Lesson uzbekistan’s pearl. The Ferghana valley

LESSON 1.


UZBEKISTAN’S PEARL.



The Ferghana valley is called the pearl of Central Asia for its richness and beauty. The valley is surrounded by the Tien Shan and Hissar-Alai mountains, and only in the West opens the gates to the Syr Darya river.
The Ferghana valley has always played a significant role in the history and culture of Central Asia. Thus, reports about the Ferghana state of Davan are already contained in ancient Chinese Chronicles from the end of the II century BC, and in the middle ages it was one of the leading appanages of maveranahr. The fact that in ancient times the valley was the center of various civilizations, reminiscent of the remains of the bronze age settlements, the early iron age and monuments of the middle ages. Fifty kilometers from Ferghana is the small town of Rishtan. From the IX century BC the citizens of Rishtan have been renowned for their ceramics. For 1,100 years, masters have passed down the secrets of producing ceramic products from local varieties of red clay and glazes made from natural mineral dyes and ash from mountain plants from generation to generation. Big dishes "lagans", deep bowls "shokosa", jugs for water, vessels for milk decorated with glaze ornament "ishkor" of unforgettable turquoise and ultramarine colors, brought istarskim masters famous at many international exhibitions, decorate expositions of
many museums and private collections.



Kokand remained the main city of the Ferghana valley for a long time. In the XVIII-XIX centuries, it was the capital of the strong Kokand khanate, which extended its power to most of present-day Uzbekistan and the territory of neighboring States. Kokand was a major religious center. In the heyday of the city there were thirty five madrasahs and one hundred mosques. Unfortunately, most of them have been destroyed by time, earthquakes, and Soviet rule.
Namangan, the birthplace of the famous Uzbek poet Mashrab, occupies a special place in the ring of Ferghana cities. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Namangan was the second most populous city and the center for cotton processing in the Ferghana valley. Not far from Namangan is the city of Andijan, the birthplace of Zahiriddin Babur, the poet, author of the famous epic "Babur-nameh", a General, statesman who conquered India and founded the Mughal Empire. By age, Andijan is one of the oldest cities in the Ferghana valley.
Thirty kilometers from the modern city is located the settlement of Marhamat-the capital of the ancient state of Davan - "Ershi", famous for its fleet-footed horses. From here, such horses, as the greatest jewel, were delivered to the court of the Chinese emperors. One of the oldest cities in the Ferghana valley is the city of Kuva. The remains of urban structures of the III century BC were found on the ancient Kuva settlement.on the territory of the settlement, archaeologists studied and excavated a Buddhist temple of the VI – VIII centuries ad. the City of Ferghana is located in the South of the Ferghana valley. This is a real garden city. Huge century-old willows, plane trees, poplars, closing their crowns, turn the streets into picturesque alleys. Ferghana is a relatively young city. It was founded in 1877 near Margilan, originally called Novy Margilan, in 1907, it was renamed Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev, and since 1919 it was named Fergana. 55 kilometers from Ferghana is a picturesque corner of Uzbekistan – Shakhimardan ("the Lord of people"). This is a traditional holiday destination for residents of Margilan and Ferghana.
The mild climate of the Ferghana valley and numerous mineral springs attract many tourists here. 32 km South of Ferghana in the foothills of the Alai range at an altitude of 450 m is the balneological resort "Chimion", which specializes in the treatment of diseases of the circulatory system, nervous system, movement organs, gynecological and urological diseases. A little higher on the Northern slope of the Alai range is the mountain climate resort of Hamzaabad. Not far from Namangan in the valley of the river Cartaxi balneological Spa resort "Chartak", operating on the basis of iodine-bromine mineral waters, and in the mountain spurs of the Chatkal ridge there is the valley river Mountains, with numerous recreational areas.