...The atmosphere of the roads leading to the airport is unique. Moreover, if this path involves a sense of patriotism, homeland, and identity, the journey gives you wings. Therefore, whenever I embark on a journey for the profession I am dedicated to, I feel as if I have wings. At Heydar Aliyev International Airport, I meet with operator Fariz Şıxəlizadə, who will be traveling with me to Tashkent, and we complete the check-in process. As boarding begins, the image of Hökümə Əliyeva, National Hero of Azerbaijan, comes to mind. All the women I see in AZAL uniforms remind me of the ill-fated pilot Hökumə. As the “Uzbekiston Havo Yullari” airline's plane begins to take off, as is my custom, I once again raise my hands to the sky and pray to God, to the Heavenly Sky, for our safe arrival at our destination.
Our plane takes off with a half-hour delay, and as it begins its descent at 14:10 Tashkent time, Fariz records aerial views of the city. At that moment, passengers, as is customary, applaud to express their gratitude to the flight crew. And suddenly... our plane ascends again with a roaring speed. Complete silence falls over the cabin. After the plane smooths out its flight path in the sky, it maneuvers again and changes direction... And this process does not end. Our plane circles almost over Tashkent and the airport. It attempts to land a second time, and I turn to look at my operator. Although he doesn't show it, I see that his lips have lost their color... At that moment, I again raise my hand to God and pray for help, reciting prayers so that the spirit of our ancestor Amir Timur may be aware... Whenever I invoke his spirit from God, my affairs always fall into order, and difficulties disappear. To distract Fariz and alleviate his anxiety, I talk about whatever comes to mind. I say that such situations happen frequently. We will probably land at another airport. In such critical times, by nature, I never feel fear. However, there is a regret within me that I have brought someone else's child with me; may God protect us from misfortune. Seeing the situation escalate, I calmly record what is happening to us in the air with my phone. And again, I remember Hökumə Əliyeva...
In the 12th minute of the plane circling over Tashkent, the captain of the aircraft, a pilot named Igor, states that there is a difficulty due to windy weather conditions. We will land in 5 minutes. Thus, after our plane circled the city exactly 3 times, it lands in the 20th minute. Passengers once again applaud the flight crew... As we look at the plane's traced route on our phones, surprise overwhelms me... A similar image was captured during the accident of our plane that was damaged by the Russians in Grozny and landed in Aktau. Later, when I watch the video I took on the plane, I realize that I, too, involuntarily said, “Everything will be fine...”
...Leaving the anxious moments behind, we exit the airport. At the door, we are greeted by my university friend (who is still a family friend), Shakhir Pashayev, a renowned lawyer and attorney from Uzbekistan. He says, "Thank God you landed safely. The airport staff were saying, 'Pray to God... you really scared us...'"
We try to call a taxi by phone, but it doesn't work due to a problem with Shakhir's phone. At this moment, I approach a young Uzbek man and ask him in Uzbek to order a taxi for us. As the taxi approaches, Akmal, whose name I learned later, says that he has already paid for the taxi. No matter what we do, he doesn't take the money. He says that he is always welcomed this way in Azerbaijan and has always received respect from Azerbaijanis. To keep it in my memory, I also take a picture with this patriotic young man against the backdrop of the Uzbekistan flag.
I now see my friend Shakhir very happy and relaxed. His anxiety has passed. Our arrival has made him very happy. Shakhir is a very patriotic young man. He has lived in Tashkent since 1984. As an Azerbaijani, he has earned respect everywhere. Shakhir is also a veteran of the Afghanistan war. He completed his university education here. For over 40 years, he always recounts the memories of events that happened to him in such a way that it feels as if you are watching a black-and-white film.
Again, he first takes us to his home. His wife, Mrs. Nazakat, has prepared my favorite yarpaq khangal, as always. I should mention that Nazakat Niftaliyeva's grandparents are from a noble family exiled from the banks of the Kura River to Kazakhstan in 1937. They endured Stalin's repressions. Everything, from the taste of the food brought by Nazakat's grandmothers from Azerbaijan to their customs and traditions, born in Shymkent, continues to live on in this household, in this lineage, and in the Maxtaaral district where the lineage is settled, to this day. As I got to know strangers in foreign countries, I understood one absolute truth: they do not forget their homeland's customs and traditions. They pass them down from generation to generation, from memory to memory, through memories and by keeping them alive in their daily lives.
