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Yasavi: Famous and Mysterious
Alexei Goncharov
Acquaintance
I remember well how I was impressed by the mausoleum of Hadji Ahmed Yasavi in my first visit to Turkistan in 1981. This architectural masterpiece, magnificent itself, seemed to be greater against a background of common constructions of slovenly provincial city.
In 1988, I had opportunity to get acquainted with the mausoleum in more details. The restorers had worked hard by that time(which can’t be said about their late Turkish followers) and the medieval bath-houses, the site of castle wall had become the part of the complex of memorial preserve except the main building. And the adjacent territory had become relatively well-furnished. When I managed to go upstairs along the narrow winding stairs to the main dome and to the forty-meter side turrets, the feeling of great antiquity over the dusty and vain modern life became pungent.
What a great impression the visitors got inside the building near the tombs of Kazakh nobles, each of which was unique for itself…The huge spears with horse-tails raised over some of them. And the grave of Jolbars-Khan was covered with horns of wild rams.
Alas! The modern visitors of mausoleum won’t have opportunity to see that now. Why? Later.
And now about…
Who is Ahmed Yasavi?
We will know a little about him in any encyclopedia. Ahmed Yasavi (about 1105-1166) is a Middle Asian poet, the preacher of Sufism. The collection of mystic spiritual poems “Concealed”(published in 1878) traceable to Ahmed Yasavi, had influence on the development of Turkic poetry. Of course, these lines don’t give explanation to such questions as why the magnificent mausoleum had been constructed on his grave to which the streams of pilgrims do not run dry. Therefore, let’s try to get deeper.
In 1103, according to other data in 1105, the boy with the name Ahmed was born in the family of devout Muslims in the city of Ispidjab (presently the village Sayram near Shimkent). At that time it was the remotest province of Islamic world. The father of boy was Ibrahim ibn Mahmood ibn Iftihar and the mother was Karashash ana. Even now the Turkic Muslims esteem their graves.
We have just a little piece of information about the early years of life of preacher. Only the absolutely fantastic legends have reached to our days. It is considered that the first spiritual tutor and educator of Ahmed was the local sheikh, Arslan-bab the half-legendary person who is considered to be the doer of many miracles. The legend says: “Mohammed died at the age of 63. Before death, the prophet gathered people and said: “I am dying, who can accept my amanat-symbol of Islam (its meaning is concluded in the persimmon stone) and continue my ideas? Arslan-bab responded from the crowd, the man who was now 300 years old, and who was well familiar with the bases of thirty three different religions, but now admitted the only one-Islam. By entrusting with the concept of Arslan-Bab, Mohammed went to talk to Allah and with his approval he gave his amanat to Arslan-bab. After 500 years while passing through steppe Arslan-bab met 11-year old boy who addressed him and said: “Aksakal give my amanat”. This boy was that Ahmed”. This fantastic legend exactly explains that level of honor to the preacher which is paid by the local society.
After the death of Arslan-bab, Yasavi moved to Bukhara where Hodja Yusuf Hamadani, the famous Sufi sheikh, became his spiritual tutor. The young man soon got a title “irshada” which gives the right to explain “the ways for perception of truth”.
It should be noted here that Sufism in Islam-is special flow, the followers of which as it had been in the past and now do not agree with “Official priesthood”. According to Muslim theological teachings only the prophets could communicate with Allah. But Suffi didn’t think so. They were sure that by means of meditation and refusal of earth blessings, everyone could become close to the Most High (Lord).They called this “way of truth” tarikat. There were even times when the Sufi sheikhs were executed for discrepancy with ulems. That’s why Ahmed Yasavi said: “If I even lose my head, I will never turn from this way”
He was the Head of Sufis in Bukhara for some time. But then he moved to the border of Islamic world to Yasi (Turkistan) where he began active preaching activity among Turks.
Of course, they weren’t so good at the details of Sufism. But the active person himself, who spoke of Islam in their understandable language, the scientist who earned his living by netting the mats couldn’t stop attracting. The people came from the far places to listen to his sermons. In his sermons he summoned people to be kind and hate money-grubbing and greediness. He put the main point of his teaching in poetic work “Hikmat” which was very popular.
My hikmets for Muslims are teachers.
Whoever you are, you must worship the God.
Recite my hikmets to those who understand.
Glorify the kindness of God by prayers.
If you meet faithless person, don’t hurt him, the God turns away from the heart of violent person and from the soul of offender. Oh, my God! The underworld hell is prepared for such slave.
I want to be a nightingale singing my sad songs at sunrise in the spacious gardens of love to the Most High.
In those hours, I want to see the radiant appearance of my Allah-with the eyes of my heart.
Let my heart feeds with love.
Let my body covers with the cloth of happiness.
I want to rise with the strength of love and descend as a bird to the branch of consciousness.
