Luxury travellers in Central Asia and Kazakhstan.

“Does progress mean that we dissolve our ancient myths? If we forget our legends, I fear that we shall close an important door to the imagination” 

James Christensen.

Package holiday in Central Asia and Kyrgyzstan.

Together with Abay in the natural boundary of Zhidebai also his brother Ospan is buried, and nearby there are mother's graves Ulzhan (1810 - 1887) and the grandmother Zere (1785 - 1873). The platform on height is constructed on three tiers, with three levels of the Universe in mythology of Kazakhs: black (underground world of the dead), red (world of live), white (heavenly world of spirits and Allah).
Fragments from Mukhtar Auezov novel narrating about Zere Abay Kunanbayev grandmother are given below:
- "Old Zere, leaning on a stick, already grumbled on Abay,
- Unusable, did not come running to me at once!
- To the father went, unusable! - she muttered. Hardly the grandson appeared in its embraces, reproaches were replaced by the most gentle, most tender words.
- My light, lamb small, Abay, my heart! - the grandmother spoke, and transparent large tears gathered in her eyes".
"Only this year Abay managed to estimate what wonderful storyteller was Zere. She spoke fascinatingly, is fascinating, entirely seizing attention of the listener. Zere knew much: Edil-Zhaik of "Zhupar-Koryga". Coolah-Mergen and other legends.
Abay forced the grandmother to tell all day long, even in way. And when he, at last recovered, old Zere did not stop the stories. She spoke also about that, a witness to what was itself, and about what she had to hear. Her stories about fight between childbirth took several days. 
And the boy learned how years twenty - thirty back the tribe arranged to Hiring attack on these places, on this settlement; as during attack her adopted son Bostanbek died; as people of Tobykty took prisoner the story-teller of the tribe Naiman - Kozhamberda and as one and a half years he lived here in fetters.
Zere remembered by heart its long songs. She told the grandson and about other campaigns, about Karamorsky fight, about many other. Then it passed to sad stories Kalmakana and Mamyr, Enlik and Kebeka …".
Fragments from Mukhtar Auezov's novel narrating about mother Ulzhan Abay Kunanbayeva are given below:
"Ulzhan was exhausted, expecting the son. Since that minute when Baytas went out of him to town, she considered days and hours. Having thought about time for the road there and back, she expected travelers today. Exclamations of women instantly reached it.
Smiling to all the full person on who light opaque skin was almost not noticeable wrinkles (though Ulzhan passed for forty), it smoothly bore the grown fat body, it left a yurta, carefully conducted under a hand the mother-in-law".
"Two mothers … Between them the child wounded in the heart. And in mysterious twilight when powers of darkness go on the ground, trying to discover the victims, all three silently prayed for the world, the benefit and love.
It seemed to Abay that it returned to the serene delight of the childhood, to its shining clarity and tranquility again. At heart it became easier, but the headache amplified and heat rose".

Authority:
Romance Mukhtar Auezov "Way of Abay".

Photos by
Alexander Petrov.