Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: the Voice from Heaven

  No page on all things Central Asian could ever be complete without a mention of Pakistani-born Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, a singer of mainly Qawwali music and who, amongst those in the know, simply went by the nick “The voice from heaven” – which was just my impression when I first heard him sing […]

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Central Asian Naans You Can Make

  Oh, naans. Delicious, round flatbreads stuffed with perfectly seasoned and matched fillings to be had with a curry…The only kind there is, right? Well, no. Indian naans and chapattis’ nearest, lesser known Central Asian cousins differ from them in several ways but one: one’s taste buds, upon first contact, will be asking for their […]

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Central Asian Dishes You Too Can Make: Tajik Qurutob

  Tajikistan has two national dishes: plov (or osh), and qurutob. While plov is better known and is also the national dish of Uzbekistan, qurutob, a mix of onions and bread in a yogurt sauce (with a bit of optional extra meat and vegetables), is specifically Tajik. Photo by wikipedia Doesn’t sound at all hard […]

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Central Asian Dishes You Too Can Make: Uzbek Plov

  Whether you’ve already been, or are still planning to go on a Central Asia Rally and savor the delish dishes of the region, making one of their signature national meals yourself is going to make you proud as heck, and serve as a hearty reminder of good times past or soon to come. Today’s […]

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Ancient Settlements Discovered near Khiva, Uzbekistan

  Just by to the ancient city of Khiva in Uzbekistan, the desert oasis of Khwarezm offers a treasure trove of anthropological and archaeological history. Dotting the vast desert of what used to be ancient Khwarezm are the ruins of countless towns and forts collectively known as the Golden Ring; they’re definitely worth a visit […]

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Tomb of the Prophet Daniel in Samarkand

  The 18 metre long sarcophagus of the mysteriously ceaselessly growing dead prophet in Samarkand is not the only one that claims to be the final resting place of Prophet Daniel, but it is arguably the most puzzling one. Where are the others? The most widely accepted one of these places is in Susa, Iran. […]

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Fergana Valley, Kyrgyzstan: the Core of Central Asia

  As you approach the destination of your Central Asia Rally on day 11, your path will take you past the very core of Central Asia – the Fergana Valley. We don’t just mean this in terms of geography: the valley, enclosed by the the Gissar-Alai range to the south and Tian Shan Mountains to […]

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Tomb of Rudaki, Father of Persian Poetry, Tajikistan

  Hidden in the Fan mountains in the northwest of Tajikistan is the resting place Rudaki, the father of Persian poetry. Born around 860, he is one of the foremost historical figures of post-Soviet Tajikistan, strongly shaping the national identity as an icon of not just artistic achievement but also as a cultural touchstone for […]

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Tash Rabat, Kyrgyzstan: An Isolated Silk Road Caravanserai in the Back of Beyond

  Say “Silk Road” and most of us see soft focus pictures of camels, flowing garments, and romantically drifting sand dunes, perhaps with a bit of low-key throat singing in the background. But this romanticized portrayal airbrushes out the real dangers that the journey entailed, for the Silk Road crossed some of the most treacherous […]

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Uzbekistan Highlights – The Madrasas of Bukhara

  Now that we’ve toured the webby world of Uzbek texiles, it’s time to start a new thread (as it were), and take a peek into the world of Madrasas, centers of Muslim education and religion. They are very common in the Islamic world, and today we’ll have a look the ones in In Bukhara […]

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Magic Weaves of Uzbekistan: the Ancient Art of Ikat

  You’ve seen in our last piece that thankfully, the ancient art of silk printing is on the upswing again in Central Asia. Today we’ll be showing you that there are even more reasons to celebrate on this front, as one of its sister traditions is also gaining ground in the rich tapestry of the […]

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A New Cycle Begins – The Festival of Navruz

  While big parts of the western world get ready to celebrate Easter, the people of Central Asia have already welcomed spring and the return of life last weekend, celebrating Navruz. This ancient festival has its roots more than 5000 years ago in today’s Iran. Being a combination of the two old Persian words “now’, […]

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