Take hikes in East Kazakkhstan Altai.

"Centuries are hidden by fog …
Who is understood what is concealed in them? …"

Gandmother of Abay – Zere.

Recreational center in East Kazakhstan.

On the earth there are a lot of places connected with a name of national geniuses. In life and creativity of Abay such place belongs to the natural boundary of Zhidebai in the Semipalatinsk region. It is the patrimonial estate of the father of Abay Kunanbaev.
The poet got it to him in inheritance in 1884, and Abay spent the last eleven years of life to Zhidebay. Here, as we know, many years lived the grandmother of Abay Zere and mother Ulzhan. Zhidebai became creative Mecca the poet and the thinker.
The vast majority of its poems, poems, the translations, "The book of words" - is written here. During lifetime of Zhidebai became the place of spirituality and culture of steppe people, the center of national consciousness where people of art - poets, singers, storytellers, musicians, people uncommon, generously gifted, free in thoughts gathered from all edges to shine with the talents near the great tribesman and the compatriot.
Abay, having inherited the family estate, in every possible way expanded and arranged well it. Converted winter quarters, constructed school and the mosque. Here, in spurs of Shyngyssky mountains, died on July 7, 1904, without having lived about full sixty years.
Buried him near the brother Ospan grave. Near this place some more old gravestones are located. Here the grandmother Zere and mother Ulzhan found eternal rest. Words of the grandmother of Abay - Zere which she told to Abay in youth are memorable:
"Centuries are hidden by fog …
Who is understood what is concealed in them? …"
Traces of time are visible everywhere. Gravestones collapsed, from time to time restored them. In the sixties the gravestone mausoleum was built anew from granite. It staid more than thirty years, thousands of people came here to bow to spirit of the great poet.
The mausoleum was imposed with concrete plates, nearby dug the well, around, despite severe climatic conditions, put a garden. In 1940 the winter quarters of Abay were taken by the Resolution of Council of ministers of the Kazakh SSR in the natural boundary of Zhidebai under the state basis.
To the 125 anniversary since the birth of the poet the winter quarters were created from the basis, having kept the general contours and planning. So the House museum of Abay was born in Zhidebay which for these years was visited by tens of thousands of people from many countries of the world.
One more outstanding name is connected with these places. It is about the nephew of Abay - Shakarim Kudayberdiyev. The poet, the philosopher, the historian, he was one of the most advanced people of the time.
He knew many east languages, composed poems and poems, researched history of Kazakhs. Much he investigated persecutions and repressions. Already in Soviet period agents of GPU shot Shakarim, having thrown his body into the dried well in the steppe.
The house underwent disorder, burned books, manuscripts, photos. Remains of the poet later found many years with great difficulty and buried on the hill, near a grave of Abay in Zhidebay. Many-sided creativity of Shakarim became property of readers after long decades.
And when Kazakhstan became sovereign and returned a reputation to the nice sons, there was a question of a construction of the worthy mausoleum over Shakarim grave.

Authority:
http://www.unesco.kz

Photos by
Alexander Petrov.