...In the evening, I received a call from Hamza Jumayev. I had met Hamza Jumayev in 2004 when I was appointed head of the special correspondent post in Uzbekistan. At that time, Hamza, as a young journalist studying in Turkey, preferred to befriend me. He worked at Uzbekistan State Television. Today, he is a beloved figure in the Central Asian region. Every word of his is a guide and a lesson for young people. His son, Muhammad Amir, also follows in his father's footsteps.
Hamza Jumayev invited us to dinner along with Shukhrat Orif, a renowned young poet and journalist from Uzbekistan, who recently received a Presidential award.
Meeting with friends is the most beautiful moment and a celebration. We have also come as guests to the fraternal country on the eve of Uzbekistan's 34th anniversary of independence. We sit down for dinner at one of the famous restaurants in Chilanzar district. Around the table, I inform my friends about the work I will be undertaking – the historical-documentary film about our lost history, “Zangi Tribes” (we haven't fully decided on the name yet), which I will shoot with the sponsorship of the Agency for State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations and the support of the Turkish Cultural Heritage Foundation. Right there at the table, despite the late hour, both Hamza and Shukhrat resolve the permission issues for the filming I will conduct tomorrow and in the following days. They speak with the necessary authorities and prepare my road map.
With Shukhrat and Hamza, we also discuss friends in Azerbaijan, our country's recent achievements regarding the Zangezur corridor, and at the same time, Uzbekistan's moral support to Azerbaijan. As they speak, I feel more deeply how profound the love for Azerbaijan that resides in their hearts is.
I am glad to myself that I have not been mistaken in any of the friends I chose in the Central Asian republics. As much as I love Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan..., my friends in these places love my Homeland with the same depth of affection.
...Early in the morning, we set off for the Zangi Ata shrine. Amir Timur had developed the Zangi Ata shrine in his time. Amir Timur always paid special attention to the resting places of all saints, pirs, poets, and historical figures considered sacred by the Muslim and Turkic worlds. He had developed the mausoleum of this saint, whose real name was AyKhoja Baghirqani and who lived in the 11th-12th centuries, in the 13th century. After Amir Timur, his grandson Ulugh Beg also built and transformed this place into a mausoleum... If you wish to know the history of this mausoleum-shrine, do not forget to follow us when our historical research is broadcast.
The rose garden-like courtyard of the mausoleum complex is constantly filled and emptied with visitors. For 13 centuries, people have considered this place sacred, visited it, and claimed to have achieved their intentions. There is also an altar on the eastern side of the mausoleum's courtyard.
At the Zangi Ata shrine, we also record the tomb of grandfather Zangi. We offer our prayers to God and wish to visit this sacred shrine again with good intentions.
September 1st is Uzbekistan's Independence Day. As I check my phone, an interesting detail catches my attention. Two days ago, at a state-level holiday event held outdoors in Tashkent, attended by Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the country's renowned singer Yulduz Turdiyeva reportedly sang a song about Karabakh. Local singers participating in the holiday concert also performed songs from countries belonging to the Turkic Union during their Independence Day celebrations. I would not be mistaken if I said that this scene itself is a message conveyed in the language of culture by the esteemed Shavkat Mirziyoyev to those who wish to oppose the Turkic Union.
The evening before, Shukhrat Arif had advised us that if we were to film Amir Timur's Gates located on the Jizzakh road while traveling to Samarkand, then it would be more appropriate to go by car. Let me tell you, even 15 years ago, there was a wonderful opportunity to reach Samarkand from Tashkent in 2 and a half hours by high-speed train on Uzbekistan Railways. Today, that same train, named Afrasiyob, speeds along Uzbekistan's railways, passing through Amir Timur's Gates.
To film the Gates of Sahibqiran Amir Timur, we arrived at the bus station early in the morning and boarded a car. The driver, approximately 55-60 years old, seemed like a very calm and relaxed person. Our operator, Fariz Şıxəlizadə, sitting in the front seat, occasionally turned on the camera and did his work. I am fortunate that I don't need to tell Fariz anything on set during work hours. He skillfully performs the roles of director, editor, and operator himself. I can sincerely say that he is a professional at his job.
