Sights of Machai village.

“Summer is when the city smog gets warmer. He talked about his city, that there were fifteen thousand inhabitants, but no more than three hundred souls”

Gilbert Sesbronn.

A trip to the village of Machai from Baisun.

The ancient village of Machai is located in the Baysun district of the Surkhandarya region, located 80 kilometers from the Baysun district center at the foot of the Baysuntag, and has peculiar ethnic features. There are 6,500 people living in the village.
It is divided into upper, middle and lower Machai. Archaeologists acknowledge that Machai has been a habitat for humans since ancient times. Archaeological research proved that even in the Middle Ages there was a fortified fortress, and the ruins of the old village Akkishlak testify to people living here with a high level of farming culture and well-developed crafts.
It is known that in the village of Machai Uzbeks, Tajiks and representatives of other peoples lived together. The population of this village speaks Uzbek and Tajik. According to researchers, the Kharduri, Barlas, Kenagasy, Tohchis and even Iranians live in Machai (in the Kodok region of Upper Machai).
The constant cultural ties between the residents of Machai and Baysun contributed to the establishment of the region’s unique traditions. In addition to the common traditions acquired during cohabitation, the inhabitants of each of the above villages retained their family rituals, customs, and their own everyday lifestyle.
For centuries, the population of the mountain villages Kairok, Dugoba, Gummatak, Alachapan, Kurgancha, Amanhona, Incabad and others located in the eastern and northeastern side of Baysun has also sacredly kept the cultural heritage of their people.
A deep scientific analysis of all aspects of the ethnic composition of the population of the Baysun region will help to reveal still unexplored facets of Baysun culture. In 2017, in the village of Machai, Baysun district, Surkhandarya region of Uzbekistan, digital TV, Internet and mobile communications were set up.
2 base stations of the national operator Uzmobile were installed. Coverage amounted to more than 80% of the village. Previously, only one telecom operator worked in the village. Also, residents of Machai gained access to 18 digital TV channels.

Literature:
1. Kayumov A. Ethnic composition of the population of the Sherabad oasis // ONU. 1998. No. 3.
2. Karmysheva B.Kh. Essays on the ethnic history of the southern regions of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. M., 1976.
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    Near and Middle East in the Middle Ages. M., 1979.
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7. Field materials. Baysun, May 1997
8. Field materials. Darband, April 1996
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10. Rakhmanov Sh.A. New data on the Iron Gate wall // ONU. 1994. No. 1-2.
11. Field materials. Darband, April 1996. Information is written from the words of eighty-five-year-old Haidar Avliyozade coals from Darband.
12. Kislyakov N.A. Sairob Tajiks // SE. 1965. No. 2.
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14. Field materials. Machai, April 1996

Authority:
"Proceedings of the Baysun scientific expedition." Issue I. Tashkent, 2003. Kayumov A., Ashirov A. "Features of the ethnic composition of the Baysun population." http://www.alexarapov.narod.ru/Library/bbl077.htm

Photos
Alexandra Petrova.