

A metro ticket has a flat rate.

Points to Ponder

1. English is not widely spoken or understood. So have a translator app handy.

2. Pure vegetarian fare is limited mostly to cheeses, some salads and fruits. Otherwise, it is mostly lamb, beef and sometimes chicken.

3. The mosques require a headscarf but they don’t seem to be fanatical about it and in big mosques they are available outside.

4.  The forex card was an utter waste! Uzbeki som was not available. Carry dollars in cash for easy  and better rate of conversion.

5. Get a SIM card as soon as you land and use the Yandex app for cabs. It is convenient and very reasonable.

6. Carry your own water bottle.