As we left the long roads behind, our driver, Sherzod aka, provided us with information about the cities and villages located along the 310 km distance from Tashkent to Samarkand. While talking about the Syr Darya River, whose name dates back even further than the era of Transoxiana, he listed the types of fish found there. The fish from the Chinaz region of the Syr Darya is indeed delicious. Unfortunately, we don't have time to taste this fish again today. Fish is distributed from here to many parts of Uzbekistan. The Syr Darya is also famous for its melons and watermelons. Along the road, for approximately 30-40 kilometers, villagers display and sell the melons and gourds they have cultivated. These areas are also wholesale centers. Honey-sweet gourds are transported from here to most districts and cities of Uzbekistan.
A little later, rows of camels appear on the roads between Jizzakh and Navoi. In the places where the camels pass, there are lilac-colored tamarisks. These tamarisk bushes also resemble lavender. The camels here feed on tamarisks, not saxaul. The products obtained from camel milk and meat are also a blessing from God to these sacred places and their people. The camels here have one hump, unlike our camels. If we change our route and follow the camels, we will reach the mysterious Aydarkul (Heydargol) lake. This artificially created lake covers an area of 3500 square kilometers. By decree of the President of Uzbekistan, a new Antalya is being created in this region. Aydarkul lake now aspires to become the Antalya of Central Asia. Our driver says that the nature around Aydarkul lake is very mysterious. These areas are rich in both aquatic and terrestrial animals. It is even difficult to find a place around Aydarkul lake due to the number of tourists.
Before we reach Samarkand, we also see potato and onion markets, and grape and apple orchards along the roads. The grapes cultivated on the banks of the Syr Darya are mainly used for winemaking. The best table grapes, however, are grown in Fergana. As for the apples from Bakhmol district, they are beyond compare. Dehqans – Uzbeks call villagers, people who work with the land, “dehqan,” which also means “hardworking.” Along the road, the apples gathered from orchards and gardens are a feast for the eyes. I ask the driver to stop the car so we can buy a kilo of apples. Sherzod aka stops his car in a suitable place. He asks the salesgirl to weigh 1 kilo of apples. He also pays for the apples himself. 15,000 sum in Uzbek currency (approximately 2 Azerbaijani manats). I am bewildered. Sherzod aka says, “I am presenting you with the produce of my homeland, enjoy it.”
We Azerbaijanis are also hospitable. However, I have often seen that the hospitality of Uzbeks is even more excessive than ours. In Uzbek markets, no one will say harsh words to you for taking something from the counter and eating it; on the contrary, they will joyfully say “Olin, olin” (Take, take). Uzbeks never go to anyone's house empty-handed. They will take at least two pieces of tandoor bread, “non,” in their hands. They won't even eat a single piece alone. They will take a traveler stranded on the road to their home, give water to the thirsty, and feed the hungry. Perhaps that is why the saying “Tashkent is a city of bread” is on everyone's lips.
As we passed through more than 300 kilometers from Tashkent to Samarkand, it became evident how rich and fertile this land is from the panorama resembling a kind of exhibition of agricultural products – the cotton, onions, potatoes, grapes, watermelons... cultivated along the roadside. I thank God for this abundance. Human labor, human effort, and intellect revive these boundless lands. Sherzod aka also says that dehqans face no problems in freely bringing and transporting their cultivated products to the market. The Uzbek person is the owner of the product they cultivate. Today, the Uzbek people trust their state and their labor.
Near Samarkand, a new landscape catches our attention. This is the “Yangi Samarkand,” meaning “New Samarkand,” town. This town reminds one of a historical film. All the historical monuments in Samarkand have their replicas or similar structures built and established here in one square. Now, Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev receives his high-ranking foreign guests and state officials in this town. It is as if he is continuing the tradition established by Amir Timur in the 14th century. In those days, those who wished to be masters of the world would come to Amir Timur's capital in Samarkand. Today, Samarkand is still the gateway to the Turkic world.
