Tracing the Silk Route Part Two- Central Asia

The second route is exotic with a capital E.

Criss-crossing the least visited locales in the world… it is the heart of Silk Route… one that joined the great civilization of China to the Persian and Arab civilizations.

So much so… that getting information about these locales is a difficult task… I, practically, search entire Delhi to get a Lonely Planet on these countries… but couldn’t find any… a book-shop owner remarked… Sir, it is very difficult to find it here… I don’t think anybody goes to these places… I thought… damn it! I am talking about Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent … these are the places that are attached to our destinies, our histories and our existence.

This route, I believe, is much more testing, challenging… and would reveal lots of hidden treasures of humanity, and culture.

Route Two- Western China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Northern Afghanistan

• Urumqi- Urumqi is often dubbed as the farthest city from sea… it is very close to Turpan, which is the second lowest point on land after Dead Sea… it is also dubbed as the fulcrum of Ughiyur culture… I often say that China is one country that has done most experiments with the concept of nation-state… toying with concepts like Autonomous areas, one state-two system… Urumqi is a good vantage point to see how it works in actual, especially when recently the global media has been heaping loads of doubts on its genuineness.

• Alma Ata- Alma Ata or Almaty is often referred to as the cultural capital of modern Central Asia… It was one of the model cities that Russian built so keenly to showcase the Bolshevik model of development. Huge parks, large stadium… picture perfect infrastructure… Almaty, during its heydays… gave any city in the West… a run for its money… perhaps that’s why a huge expatriate community from all over the world chose to come and dwell in this beautiful city from China, from Koreas, from Armenia, from Europe… and the Americas … surrounded by beautiful hills. A peep through into Kazakh culture… Almaty is indispensable if traveling Central Asia.

• Bishkek- Bishkek is a new city, low on history or any kind of must visit places… however, it is one of the most modern Central Asian cities… has a unique flavour to its life. And a necessary stop-over to go to Uzbekistan. Kyrgyzstan… however… is considered a fairly modern country… and Bishkek its example… the Bishkek nightlife and discos are worth an experience… so why not shake my leg with a Central Asian beauty before proceeding any further.

• Osh- A detour from Bishkek… Osh is a frontier town of Kyrgyzstan… close to the famous Kashgar in Western China… Kashgar itself is the cultural capital of Ughiyur … it is very much in news these days because the Chinese Government is bringing down the traditional Ughiyur dwellings in Kashgar city (because, the authorities say, they are susceptible to earthquakes). Back to Osh… Osh lies in the picturesque Fergana Valley… where the forefathers of Babur used to move around as nomads… Osh is also home to the sacred mountains… having a history predating all written history… I am told many prehistoric researchers are searching for a sacred mountain, which every seemingly different and flung apart civilization used to worship… is it the one.

• Tashkent- THE CITY… at the crossroads of Silk route… from north to south and from east to west … lies this city, without visiting which… no visit to Central Asia is meaningful… and after visiting which no more traveling is necessary… once a senior UN diplomat from Uzbekistan quipped Tashkent is Jerusalem of the Central Asia… nothing is closer to truth… Museums, Parks, Historical Quarters… Tashkent has it all…

• Samarkand- Samarkand is intertwined with the history of India… it is the place from where Babur came… so in a way it is a essential component of India… being in Samarkand would be like discovering India in a way. Samarkand, I am told, is a town to be discovered at every step… be it Registan, be it Gur Emir… every nook and corner of this marvel tells a story of a vibrant and intense civilization… which did not have a match in the medieval ages… the city has seen more than 2500 years of civilization… has seen Alexander, Genghis Khan, Timur Lane… they cannot be a more palpable city… definitely.

• Bukhara- Bukhara is said to preserve the essence of Silk route, even today… it still preserves the simple way of life… donkey slow pace of life… the Rugs bazaar and the haggling therein… if one had to replicate the Silk route today… he would buy cues from Bukhara… with picture perfect looks… Bukhara is a must visit. Not to forget that the forefathers of one of my very good friends had come from Bukhara.

• Aral Sea- A human disaster… it tells the history of what humans do for their benefit… and yet they are not benefited… a whole sea which dried… creating unimaginable disaster… in 30 to 40 years… hordes of fishing community had to change their entire lifestyles… Do humans learn… I don’t think… Three Gorges prove that they don’t… melting ice-caps prove that they don’t… and they wont till they are not around to mess it up even more. That’s, perhaps, our destiny.

• Mazar-e-Sharif- tracing my steps back from I can reach Mazar… another historic city in Afghanistan.

Will I be able to do either of them… well I don’t know… but I dreamt it… gives me immense satifaction.