A trip from Aktau to the mountains of Western Karatau.

"Yes, we are Scythians, yes, we are Asians
With slanting and black eyes..."

Excursion to Otpan-tau mountain in Mangyshlak.

In the central southern part of the Mangistau mountain, the Western Karatau ridge with the highest mountain of Ottan-tau 532 meters above sea level stretches from southeast to northwest. Mount Otpan-tau is the highest point in the Mangistau region, located in the Karakiyak region.
It was erected at the initiative of the famous poet Sabyr Adai in honor of Adai At. To implement the idea, the Adai Foundation was created, with Tanbay Apakaev as the chairman. The idea of ​​Sabyr Adai was supported by akim Kusherbayev K.
The memorial complex has two names memorial complex Otpan-tau:
- the first is “Adai ata”,
- the second is the Otpan Tau historical and cultural complex.
The length of the trail that leads to the top of the mountain is 5 kilometers.
The Adai Ata-Otpan Tau complex consists of several objects:
1. "Aksaray" - the white house of Adai ata. This round building with eight halls is also called the White House of Adai Ata. It houses the Museum of Independence, events, meetings, celebrations of national and
tate holidays are held. The barn is decorated in a national style.
2. Exhibition Hall "Mangystau and the ancient ancestors." Where history is presented, the stages of the occurrence of Mangystau, archaeological data, maps, layouts, artifacts.
3. The monument “Mother's Image” is a collective image of the wife of Adai Ata and all mothers. "Ana Kelbeti" - the cradle of life, the ancestor of life, the keeper of the hearth. The image is complemented by the moon - the symbol of the face, the sun - the symbol of the heart, two birds, denoting a son and daughter, to whom the mother conveys the best human qualities - love of love, unity, brotherhood.
4. 362 steps - these steps are symbolized by 362 auliye, which are located in Mangystau.
5. The Mausoleum of Adai Ata.
6. Coat of arms of the genus Adai-ata.
7. Wolf is a totem of Turkic-speaking peoples. Symbol of strength and freedom of spirit.
8. The fire of call is a large bowl.
9. The area of ​​the batyrs.
10. Tu tobe - Symbol of Independence.
On both sides of the memorial are small turrets with domes built by the sons of Adai Ata Kelimberdi and Kudaike. A sign, a symbol of the Adai tribe - “Adai ata elіnің taңbasy” was built near the memorial.
This is the shape of the shield, it shows a spear and a sword, between them is the inscription "Zhebe."
The finiteness of the sign is depicted in the form of three arrows, which symbolizes Courage, Unity, Nationality. The next object is Ұran oty, the fire of summoning. The symbolic fire that gathered and united the people around them.
The complex complements the monument with a huge torch bowl, in which the sacred fire of the mountain is lit annually on the Amala holiday, symbolizes the unity of the three zhuzes - senior, middle and junior. Historical and cultural complex "Otpan Tau".
Otpan tau is a sacred mountain, one of the peaks of the Western Karatau ridge in the Mangistau region. From the top of this mountain you can see a flat steppe, high hills and ridges, the sea, springs, all this supports the idea that this mountain occupies an important place in the history of the Kazakh people.
According to legends, Otpan tau is considered the territory of the Adai tribe, because "this is the place where the Adai ata lit a fire, which in turn was a symbol of the union of all tribes", and Adai ata is the ancestor, great-grandfather of the Adays.
All the main history of this region is connected with this mountain, as a place of shelter from the cold, heat, rain, storm, wind; place of gathering, seeing off batyrs to war; a place for reciting collective prayers (Dua) and receiving blessings from elders.
The Otpan Tau historical and memorial complex was built in 2007 in the framework of the state’s program "Medeni Mra". Residents of Mangistau on March 14 celebrate the beginning of the onset of the month of Nauryz and call it "Amal Mekkesі".
For more than seven years, residents of Mangistau have been celebrating the Amal festival on the sacred mountain of Otpan. In March 2014, the organizers of this holiday are the descendants of Tobysh-ata. In the evening, dastarkhanes are covered, dan қonaқ aces is held in honor of the guests, 22:00 a ceremony of lighting the fire of unity (Ұran oty) is held.
The next day, a prayer is read in the morning in honor of the spirit of the descendants of Adai Ata. There is a legend that in the old days there was a watch tower on the mountain, on which, with the help of bonfires, sentinels gave a signal to residents about the approach of enemies.

Authority:
“Based on field research. Ermaganbetova K. December 2016. "Register of memorial complexes built during the period of independence." "Practices and places of memory in Kazakhstan." Medeuova K.A., Sandybaeva U.M., Naurzbaeva Z.Zh., Tolgambaeva D.T., Ermaganbetova K.S., Melnikov D.N., Kikimbaev M.Zh., Ramazanova A.Ch., Tlepbergen A .B., Zhetibaev E.Zh., Orazbaeva D.E., Poltavets K.A.

Photos by
Alexander Petrov.