Tash Rabat

A Kyrgyz legend retold by Oksana Vasilenko

Copyright Oksana Vasilenko 2012

Photos by Oksana Vasilenko

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Foreword

High in the mountains of Tien Shan, at the altitude of over 3,000 m (10,000 ft), just 90 km (56 mi) from the border with China, there is a small valley through which the Silk Road once passed. In this valley a stone building seems to be protruding right out of the hillside. The gate of the building is facing east and opens into a paved corridor. On both sides of this corridor low doorways lead into domed rooms of various sizes. Each dome has an opening which probably served as a flue when bonfire was lit in the room. During the day sunlight shines through the openings and provides natural illumination. The corridor itself leads to a large open space with a high dome above it. In some rooms there are long elevated platforms made of stone. There are two deep holes in the earth which are said to have served as dungeons. There are also rumours of an underground tunnel leading to a lookout on the side of the mountain.

This building is called Tash Rabat which means ‘a caravanserai built of stone’. Nobody knows exactly when it was built and whether it was indeed just a caravanserai. Some say that it was originally a monastery of Christian or Buddist monks. Here’s what the legend says about it.

Once upon a time there lived a mighty khan (a Kyrgyz word for ‘ruler’). Like all khans, sometimes he waged wars against his neighbours and sometimes his neighbours waged wars against him. But the khan was wise and preferred trading to fighting, so his land was prospering.

One day, while hunting in the mountains, he met a caravan of merchants.

‘Where are you from?’ the khan asked.

‘We are from the land in the East and going to the far away lands in the West,’ the caravan-bashi (leader of the caravan) answered. ‘Usually we take another route, but this time there are rumours that mobs of bandits rob everyone daring to go the old way, so I decided to find another way.’

The khan sent for his servants and told them to bring ten fat sheep and to prepare a great feast. And, of course, the guests were treated to the best kumys (fermented horse milk, a national Kyrgyz drink). For three days the caravan stayed in the small valley while people and animals were getting the much needed rest.

On the fourth day the caravan-bashi came up to the khan.

‘We are very grateful for your hospitality, O Great Khan,’ he said. ‘But it is time for us to continue on our journey before the winter snowfalls close the mountain passes.’

‘The pleasure was all mine,’ the khan answered. ‘I will tell my djigits (‘young men’ in Kyrgyz) to show you the shortest way through my lands and to make sure that you are safe. On your way back I will be happy to see you again.’

The khan knew that the word about his hospitality would spread among the merchants and they would prefer to take this new route, knowing that it was safe and they had a place to rest.

So the khan ordered to build a big caravanserai in this valley. He saw to it that his shepherds always had fresh meat and kumys for the exhausted travellers and his djigits guarded them from bandits. Very soon many caravans were coming to this great caravanserai — and they were paying the khan handsomely for food and protection. They also brought exotic goods from far away lands and the khan enjoyed fine silks from the East, lovely furs from the North, precious stones from the South, and beautiful carpets from the West. His whole country was prospering like never before. The caravanserai was always crowded and the word about it spread far and wide, to the envy of the khan’s neighbours.

Then the khan got old and died and his son became the ruler of the land. The young khan was spoilt and greedy and he decided that the merchants should pay more. And more. And even more. They should pay just for the right to pass through the khan’s land. And for the protection of his djigits. And, of course, they should pay for food and lodging at the caravanserai. The charges became so high that fewer and fewer caravans chose this route. Then the young khan decided that, one way or another, he would get what he wanted. Instead of guarding the travellers, his djigits started robbing them.

‘Why get only a part of their wealth?’ the young khan thought. ‘I can take all of it!’ And he did.

That’s when caravans started to avoid his land altogether and chose another route, through his neighbour’s country.

‘He’s getting what should be rightfully mine!’ the young khan thought and went to war with his neighbours.

But his army was defeated, the khan got killed and the caravanserai was forgotten for now travellers followed a different route. And so it stands, half ruined and deserted, in a small valley, away from the main road.

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If you liked this legend, look for my book The Kyrgyz Legends which includes three more legends from Kyrgyzstan here