...Before noon, we arrive in Samarkand. Our dear friend and colleague, the veteran journalist Ruzibay Qoldashev, who lives in Tashkent, has friends in Samarkand who greet us at the foot of Ulugh Beg's observatory. Seeing such wonderful friends, I think, what else should a journalist with as many friends as I have in one country consider himself if not fortunate? The high level of attention shown to us by my Uzbek friends makes my heart leap with joy.
Bahadur aka, the press secretary of the Cultural Heritage Public Organization, brings us to the “Gur-e Amir” Complex. Here, we begin our filming with great enthusiasm, and then, as always, the moment arrives to visit His Excellency Amir Timur, who rests in the Gur-e Amir Mausoleum. This time, we visit the great conqueror together with Khushnud Abdullayev, the director of the Mausoleum. I kneel before the tomb of my ancestor Amir Timur, both praying and weeping... I thank my God for granting me such a great opportunity. For over 20 years, every time I come to visit, I have the fortune to bow before his tomb.
On this trip to Samarkand, the Turkish Culture and Heritage Foundation has been both a supporter and an initiator. We will also touch upon interesting points in the film we are jointly preparing about Samarkand.
Naturally, it would not be right if we were in Samarkand and did not film the historical monuments remaining from the era of Amir Timur. We conclude our filming in the Shah-i-Zinda and Bibi-Khanym complexes almost until sunset. Here, the veteran journalist Yakubjan Hazratkulov does not leave us alone. When our work is finished, he personally escorts us to the railway station.
We arrive in Tashkent at 23:45 by the “Sharq” train. When we needed to call a taxi to go from the station to the hotel, I approached a young man who had traveled with us on the train. This young man also ordered a taxi for us... and said, “You won't pay for the taxi; I have already paid for your fare...”
Again, astonishment... again, surprise... and the result:
The friendship between our states has turned into true brotherhood, and this brotherhood is also a kinship by blood. Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are expanding joint cooperation in all areas of culture and economy. Our esteemed ambassador in Uzbekistan, Huseyn Guliyev, also speaks about the SeaBreeze complex, which businessman Emin Agalarov has started building in the Charvak recreation area, 40 kilometers from Tashkent, saying that we bring everything good we have here. Because a brother would not withhold anything from a brother. All Uzbek youth now know one truth: wherever the names Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are mentioned, only love, respect, and affection are at their highest level.
...On the last day, at the State Museum of Timurid History, we filmed Muhammad Ali, a renowned Uzbek writer, State Prize laureate, author of a 4-volume historical book about Amir Timur, and the most skilled translator of Azerbaijani literature into the Uzbek language. He is currently the head of the Amir Timur Foundation. I had filmed him for the first time in 2007. Even after so many years, the great teacher Muhammad Ali had not forgotten me; he embraced me like his own child and said, “Welcome!” Then he had wonderful conversations about Amir Timur and Azerbaijan...
Meeting with scholars means enlightenment. During our 5 days and 4 nights in Uzbekistan, I was refreshed and renewed. I was glad that Uzbeks live very prosperously today. Uzbeks are “BAY” today! (Bay means wealthy, noble-born). Today, an ordinary school teacher earns a salary above $1000, and doctors' monthly salaries allow each of them to travel and explore foreign countries. Today, very beautiful “Chevrolet” brand cars, produced in several cities of Uzbekistan, speed through the streets of Tashkent and Samarkand. The prices of the cars are also affordable. Every family has at least 1 car. The world's largest companies trust Uzbekistan and invest here.
There is light in the eyes of Uzbekistan's youth, and faith in the future. Today, every new day, an Uzbek citizen hears a new decree from the President of Uzbekistan aimed at improving the welfare of the country and its people, and gives thanks for the flourishing of life. This Uzbekistan is not the Uzbekistan of 10 years ago; this is the New Uzbekistan being built. This Uzbekistan is so wealthy that it even invests in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan, having built the Ulugh Beg school in Fuzuli. Incidentally, let me mention that Amir Timur's grandson, Ulugh Beg, was born in Karabakh. That is why his name was immortalized in Karabakh. Ulugh Beg's aspiration for science and enlightenment, who once established an academy in Samarkand, now flourishes in Azerbaijan in the educational institution bearing his name.
Aida Eyvazlı Göytürk,
Chairperson of the Silk Road Cultural and Historical Research Public Union,
Senior Editor of AzTV's Information Programs Editorial Board