Until you try the nectar of love,
Until you wear the clothes of those who fell in love,
Until you gather the trust and worship into one,
You won’t be able to see divine image of Creator.
His poems were learned by heart by the illiterate nomads. In fact, Ahmed Yasavi alone contributed to the spreading of Islam in Turkic sphere more than all the Arab preachers taken together. He founded the Sufi school of order Yasaviya-tarika. The devotee decided to leave the world at the age of 63 like the prophet and voluntarily imprisoned himself in the underworld cell where he lived up to his death. Not only had his family lived in the adjacent place to this cell, but also his many other followers who listened to the sermons and lessons of sheikh.
With great honor and respect he was buried in 1167 (according to other data in1166) in the mausoleum constructed for him, which immediately became the center of pilgrimage.
How the miracle was built
The construction date of mausoleum and the date of death of the person in the name of whom it was built are separated by 400 years. It is connected with legendary warrior and statesman emir Timur. This is what the historian Nagimbek Nurmuhamedov writes about it:
“In 1934 Timur decided to build new vast memorial complex in the place of that time’s decaying old mausoleum of Ahmed Yasavi in honor of his victory over the golden horde. There are no doubts that Timur was guided by not only religious reasons at that time. By this act he raised his authority, stated the idea of firmness of his power, which was so important for him provided the reliability of his steppe rear”.
At that time Timur was preparing for the wedding. By the wishes of Timur, the construction of huge garden “Dilkush” was finished for receiving the bride in Samarkand. Emir left to meet his bride. On his way he stopped in the tract Akhangeran not far from the village Chinaz. After that, he proceeded to Yasi, where he made solemn ziarat-praying rite over the grave of Ahmed Yasavi and made precious gifts to the priests living here.
According to the historical documents by seeing the grave of Turkic sheikh Timur ordered to demolish it and build new one in that place. The main sizes of mausoleum were written in details in the decree of Timur.
The construction of grand building began immediately and was done rapidly according to those times.
It is considered that only by this reason one can explain the fact that the mausoleum doesn’t make impression of unfinished building although its construction was suddenly stopped in 1405 after the death of Timur.
Reverses of fortune
The mausoleum which was built as only the religious building has changed its “profession” for many times within the centuries. Already at the beginning of XVI century the series of rooms have become vaults where the steppe nobles were buried.
Then during almost 200 years the building simultaneously with its religious meaning performed quite a secular representative functions. The main residence of Kazakh khans was located here. Important foreign ambassadors were received in mausoleum and important decisions of public significance were taken here.
At the beginning of XVIII century Turkistan was invaded by djungars but despite the fact that they weren’t Muslims, they disturbed neither the mausoleum nor its vassals for two decades of their rule.
In summer of 1819 Turkistan was invaded by Kokands. On the surface, the rulers of this State paid honor to Saint. However, those were the difficult times for mausoleum.
As a matter of fact it became one of the units in fortification the stronghold of Turkistan. The houses of officers of Kokand garrison were built close to it. Some parts of rooms became a storehouse of food and military property. The guards stood at the entrance to mausoleum. In winter they made a fire as a result its doors and some parts of wall were strongly covered with soot.
In 1846 the ruler of city Kanat-Shakh refused to obey Kokands and the war began. And the mausoleum was flooded with water because Kokand commanders tried to flood the city by blocking up the aryks.
During the siege of Turkistan by Russian army the building has been hit by 11 artillery shells.
In the early 70s of XIX century something which is out of boundaries happened. The Administration of city decided to demolish the mausoleum fearing that its walls will collapse. And only the interruption by the Turkistan governor Kaufman saved this unique building. And already in 1872 the funds were appropriated from the budget for its renewal. However then the funds were enough just for taking the garbage from the building which was accumulated inside of it.
In 1884 15 thousand roubles were appropriated for the renewal of mausoleum. The works were run by Tashkent master Zakir. The mausoleum was saved from the destruction but its inside attire was fairly damaged.
Mausoleum with careful eyes
The height of this tremendous construction is 37,5 metres which is equal to 20-storey building. Its top is closed by brick dome with diameter of 18,2 metres-it is the biggest saved dome in Kazakhstan and Central Asia and exceeds the dome of famous mausoleum of Gur Emir in Samarkand.
The restorers who worked in mausoleum for long years couldn’t anyway reveal the mysteries of building materials, glaze, colours, majolica coating. I remember that during the soviet times my friends from Kazprojectrestoration showed me the samples of the glazed tiles created in their workshop which looked like medieval. In outward appearance it was impossible to distinguish them from the medieval ones but those that were made by our restorers lost its lusters after 2 years, but the medieval ones hasn’t lost their freshness up to now.
I was convinced of that while observing the mikhrab (the recess for praying turned to side of Mecca) in one of the halls of mausoleum. Some of the tiles made a great impression with mellowness of colours while others were somewhat pale. As it is not strange, those tiles with mellowness of colours were the ancient.
