Lyabi-hauz

Today,I had a wonderful journey to 4 places: Lyabi-hauz, Nadir divanbegi madrasah and khanaqoh,Kukeldash madrasah.It is first time i.have been these places and it has been an amazing experience for me to be together with teacher, our American teacher NiMa Majidi and our American guest Abdujalil.As usual, first, we presented all the information we have gathered about them to the teacher. We start with the Nadir divanbegi madrasah.

Nadir Divan-begi Madrasah is a part of the architectural complex located round well-known Lyabi-Hauz in Bukhara. The madrasah building, as well as khanaka nearby, were named after vizier Nadir by whose order they were constructed. Vizier Nadir served at a court yard of one the strongest and powerful representatives of Ashtarkhanid dynasty Imamkuli-khan, who ruled in Bukhara in 1611-1642. The board of Imamkuli-khan was one of the most stable and relatively peaceful for the whole history of Ashtarkhanids in Bukhara. It was time when governors paid attention not only to constant wars, but also to town-planning.

In Bukhara, near the famous historical complex Lyab-i Hauz, the well-known architectural monument Kukeldash Madrasah is located (built in 1568 - 1569). It is the largest Bukhara madrasah and one of the largest ones in Central Asia. It was built during the reign of Abdullah-Khan II and was funded by Bukhara governor Kulbab who ruled the city under several khans and managed to maintain good relations with all of them. For his close relationship with the khans the governor was given the title Kukeldash, which was one of the highest standings in the khan’s court and meant ‘a milk brother’. Later the madrasah was named after him.

Many people believe that Kukeldash Madrasah is part of Lyab-i Hauz complex, but it is wrong: archaeological excavations and research proved that the madrasah is a separate structure that bears no relation to Lyab-i Hauz.

Nodir Devonbegi Khanqah is a rectangular edifice topped with a dome. The building has non-traditional narrow and prolate main portal along with two lateral entrances. The hall (dhikr-khana) has excellent acoustic properties. The inner walls of the hall are recessed with niches fringed with stucco moldings. The dwelling space occupies corners and lateral exterior walls of the building. The finishing of the main entrance gate is made quite conservatively, with an exception of some floral elements in ornamentation. The edges of the main portal are overworked with epigraphy ornaments. The main front of the khanqah is cornered with towers cut at a level of the walls.

Lab-e Howz, meaning in Persian "by the pool"), sometimes also known as Lyab-i Khauz, a Russian approximation, is the name of the area surrounding one of the few remaining hauz pools that have survived in the city of Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Until the Soviet period, there were many such pools, which were the city's principal source of water, but they were notorious for spreading disease and were mostly filled in during the 1920s and 1930s.

Our journey started with Kukeldash madrasah. Almost all of us spoke about it and we tired to identify what described at the portal of it by animals, birds and sun.

There were also many Arabic words that we can't read, but we thought that each word stand for some suras in Qur'an book. After all of us, Ms Nima Majidi explained and gave information about that building. So what surprised me most is that even if he is an American, he knows more than we do about our hometown and it's amazing history.

Then we moved to explore the Kukeldash. I should admit that I have never been there before and as we entered I was surprised by seeing small rooms. We entered and our American teacher NiMa Majidi gave information about there. By this way we explored each room carefully looking at almost all small items. By seeing them, one can feel the past atmosphere,

and undoubtedly, one can guess what the life of emir looked like at that time.

Our next destination has been khanaqoh. As we entered there, we encountered many ancient things that belonged to past people. We look at them carefully and what caught our attention is a small map put on the medium sized table at the center of khanaqoh.

It was little map of Bukhara region, as soon as we saw it we tried to find where we were. After searching for few minutes we finally found and Ms Nima Majidi again explained the whole map to us and also gave clear, much, interesting and really useful information to us. He told us who this khanaqoh belonged to, what happened there, what each color on the domes mean and so on.

And out last destination was Lyabi-hauz itself. To be honest all the places we have been are located just round the Lyabi-hauz. So I though there is nothing remained to explore here. But no, I was wrong. In Lyabi-hauz itself many things to explore, see and feel we found. We traveled, exchanged all the information we have and also now we know that nowadays there is only one pool in Lyabi-hauz, but before in the past there were many actually.

In our last destination, we come across with principals from our institute who come to check our work and activeness.

So now I can say that my hometown is a very good place to travel. I am quite ashamed of not visiting such places before even if they are in motherland, Bukhara.Now I have information about these places, buildings and I have the experience of feeling them. So I am gimme thanks to everyone,my teacher,my friends, our American teacher NiMa Majidi and of course to our institute to offer me such opportunity.