The elaborate writings which covered practically all the walls of the building and the private architectural details with carpet ornaments could serve as a subject of private conversation. At that, these writings contained not only the citations from Koran and praising of Allah but also sayings of the greatest poets. For example there were lines of Saadi: “The aim is in that one should leave trace typical for himself”.
The building masters from all over the Muslim world left their autographs on the epigraphic décor of mausoleum as well. One can find such writing on the dome of burial-vault: “The work of Shams and Abd al Vahab Shibrazi al Bann…” Practically the mausoleum itself and almost everything in it is the creation of Persian masters captured and sent to Central Asia by Timur during the conquest of their country.
The author must bring the sad circumstances of the recent writings while describing the décor. Turkish “restorers” who worked in mausoleum at the beginning of this millennium just whitened the most of the writings considering that it is impossible to restore them.
Several years ago I had the opportunity to visit mausoleum with the delegation of scientists which included Iranian restorers. They were stunned from seeing what they called vandalism.
But let’s not talk about the sad things. It is just impossible to describe the whole mausoleum within one article.
Let’s only note here that for the first time the stat adviser Bikchurin engaged in it in 1865 and in 1905 Russian Committee for learning the Middle and Eastern Asia prepared a special expedition for the detailed research of architectural complex.
The mysteries of mausoleum
In my opinion one of the greatest archaeologist - orientalists M. Mason made the most significant description of mausoleum in 1929. He paid attention to some moments which cannot be called mysterious.
“The mighty mausoleum has not the successor in Central Asia according to its draft and design. It is unique. But in its powerful mass behind the traditional forms made by the art of Islam one can feel the moods of epoch gathered maybe from the royal stile of Persian period of Sasanids and architecture of Byzantium empire”, writes Mason.
And it is strange that there weren’t even attempts for the right orientation to Mecca when it was built. “The axis of recess of kiblah built in the South flank wall has got the decline of 30 degrees from the right direction”, states the scientist. At the same time kiblah that is direction to Mecca is essential for each praying Muslim. At that time all the architects could determine it quite in a right way while constructing the religious buildings. Why wasn’t it done in Turkistan?
Mason himself is sure that the mausoleum initially wasn’t meant to become the mosque. But even in that case such kind of error is inexcusable according to the laws of Islam.
Any guide will tell you that it was built without foundation. But why? It is absolutely unnatural, namely the absence of foundation served as a danger for the collapse of monument for centuries and led to concretion of the building. Maybe at those times the foundations weren’t made at all? No…
This what M. Mason writes about it: “The fact of the full neglect of the demands of art construction in such responsible part of the building as foundation by the talented architects still remains incomprehensible. While the rubbleworks in other famous monuments of Timur’s period set up from the huge stones on the mortar grout and ashes makes a great impression with its excessive firmness, the solid foundation wasn’t placed under the building of mausoleum of Hodja Ahmed as it was justified by the excavation works. Several lines of careless brickworks were placed at the depth of 25-30 cm from that time’s level of land under its walls and the foundation pits dug under the minarets and the portal was filled with the large pebbles sprinkled with soil”.
There aren’t replies to these mysteries even now.
The losses
M. Mason described the interior of mausoleum as well; therefore, it is striking that most of the things seen by the scientist 80 years ago just disappeared up to the present time.
The large copper ball of anonymous purpose has disappeared from the top of front portal which was attached there in XVI century during the reconstruction by the order of ruler of Bukhara Abdalla-khan. Yet in the 20s of the last century the famous tay-kazan was furnished with ten large flags with hair tails and metallic points, now for some reason they are only two.
The headstones in the mausoleum were moved into one room, and there aren’t any items covering them. For example, one of the headstones of noble Kazakh woman was covered with the objects of her private life, and the grave of Jolbar-khan was covered by the skin of tiger and the horns of wild rams, all this have also disappeared.
There isn’t also the famous “ayna-tas”(stone-mirror) from the headstone of Suyunsh-khan. M. Mason wrote about it in the following way: “Its smoothly polished surface reflects the object and if we look at the vertical edge from side then we can see the incidences and reflections, the wall of kazandyk (main hall of mausoleum.-A.G.) on the base of equal corners”.
There was a chained two-tiered chandelier with a copper vessel over its top on the ceiling of one of the rooms. Now one can’t find them either.
But we have the major thing the mausoleum itself which suffered centuries, disasters and the people. It also suffered the total neglect and unskillful restorations. We have the mausoleum which has become the only monument of material culture in the country and which entered the list of the world’s heritage of human in UNESCO.
Now it is the part of complex of State historical memorial-museum Azret-sultan, which has a great number of monuments in its list including the unique medieval bath-houses, which functioned to the mid 70s of the last century. It includes also the restored fortress walls of the before last century, the splendid history museum of Turkistan, located in that time’s caserns and many other things. But this is the subject of another article.
